Senior Interdisciplinary Honors Thesis
The Senior Honors Thesis is one of four capstone options for graduating seniors. The thesis is an interdisciplinary culmination of the diverse topics students encounter throughout their studies in the University Honors Program. Additionally, a few departments at UNM may not offer a Senior Honors Thesis option, may not have faculty members available to oversee a student's research or may not offer students the opportunity research across disciplines. By selecting the interdisciplinary Senior Honors Thesis, students are able to work with any one of the outstanding faculty members or instructors in the UHP. The Senior Honors Thesis is a 3-semester, 7-credit hour undertaking.
Thesis Info Sessions
The Honors Program hosts an Information Session for students considering the Honors Interdisciplinary Thesis as their Senior Option. These always fall on the Friday after Fall Break or the Friday after Spring Break. For exact times, please consult our Events Calendar (simply scroll to the appropriate Friday).
Prep Semester: Organizing a Thesis Committee and Crafting a Thesis Proposal
Students register for UHON 499 Independent Study (1 credit hour) with any willing UHP Continuing Faculty member. This faculty member will help you organize your ideas and formalize the Thesis Proposal. This faculty member does not need direct knowledge of your intended topic of study, and they do not have to serve on your Thesis Committee. The preparatory faculty member is merely a mentor there to help you negotiate the resources available at the University and organize initial research.
The prep semester enables students focus on:
- Understanding the Senior Interdisciplinary Honors Thesis process,
- Identifying a faculty member who will be their Thesis Advisor (A thesis advisor oversees the research and writing.)
- Crafting a Thesis Proposal
After several meetings with the prepratory faculty member, students will attend a general meeting of all prep semester students. This is a mandatory meeting scheduled for the Friday after Fall Break or Spring Break. During this meeting the UHP Thesis Coordinator, Dr. Troy Lovata, provides students with an overview of the thesis process and distributes a Thesis Proposal Packet. Students then meet regularly with their preparatory faculty member in order to complete the Thesis Proposal and identify scholars to serve on the student’s Thesis Committee, while identifying and selecting a Thesis Advisor and Reader. The semester ends with students turning in a completed Thesis Proposal Packet to Dr. Lovata.
Semester 2: Reading and Research
Students register for UHON 490 Reading and Research (3 credits) once the Thesis Proposal is approved by Dr. Lovata. Students spend this semester completing the research into their theses topics in regular consultation with their Thesis Advisor (the faculty member they identified and selected to work with during the Prep semester).
Dr. Lovata also assigns short, required exercises that help students assemble a bibliography, hone their methodologies, and refine research. There are 3 to 4 meetings with Dr. Lovata and other thesis students over the course of this semester. These are excellent opportunities for students to share as colleagues the various successful research and writing techniques and strategies. These group meetings are required portions of the process—you cannot complete the thesis without attending. Students meet with their Thesis Advisor on a more regular basis as required to complete their research. The semester ends with the production of an 8 to 10 page draft of the thesis.
Semester 3: Writing the Thesis and Presenting Your Research
Students register for UHON 491 Senior Honors Thesis (3 credits). This portion of the Senior Interdisciplinary Honors Thesis requires students to synthesize their research into a written thesis and oral presentation.
First is the actual writing of the thesis. Students work with their Thesis Committee (the one they identified and selected during the prep semester) to determine their own schedules for completing any outlines or preliminary drafts.
The completed thesis should be at least 30, double-spaced, word-processed pages in length (excluding endnotes and bibliography). After the Thesis Advisor approves the thesis it should be submitted to Dr. Lovata by the end of the 13th week of the semester.
A Thesis Abstract and a Senior Honors Thesis Form must accompany the final manuscript.
Thesis candidates are also required to present an oral summary of their research at the UHP Thesis Presentation Day shortly before finals week. The Thesis Coordinator directs this part of the semester, helps students distill their research into a 20 to 30 minute oral presentation, and organizes 2 to 3 required practice sessions for each student.
Contact
For more information about the Senior Interdisciplinary Honors Thesis, contact Dr. Troy Lovata, UHP Thesis Coordinator, by phone at 277-3663, by e-mail at lovata@unm.edu or visit his office in room 2B of the Honors Center.
