Senior Honors Thesis

The Thesis Honors Program allows Tufts seniors to pursue a year-long independent program of study, to delve into a focused area of research within your major, and to produce an outcome that demonstrates exceptional undergraduate achievement. The senior honors thesis is a capstone experience for undergraduates in a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree program. 

Students may pursue only one Senior Honors Thesis per bachelor degree; that is, students who have two or three majors may not pursue two or three Honors Theses. Only students in five-year combined degree programs, such as BA/BFA, can pursue one senior thesis for the BFA degree in Studio Art and a Honors Thesis for one major in the BA degree, preferably in years four and five of the combined-degree program.

Overview

The senior honors thesis takes the form of an extensive research-based project culminating in a scholarly monograph (or an artistic or technical product). The honors thesis:

• Spans two consecutive semesters during your senior year.
• Is worth 8 credits (4 credits per semester; usually same letter grade for both semesters) in the School of Arts and Sciences. In the School of Engineering, it is worth 6 credits (3 credits per semester; usually same letter grade for both semesters).
• Culminates in a defense.
• Is overseen by a faculty committee of at least two people (one of whom must be a full-time faculty member in your major).
• Will be specially formatted and archived in Tufts Digital Collections and Archives.
• May be worthy of Thesis Honors.

Typically, the honors thesis takes the form of independent research within your major (or in one of your majors) and results in a scholarly monograph that incorporates extensive research, critical analysis, and a sustained argument centered on a defined research question or hypothesis. Some majors will encourage or permit less traditional theses that result in the creation of a short documentary film, translated book, collection of poems, novella, play, artistic exhibit, musical composition, or application of technology. However, even less traditional theses require substantial scholarly research and writing.

Eligibility Criteria

Students who wish to pursue an honors thesis must:

• Be a senior.
• Be in good academic standing.
• Have been on the Dean’s List at least twice before the senior year. There is a waiver process for transfer students and others who have not met this criterion.
• Meet departmental criteria for the major or program in which you will pursue the honors thesis. Some majors stipulate prerequisite coursework, a GPA threshold, a written proposal submitted during your junior year, or participation in a senior seminar.
• Have approval of your major department chair or program director (indicated by a signature on your Honors Thesis Candidate Form.

​Important Deadlines

• October 20, 2024: Senior Honors Thesis Candidate Form must be submitted.
• December 12, 2024: Defenses for February degree candidates must be completed by the last day of the fall semester reading period. Thesis submission deadlines are set by advisors and departments, but it is strongly recommended that the completed thesis is submitted to the committee at least two weeks before the final defense. This will allow readers and committee members to engage with the material presented by the student in preparation for the defense.
• December 13, 2024: Advisors must submit the "Recommendation for Senior Thesis Honors" form for February degree candidates by the end of the first day of fall exams. (This form is only available to Tufts faculty and staff and can be found in the Faculty Forms section on SIS.)
• May 1, 2025: Defenses for May degree candidates must be completed by the last day of the spring semester reading period. Thesis submission deadlines are set by advisors and departments, but it is strongly recommended that the completed thesis is submitted to the committee at least two weeks before the final defense. This will allow readers and committee members to engage with the material presented by the student in preparation for the defense.
• May 2, 2025: Advisors must submit the "Recommendation for Senior Thesis Honors" form for May degree candidates by the end of the first day of spring exams. (This form is only available to Tufts faculty and staff and can be found in the Faculty Forms section on SIS.)
• May 16, 2025: Archive your completed manuscript in Tufts Digital Collections and Archives (via the MIRA website) any time after your thesis defense and before your graduation date. This should be the final, completed, corrected version ready for posterity. Complete the deposit form and select “Agree and Deposit.” Archival uploads may be made a few weeks after graduation before the deposit window closes. Contact Associate Dean of Undergraduate Advising, Caitlin Casey, for details if you need extra time or have a special circumstance.