Honors Thesis Requirements and Steps:

Requirements for CLAS students

Requirements for WCBA students

Sample Theses: Go to this website and search for Economics OR email me and ask for samples. http://ufdc.ufl.edu/ufhonors

 

Brief description of steps required to graduate with honors (you will receive a more detailed description via e-mail on the term when you graduate).

1.  a) Complete the empirical research class in the Fall, at least one term before you graduate. The final paper you write for this class will be the basis for your honors thesis. You should take the class at least one term before you graduate. The most common route is for students to take the class in, say, Fall of 2017, and then write the thesis on Spring of 2018.

OR

b) Work with a professor (either through the University Scholars Program or independently). Have a finished paper draft by the term before your graduating term (with the exception of the Summer term. If you are graduating in the Summer, you need a finished draft by December of the previous year). Your paper should be similar to the final product of students who take the honors thesis course. The requirements for the paper written in the honors thesis course are available here (read the entire syllabus to get an idea of what the paper should be like). Papers that are not empirical can be approved on a case by case basis. To see if a paper that is not empirical is approved, you need to: (a) have a faculty advisor approve it and (b) email me a draft to see if I approve it.

2. If you are graduating in the Fall or Spring: Email the undergraduate honors thesis coordinator the first week of class of the term when you are graduating and let her know you are graduating. If you don’t know who the honors coordinator is, you can ask the Economics Office. If you are graduating in the Summer: Email the undergraduate thesis coordinator the first week of class of the Spring term preceding your graduation.

3. You will have to meet with the economics honors committee during the first month of classes of your last term at UF (this is set up by the honors thesis coordinator). Meetings take place in the Fall and Spring terms. If you graduate in the Summer, your meeting will take place in the Spring. The committee will listen to a short presentation about your paper and give you suggestions.

4. Incorporate the suggestions from the honors thesis committee (you have a couple of months to do this).

5. Submit your thesis and the appropriate forms. The committee will read your thesis and recommend a “pass” or a “fail”.

NOTE: Once you email the undergraduate honors thesis coordinator on your last term at UF, you will receive emails with detailed instructions on how to complete each of these steps.

More information is also available here: http://guides.uflib.ufl.edu/ufir/honors_theses

 

Steps required for the term in which you are graduating:

1. Make sure the honors thesis coordinator knows you are graduating this term (email the person during the first week of class) and that you meet the requirements. The requirements are:

College GPA requirement: 3.50 or higher GPA on all courses taken at UF beginning the semester after accumulating 60 credits.

College GPA requirement for Magna and Summa: Eligible students must have a 3.50 or higher GPA on all courses taken at UF beginning the semester after accumulating 60 credits and completion of, and faculty evaluation of, a thesis, research project or other creative work. Distinction of magna or summa cum laude may be granted based on faculty evaluation of the thesis, and the department will make the determination whether and what level of distinction will be awarded.

PLUS: Economics department requirements:

Magna: Student must earn a 3.30 GPA for all UF economics courses, complete ECO 4935 or ECO 4905 and submit an acceptable thesis

Summa: Student must earn a 3.70 GPA on all courses taken at UF the semester after accumulating 60 credits and a 3.50 GPA for all UF economics courses. Must also complete ECO 4935 or ECO 4905 and submit an acceptable thesis.

PLUS: A completed paper draft to present to the committee (I will send more instructions for this when I have a final list of people graduating this term).

2. Sign up for an honors thesis committee meeting (this is set up by the honors thesis coordinator)

3. Get ready for your thesis committee meeting. During this meeting you will give a 10 minute presentation of your thesis idea. You won’t be using a powerpoint presentation because it is in a more conversational setting. You can bring a paper with notes and must bring at least 3 copies of your thesis draft (you will give one copy of your paper to each committee member). After your 10 minute presentation the committee members will give you advice on how to improve your thesis. The deadline to submit your final thesis draft is 4 weeks before the last day of final exams. You are always welcome to submit earlier than that. You submit your final draft by sending an email to the honors thesis coordinator with a PDF file of your final thesis.

4. The committee will read your thesis and give you a pass or fail. You will receive an email from me letting you know you passed or failed. Important: You must have received final approval from your department before you submit your Honors thesis or project to the Libraries. Please do not proceed to step 5 until you get an email from the honors thesis committee letting you know that you’ve passed.

5. If you received a “pass”: At this point you have met all of the Departmental requirements that are needed to upload your thesis to the library (assuming you also meet the College and Department GPA requirements). You will upload your thesis to the library (this can be done as soon as it is ready and approved by the committee). The submission deadline to submit your paper to the library is listed on the link below which also includes information on what steps to follow to upload your thesis to the library: http://cms.uflib.ufl.edu/etd/honors