Thesis Year by Year

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What topics would you like to explore in depth? Are there faculty members whose research fascinates you? It's never too early to start thinking about the honors thesis.

Fall Semester

Enroll in at least one three-credit hour honors course.

  • Consult the undergraduate course catalog and your Academic Advisor for honors course options. 
  • Bonus: At the completion of 6 honors hours you, qualify for grants from the Honors College.

Spring Semester

Explore Honors Thesis Mentor possibilities:

Enroll in at least one three-credit hour honors course.

  • Consult the undergraduate course catalog and your Academic Advisor for honors course options. 
  • Bonus: At the completion of 6 honors hours you qualify for grants from the Honors College.

Year-end Milestones:

  • Maintain a 3.5+ cGPA.
  • Submit Honors Acceptance, Student Information and Ethics Form.
  • Complete 3–9 hours of honors coursework.

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Fall Semester

Request to enroll in AFLS 3413H - Honors Proposal Development and Research Methods course for the upcoming spring semester. Students are expected to have identified an Honors Thesis Mentor and general honors thesis idea prior to enrolling in the course. Instructor permission is required to enroll.  Email our office at aflshnrs@uark.edu or Dr. Lisa Wood directly at lswood@uark.edu. 

Enroll in at least one three-credit hour honors course:

Identify your Honors Thesis Mentor:

  • Review the guidelines for research, creative, and group/team projects. 
  • Consider a question or concept you would like to explore through a research or creative honors thesis.
  • View faculty research expertise under the Select an Honors Thesis Mentor tab on the Bumpers College Honors Program website.
  • Speak with faculty about the direction of your honors thesis project and discuss their willingness to become your Honors Thesis Mentor.

Spring Semester

Request to enroll in AFLS 3413H - Honors Proposal Development and Research Methods course for the upcoming fall semester. Students are expected to have identified an Honors Thesis Mentor and general honors thesis idea prior to enrolling in the course. Instructor permission is required to enroll.  Email our office at aflshnrs@uark.edu or Dr. Lisa Wood directly at lswood@uark.edu.

Submit Honors Faculty Mentor and Project Identification Form (Form #1) 

  • Obtain your Honors Thesis Mentor's signature.
  • Include the draft title of your honors thesis project.

Begin developing your honors thesis proposal in AFLS 3413H and continue working with your Honors Thesis Mentor: 

  • Establish research objectives or research questions, gather background information and peer-reviewed examples, and identify research methods or creative processes.
  • Apply for a  Bumpers College Undergraduate Research & Creative Project Grant – Due October 15 during fall semester and March 15 in spring semester.
  • Watch for an email from aflshnrs@uark.edu with deadlines and links to the Bumpers College Undergraduate Research and Creative Project Grant application and proposal guidelines. 

Year-end Milestones: 

  • Maintain a 3.5+ cGPA.
  • Complete 6–9 cumulative hours of honors coursework.    
  • Identify Honors Thesis Mentor and potential honors thesis topic and Submit Form 1.
  • Request enrollment in AFLS 3413H - Honors Proposal Development and Research Methods.
  • Begin your honors thesis proposal in AFLS 3413H and work with your Honors Thesis Mentor to develop your idea. 

junior year by year

Fall Semester

This is the last semester to take AFLS 3413H - Honors Proposal Development and Research Methods.

Apply for a SURF Grant to fund your honors thesis project – Annual deadline Mid October.

  • Attend a SURF information meeting – typically the first and second week of September.
  • Register for SURF application tool kit through the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards.

Apply for Bumpers College Undergraduate Research & Creative Project Grant – Fall deadline October 15.

Continue working on your honors thesis:

  • Refine your honors thesis proposal document.
    • (Title Page, Introduction, Literature Review, Methods and Materials or Development Plan, Literature Cited)

Enroll in at least one three-credit hour honors course.

Spring Semester

Coordinate with your Honors Thesis Mentor to identify your honors thesis committee (2-3 members). Schedule a date, time, and location to hold an honors thesis proposal meeting to seek approval for moving forward with your honors thesis project.

  • Provide your committee a copy of your honors thesis proposal at least one week prior to your honors thesis proposal meeting.
  • Provide a copy of the Honors Thesis Proposal  Meeting and Committee Selection Form (Form #2) to your committee at your honors thesis proposal meeting. Obtain Honors Thesis Mentor's signature, committee members' signatures, and the Honors Departmental Representative's signature. The Honors Departmental Representative is required to sign Form 2 to confirm that the honors thesis proposal meeting has taken place, but is not required to be an active committee member.
  • Submit Form 2 and attach the approved honors thesis proposal. 
    • (Thesis Proposal: Title Page, Introduction, Literature Review, Methods and Materials or Development Plan, Literature Cited)

Following your committee's approval, you may begin conducting your honors thesis project under the guidance of your Honors Thesis Mentor and committee.

Apply for a Bumpers College Undergraduate Research & Creative Project Grant – Spring deadline March 15. 

  • Watch for an email from aflshnrs@uark.edu with deadlines and links to the Bumpers College Undergraduate Research and Creative Project Grant application and proposal guidelines. 

Enroll in at least one three-credit hour honors course.

Year-end Milestones: 

  • Maintain 3.5+ cGPA.
  • Complete 9–12 cumulative hours of honors coursework.
  • Identify honors thesis committee.
  • Hold proposal meeting with honors thesis commitee and submit Form 2 along with copy of approved honors thesis proposal.

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Fall Semester

Enroll in AFLS 400VH - Honors Thesis Credits.

Conclude honors thesis.

  • Continue developing your honors thesis document (Findings, Results or Design Process and Creative Works, Discussion, Conclusions, Implications, Recommendations, Literature Cited, Tables, Charts, Figures, Appendices).

Apply for Graduation through UA Connect (at the completion of 90 credit hours).

Spring Semester

Complete your honors thesis document and hold an honors thesis defense meeting. Coordinate with your Honors Thesis Mentor and committee to schedule a date, time and location.

  • Honors thesis defense deadlines April 1 (spring graduates), July 1 (summer graduates), and November 1 (fall graduates).
  • Provide your committee a copy of your completed honors thesis at least one week prior to your defense meeting date.
  • Email aflshnrs@uark.edu the date, time and location of your defense meeting at least one week prior to your scheduled defense date.
  • Provide the Honors Thesis Defense Meeting and Examination  Form (Form #3) to your committee at the defense meeting. Obtain the signatures of your Honors Thesis Mentor, committee members, and the Honors Departmental Representative. Your Honors Thesis Mentor is responsible for turning the signed and completed form in on your behalf to the Bumpers College Waldrip Student Center (AGRI 205) or by email to aflshnrs@uark.edu

Incorporate all revisions and edits provided during defense.

  • Email aflshnrs@uark.edu to schedule an appointment to review final honors thesis formatting and ensure you are meeting minimum program requirements prior to the term’s submission deadline.

Submit final copy of honors thesis document to ScholarWorks.

  • Honors thesis submission deadlines April 15 (spring graduates), July 15 (summer graduates, and November 15 (fall graduates). 

Enroll in AFLS 400VH, Honors Thesis Credits (if needed).

Submit your revised thesis as an article to Discovery Journal, the student journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Please follow the linked instructions for student authors. 

Attend the spring Honors and Awards Reception.

  • Watch for a message from the Assistant Dean for Student Success with the dates, times and locations of this event.

Year-end Milestones:

  • Complete 15 honors credit hours (9-12 honors course credit hours, 3-6 honors thesis credit hours).
  • Defend honors thesis and submit Form 3. 
  • Submit final honors thesis document to ScholarWorks.
  • Graduate with honors.

 

Step 1

Attend annual fall required honors Thesis Meeting:

This annual meeting is meant to introduce sophomore-senior students to the guidelines and expectations for your honors thesis project. This meeting is scheduled for September of every year.

Step 2

Identify HONORS THESIS Mentor and enroll in afls 3413H:

Identify your Honors Thesis Mentor and create a draft title of your honors thesis. Complete Form 1 and submit by your respective deadline.

Request to enroll in AFLS 3413H to  develop your honors thesis proposal. Instructor permission is required to enroll. 

Step 3

PROPOSE honors thesis:

Identify your honors thesis committee. Schedule a time to hold an honors thesis proposal meeting with your committee.

Complete Form 2 and submit the form along with the honors thesis proposal draft approved by your committee by your respective deadline.

The Honors Departmental Representative is required to sign Form 2 to confirm the honors thesis proposal meeting has taken place, but is not required to be an active committee member.

Step 4

Enroll in HONORS Thesis CREDITs:

Request to enroll in honors thesis credit hours and complete your honors thesis before your respective defense date.

To enroll for thesis hours, complete the Request to Enroll in Honors Thesis Credit Form with your Honors Thesis Mentor.

Submit the form by the add or drop deadlines for the respective semester.

Step 5

DEFEND honors thesis:

Schedule a time to hold an honors thesis defense meeting with your committee. Provide provide a copy of your honors thesis to your committee at least one week before your defense date.

Supply your committee with Form 3. Your Honors Thesis Mentor is responsible for submitting Form 3.

The Honors Departmental Representative is required to sign Form 3 to confirm the honors thesis defense meeting has taken place, but is not required to be an active committee member.

*Important tips:

  • If you have any questions, please contact your Honors Departmental Representative, the Assistant Dean for Honors and International Programs, the  Coordinator for Honors and International Programs, or the Director for Student Records through our main Bumpers College Honors Program email at aflshnrs@uark.edu
  • Submit completed forms to the Bumpers College Waldrip Student Center (AGRI 205) or email to aflshnrs@uark.edu