Honors Thesis
An honors thesis is a faculty-mentored, independent research project that is the culmination of an undergraduate career. An honors thesis is a self-directed project, typically completed in a student's senior year, designed for students to take what they’ve learned at Tulane and apply that knowledge by exploring something they're curious about. Through the honors thesis, students will have opportunities to ask complex research questions, place themselves in dialogue with scholarship in their field, make a contribution to their discipline and consider the impact their research will have in their field, community and society more broadly.
The honors thesis at Tulane University is open to any high-achieving student with a recommended overall cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in the major(s) in which the thesis is written. Departments can make exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Why write an honors thesis?
An honors thesis will help you refine the research, writing and presentation skills needed to share your ideas with a broader audience. Through engaging in critical thinking, problem-solving and solutions-driven inquiry, the honors thesis prepares you for the rigor of graduate and professional study as well as competitive job opportunities.
In addition to providing scholarly and professional preparation, writing an honors thesis is an opportunity to guide your own learning while benefiting from the mentorship of Tulane’s faculty members — a relationship that can last far beyond graduation.
Steps for Writing an Honors Thesis
The topic you choose to explore for your honors thesis should unite your interests, a faculty member’s expertise and your major degree program(s).
- You might draw inspiration from a course you took, an internship you completed, a community service project you participated in, etc.
- Your topic can be interdisciplinary if you are writing your thesis in two majors.
- Whatever you choose, you should be able to develop an original question that requires research, exploration or testing of some sort to answer.
When choosing a thesis director, you should identify a faculty member who has expertise in the topic you are interested in exploring.
- Typically, this will be a faculty member in the major department in which you are writing your thesis, but it must be someone from the discipline that your thesis will be in.
- We encourage you to begin a conversation with your potential thesis director long before beginning your thesis; the middle of the semester before you plan to begin is ideal.
- Your thesis director cannot be on sabbatical or research leave while you are enrolled in your thesis courses.
Developing a specific research question for your project should be a conversation between you and your director.
- Determining your research question will likely require some preliminary research and reading. This is completely normal.
- If you are already assisting a professor with research, your honors thesis question will likely build on that research topic.
- Keep in mind that your project must be manageable as a two-semester project. Think about what is feasible to accomplish within this period.
The first reader on your committee is your thesis director. They must be full-time faculty members in the major department in which you are writing your thesis.
Honors thesis guide for first readers
Your second reader will normally also be a full-time faculty member in the major department in which you are writing your thesis. Make sure you discuss this with your thesis director. If you are writing a thesis for honors in two majors, your first reader must be from one major and the second reader from the other.
You can add an optional third reader. If you choose to invite a third reader, you should work with your thesis director to identify a third reader who is a full-time Tulane faculty member who makes sense for your project.
Your department may have its own policies or procedures when it comes to choosing a committee, so make sure you check with your thesis director first.
You will register for the honors thesis through the department or program administrative assistant of your major using the course number 4990 in the fall and 5000 in the spring.
- Some departments prefer that you write and submit your prospectus before you register for the thesis courses.
- If you are writing a thesis in two major departments, you will register for 4990 in one department in the fall and 5000 in the other department in the spring.
- Your thesis director will be the instructor for the courses.
- If you are writing a thesis in two majors, your first reader will be the instructor for the first course and the second reader will be the instructor for the second course.
NTC is alerted that you are writing an honors thesis once you submit your prospectus.
Important Due Dates and Forms
A prospectus is a detailed proposal and plan for your thesis project. Most proposals will be a five-to-seven-page discussion of your thesis topic and question, the importance of the project, relevant existing research on the topic, the methods you will use, how you will organize your thesis chapters and a preliminary list of references. Make sure you discuss and share your prospectus with your committee before you submit, as they will need to approve it.
You will submit a draft of a chapter or equivalent portion of the thesis to the honors program. This will vary across disciplines; students should consult with their first reader (thesis director) or co-directors to determine the appropriate format and length of the submission. Note that the first chapter or its equivalent should be considered the minimum at this stage and that in most cases, students should have completed more than this. This progress report will be routed to your committee members for their approval.
At this point, one-third of the thesis should be submitted to the readers and the honors program. This progress report will be routed to your committee members for their approval.
After your oral thesis defense, your first, second and third readers (or co-directors and third reader) will sign a document recognizing successful completion of the oral defense and indicating any revisions that must be made before final submission of the honors thesis.
After you submit your second progress report, you will be added to the honors thesis Canvas course, where you will upload your final thesis with a signed title page. Signatures for the title page must be collected via email or in person.
December 2026 graduates' honors thesis deadlines (use the forms above)
- Second progress report due: Sept. 2, 2026
- Oral defense report due: Nov. 25, 2026
- Final thesis due: Dec. 7, 2026