School/Academic Unit Policies and Guidelines

All schools/academic units have established guidelines and policies for their majors, pertaining to the honors research/thesis requirements. These are described in the sections below.It is YOUR responsibility to know and understand these guidelines, processes, and deadlines, and to identify an appropriate faculty member to supervise your research/thesis experience.

 

Claire Trevor School of the Arts

School of the Arts students will engage in creative activity (examples include the production of a performance, exhibition, choreographic work, or a recital) or research suitable to their major for a minimum of two quarters under faculty supervision culminating in an honors project. Project proposals must be approved by the faculty member supervising the project, the department chair of the major, and Campuswide Honors Program director. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final report or documentation of creative activity, a signed Thesis Approval form, a paper reflecting on the creative process and evaluating the final activity, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

School of Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences students may complete the Excellence in Research Program in the School of Biological Sciences to fulfill honors research and thesis requirements. The Excellence in Research Program is the vehicle in which the student produces a final, capstone project from research taken in a Biological Sciences 199 course. Successful completion of the Excellence in Research Program is a requirement for eligibility in the Biological Sciences Honors Program. Sponsored by the faculties of the School of Biological Sciences and the College of Medicine, the Excellence in Research Program paired with the Bio Sci 199 Research Program has approximately 250 faculty available from which students are able to select a faculty advisor. Students are encouraged to consider the possibilities for research early in their college career. Although students are required to be enrolled in at least four quarters of research in the same Bio Sci 199 project for the Excellence in Research Program, the length of the average project over the years has been almost two years. At the start of the academic year in which the student is eligible to participate in Excellence in Research, s/he must attend a mandatory, informational workshop. At that time an information packet that details eligibility, deadlines and all formal requirements for the program is available on line. Eligible students are required to, according to program standards, attend a mandatory workshop, write a scientific paper, present a ten minute scientific talk, and present a research poster. Based on the quality of the students’ work in its entirety, “Excellence” is determined and awarded by the Honors Committee. If “Excellence” is awarded, papers are published in the school’s on line Journal of Undergraduate Research in the Biological Sciences.Students who would like advice and assistance in starting their research experience under Biological Sciences 199 are invited to contact Biological Sciences Student Affairs Undergraduate Counseling Office. Further details about this research opportunity and the Excellence in Research Program can also be found in the Biological Sciences section of the UCI General Catalogue and on their website. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final paper, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors Office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

The Paul Merage School of Business

Campuswide Honors Business Administration majors can complete their honors research by enrolling in at least two quarters of Business 199 Individual Research. In general, honors research is faculty-supervised and independent, resulting in a capstone project that takes a multidisciplinary approach to education and explores quantitative and/or qualitative aspects of business. UCI business faculty are leaders in their fields and at the forefront of current research and business practices. Honors research provides a unique opportunity to do in-depth study in the academic area that most interests you with a top-notch faculty advisor. Students are responsible for seeking out their own faculty advisor and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Students will work with their faculty advisor to develop a plan for research and thesis. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

School of Education

Campuswide Honors Education majors can complete their honors research by enrolling in at least two quarters of Education 199 Individual Research. Honors research is faculty-supervised and independent, resulting in a capstone project that takes a multidisciplinary approach to educational themes such as Learning, Cognition, Development; Educational Policy and Social Context; or Language, Literacy, and Technology. Students are responsible for seeking out their own faculty advisor and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Students will work with their faculty advisor to develop a plan for research and thesis. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

Henry Samueli School of Engineering

Engineering students conduct faculty-supervised, independent research during their junior or senior year. Campuswide Honors individual research is in addition to the senior project (group project) required for all engineering degrees – in most cases H199 research will count toward technical elective credit. Students are encouraged to consider the possibilities for research early in their college career. Review the department website and faculty research descriptions, then talk with faculty in the areas of your interest. Students are responsible for choosing a faculty advisor for the project whose research interests are similar to their own. By spring quarter of your junior year, you should have consulted with the faculty member you wish to work with and begin to develop a plan for the senior research and thesis.Students will complete a minimum of 8 units on one project by enrollment in 4 units of H199 (Honors Research) and 4 units of H196W (Honors Thesis). In general, during the first quarter of the project, students will sign up for 4 units of H199 under the faculty who has agreed to serve as the research advisor for the project. During the second quarter of the project, the student will sign up for 4 units of H196W under the direction of the same research advisor.You will need to go to the Engineering Undergraduate Studies Office to get the course code numbers for the H199 & H196W courses. The course codes for HONORS sections must be individually assigned once you have determined your faculty advisor. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. Upon completion of the project, students submit their research papers to their faculty advisors. If the faculty advisor chooses, the honors research paper can be submitted for review for the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Program. Successful candidates will present their work at the UROP sponsored UCI Campuswide Research Symposium and have their papers published in the School of Engineering Journal of Undergraduate Research. The proposal for Individual Study form with a copy of the abstract must be submitted to Engineering Student Affairs. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

School of Humanities

The Humanities Honors Program invites Campuswide Honors members to participate in their program beginning in the junior year and continuing through the senior year. Students will attend the three-quarter Honors Proseminar, whose purpose is to allow students to work closely in a personalized and stimulating learning environment with some of UCI’s brightest undergraduates. It creates an opportunity for students to get to know their professors personally and to share the excitement of intellectual discovery with classmates. Students meet with the Director of the Humanities Honors Program to discuss thesis topics and format, and the choice of a thesis advisor. In the senior year, Campuswide Honors students will take, along with the Humanities Honors students, Humanities H140-H141-H142W, designed to culminate in the senior thesis.

  • Humanities H140 is directed by the Humanities Honors Thesis Advisor. It is designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and research strategies and to begin the process of writing the senior honors thesis. Instructor will guide students in the initial stages of the thesis, bibliography, narrowing down the topic, prospectus, research, and outline.
  • Humanities H141 continues the work begun in H140. Students work closely with their faculty advisors to produce a first draft of the thesis by the end of the quarter.
  • Humanities H142 continues small group discussions as the students prepare the final draft of the 30-50 page thesis by the middle of the quarter.

Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor.

A copy of the final report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors Office by the deadline for your graduating term. Another copy of the final thesis must be submitted to Erica Green in the Humanities Undergraduate Counseling Office by the end of the spring quarter.

Humanities Campuswide Honors students who join the Humanities Honors Program and complete the junior year Honors Proseminars in addition to the senior year Honors Thesis classes will have the notation “Completed Humanities Honors Program” added to their transcripts.

 

Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Science

Campuswide Honors students majoring in ICS should enroll in ICS H197 Honors Seminar (2 units) in the Fall quarter of their sophomore, junior, or senior year. ICS H197 provides an orientation to research in ICS and includes talks by ICS faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. ICS H197 is followed by a research project involving two or more quarters of CS H198 or IN4MATX H198. (The completion of two CS H198 or IN4MATX H198 courses give students credit for one project course required of the ICS major, provided that the second project course is taken in a different area.) H198 signifies the student is working on independent research work that culminates in a final research project that is supervised by a faculty research advisor. Students are responsible for seeking out and selecting a faculty advisor AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Before beginning the research, students should submit an “Initial Plan” or project proposal, outlining the project and any course work that will be taken. The proposal must be signed by the faculty advisor and submitted both to the ICS Honors Program advisor and ICS academic counselor (currently Professor Richard Lathrop and Jessica Shanahan, respectively) and to the Campuswide Honors Office. (Students who are also in the ICS Honors Program should follow these policies as well.) Students are encouraged to begin their research project in their junior year, and have the research completed and thesis written by the end of winter quarter of their senior year (or one quarter before they graduate). Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. The thesis is submitted to both the ICS Undergraduate Student Affairs office and Campuswide Honors. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

Program in Nursing Science

Campuswide Honors Nursing Science majors will work the faculty in their major to determine their research topic and advisor. In general, Honors nursing students will complete their honors research requirement during their senior year. Students should read carefully all emails they receive from nursing faculty regarding honors research and should respond in a timely manner. Honors nursing students receive a lot of support in the research/thesis process from their faculty advisor and will work closely with their faculty advisor to develop a plan for research and thesis. Honors research is faculty-supervised and independent, resulting in a capstone project that takes a multidisciplinary approach to health and explores quantitative and/or qualitative aspects of nursing and/or health. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Campuswide Honors Pharmaceutical Science majors can complete their honors research by enrolling in at least two quarters of PHRMSCI 199 Individual Research (or the equivalent) or by participating in Honors Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHRMSCI H199). In general, pharm sci research is faculty-supervised and independent, resulting in a capstone project that will allow you to develop a deeper understanding of your research focus; enhance your writing, communication, and leadership skills; and make you a more competitive applicant for graduate school.Students interested in participating in Honors Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences must complete their research in a pharm sci faculty research lab at UCI. Eligible students much have three prior quarters of research before enrolling in PHRMSCI H199 as well as a recommendation from their faculty advisor. In general, students are responsible for seeking out their own faculty advisor and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Students will work with their faculty advisor to develop a plan for research and thesis. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

School of Physical Sciences

Physical Sciences will provide senior thesis opportunities in Chemistry, Mathematics, Earth System Science, and Physics. Projects undertaken under the Chemistry H180/H181, ESS 199/198W/H198, Mathematics 199, or Physics H196 series of supervised theoretical or experimental research courses will lead to theses written in a form suitable for publication in a scientific journal. Many Campuswide Honors students choose to participate in the Honors in Chemistry, Honors in Earth System Science, Honors in Mathematics, or Honors in Physics programs, which require a slightly greater commitment—the same thesis can be used to satisfy both Campuswide Honors requirements and departmental honors requirements.The honors student should initiate contact with suitable faculty members no later than the Spring Quarter of the junior year. Students should plan to propose a project which they and the faculty member are in agreement will lead to a thesis. The proposed project then should be approved by the department involved. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

Program in Public Health

Campuswide Honors Public Health majors can complete their honors research by enrolling in at least two quarters of PUBHLTH 199 Individual Research or by successfully completing the Public Health Honors Program (PUBHLTH H192A-PUBHLTH H192B-PUBHLTH H192C along with PUBHLTH 199). Honors research is faculty-supervised and independent, resulting in a capstone project that takes a multidisciplinary approach to public health and explores quantitative and/or qualitative aspects of public health. Students are responsible for seeking out their own faculty advisor and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Students will work with their faculty advisor to develop a plan for research and thesis. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. For more information about the Public Health Honors Program, please see the UCI Catalogue. Students can also familiarize themselves with current research being undertaken by faculty and students in Public Health here. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

School of Social Ecology

Students majoring in one of the four majors in the School of Social Ecology are able to fulfill the senior thesis requirement through the Social Ecology Honors Program. Honors students need to apply for acceptance to the program in the spring of their junior year. The actual deadline will be communicated by e-mail via Social Ecology Broadcast (student listserv). They should be prepared to submit a brief research proposal, an unofficial UCI transcript, and a letter of support from a Social Ecology faculty member who agrees to serve as their mentor. In addition, students must have achieved an overall GPA of at least 3.2 and 3.5 GPA in a minimum of four upper-division major courses by the end of winter quarter of their junior year.To meet the obligations of the Social Ecology Honors Program, a student must commit to enrolling in all three classes of the Honors Program sequence during their senior year: SOCECOL H190A, SOCECOL H190B, and SOCECOL H190W. Questions regarding the program should be directed to the faculty director. More information can be found on their website. Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final thesis report, a signed Thesis Approval form, and the abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.

 

School of Social Sciences

Campuswide Honors students in the School of Social Sciences who wish to fulfill the honors research and thesis requirement should apply to the honors program in their major. The honors program may involve a slightly higher commitment in terms of course completion as well as faculty-supervised, independent research project to be conducted in the junior or senior year. Most honors program in the School involve a 4 quarter unit honors seminar and a 4-12 quarter unit senior thesis. Students are responsible for choosing a faculty advisor for the project whose interests are similar to their own.Students should begin thinking about the honors program toward the end of the second year/beginning of their junior year since most applications will be due around this time. Students should think about a research project in the end of their junior year, and should plan to have the research completed and the thesis written by the end of the winter quarter of their senior year (or one quarter before they graduate). Honors students are welcome to direct any questions regarding completion of the research and thesis to their honors advisor. A copy of the final thesis, a signed Thesis Approval form, and an abstract must be filed with the Campuswide Honors office by the deadline for your graduating term.