To Thesis or Not to Thesis That is The Question (Faculty Panel)

location_on Location: Kaiser B

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• assignment_ind Rytwinski, N. & Clevinger, J. “ To Thesis or Not to Thesis That is The Question ”
  In many Honors Programs, the Honors thesis is a time-honored tradition. In fact, its roots date back to medieval, European universities. In American universities, the thesis has been an important part of Honors programs since the late 1800s. However, with an increasing number of students coming to university with college credits earned in high school (e.g., CCP/AP), attempting to graduate early, or in accelerated undergraduate to graduate programs, we have noticed an increasing number of students choosing to leave the Honors Program late in their undergraduate education because they say they feel unable to devote the time needed to complete the thesis. In the spirit of “New Beginnings,” we propose a round-table that evaluates the continued relevance of the Honors thesis. In particular, we will address the history the Honors thesis, the continued benefits of an Honors thesis, the potential barriers (at an institutional and student level) to completing an Honors thesis, potential alternatives to completing an Honors thesis, and the pros and cons to these alternatives. This session will be an interactive presentation, during which audience members may share their ideas and experiences.