Honors Thesis

What is an Honors Thesis?

The Honors Thesis is the capstone of the Honors experience—an independent, student-driven project that begins in HONR 399 (Pre-Thesis) and concludes in HONR 499. Students select a topic, conduct research or creative work, and collaborate with a committee to produce a written component with an abstract and a final presentation. Thesis projects take many forms—traditional research papers, performances, portfolios, business plans, or design projects—and highlight a student’s curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Challenging yet rewarding, the Honors Thesis often stands out as a highlight of undergraduate study and a strong foundation for graduate school or future careers.

What is a Thesis Committee?

The Honors Thesis Committee is a team of at least two CSU professionals who mentor and support students throughout the thesis process. The committee provides feedback, helps guide research or creative work, and ensures the final project meets Honors Program requirements.

The committee includes a Thesis Advisor, who serves as the primary mentor and submits the final grade, and a Reader, who offers additional perspective. Selecting strong, committed committee members is essential, as they play a central role in guiding the project from proposal to final presentation.

Who Can Be on the Thesis Committee?

A full-time CSU employee such as a faculty member, a staff member, an administrator, or a research scientist.
A CSU professional who is fully committed to supporting the student’s project.
A CSU professional who will be accessible to the student during the thesis semester, and physically present for the presentation.

NOTE: In some instances a community expert outside of CSU can support the student. If external to CSU, they may be listed as a reader; however, all advisors must be employed by CSU since they assign a grade.

What are the requirements of an Honors Thesis?

Submit a Proposal

Completed in PreThesis (HONR 399). Describe your thesis topic, present foundational research, and articulate an approach/methods.

Establish a Committee

Completed in PreThesis (HONR 399). Identify a committee (minimum of two CSU professionals). Both will confirm support of the project.

Engage in Project

During the thesis semester (HONR 499), student and commitee discuss a project scope and begin engaging in the thesis process.

Written Component

An Honors Thesis may take the form of a paper, project, or performance. Regardless of format, a written component demonstrating the thesis is rooted in research is required. Disciplinary conventions should be followed. Not necessary to submit a copy to Honors.

Present Research

Students must present their research to the committee and are encouraged to invite others to celebrate their work, whether through conferences, poster sessions, or formal presentations. Full committee must attend the presentation.

Publish the Thesis

Students are strongly encouraged, though not required, to submit their Honors Thesis to the Mountain Scholar Digital Collection, which archives past theses and provides a shareable digital link for graduate schools or platforms such as LinkedIn.

What is Mountain Scholar?
Mountain Scholar is an open-access digital repository that collects, preserves, and shares scholarly and creative works from Colorado State University and the University Press of Colorado. With more than 24,000 publications, it provides lasting access to research, including undergraduate Honors Theses.

Why Publish Your Thesis?
Your Honors Thesis is the culmination of significant effort and creativity—it deserves to be shared. Publishing in Mountain Scholar:

Preserves your work in CSU’s digital archive.
Provides a permanent link to showcase on LinkedIn, graduate school applications, or personal websites.
Makes your research accessible to future scholars, employers, friends, and family.

When Not to Publish
In some cases, it may be best not to share your work publicly (e.g., if research is proprietary). Discuss with your advisor to decide what’s right for you.

How to Publish

Visit the CSU Library’s Mountain Scholar page.
Complete the Mountain Scholar Thesis Cover Page (available in Canvas).
Submit your final thesis using CSU’s self-submission form.
- Use the abstract you submitted to Honors.
- Tag “Honors Thesis” as a keyword.
- List University Honors Program under “department.”

When to Publish
Upload the final, polished version of your thesis. While we suggest aiming for a specific target date, you are welcome to publish at your convenience.

Optional but Strongly Encouraged
Publishing your thesis is not required, but it is highly encouraged as a way to celebrate your achievement and share your work with the broader community.

Honors