LAHP HONORS PROJECT/THESIS FAQS
1. How long will my honors project take to finish?
Most projects will take one term; a few will take two terms. This will vary from major to major. Check with Miriam to see how many terms your honors project will take.
2. When should I begin thinking about my honors project?
NOW. You should begin thinking about ideas and potential mentors as soon as you become an LAHP member.
3. How do I come up with an idea for a project?
This will vary across departments and programs, and from project to project. In certain departments and programs, like Psychology, you may end up working on a project for which your mentor has received funding. Thus your honors project may be part of a larger project your mentor is working on. This will vary according to the department or program, and the specific faculty member with whom you work. In other departments and programs, you may have considerably more freedom to design your project.
You should work on something that is as relevant as possible to your future academic and professional plans , that you personally find engaging, that is doable in the time you have to complete it, and that falls within your mentor’s area of expertise.
4. How do I find a mentor?
You should begin this process as soon as possible. Look for someone with expertise in the subject area of your project. It will help immensely if you have already established a working relationship with your potential mentor, and/or have already taken a class with him or her.
You should schedule a meeting with your potential mentor to explain your idea and to ask him or her to work with you on the project. Please bear in mind that this constitutes extra work for your mentor, so do not assume that the person you approach will say yes – work to convince him or her to work with you. The likeliness he or she will agree to work with you will depend on a number of things, particularly how closely related your project is to his or her field of study, how engaging your proposed project is, and how busy he or she is.
5. How do I design my honors project, and how can I tell if it’s honors-worthy?
The people in the best position to define a project within a given field and to determine whether it’s worthy of honors credit are you and your mentor. We expect you and your mentor to define the project and how it will be evaluated. That said, if you or your mentor have any questions about this at all, you can consult the LAHP Director or the liaison in your department.
6. Does my honors project have to be in my major?
We anticipate that most if not all of you will go on to graduate school. Your choice of a project—and your choice of which department or program within which you’ll work on that project—should reflect what you plan to study after graduation. We expect that this means you will work on a project within your major, but if you want to work on a project in your minor you can do so with the permission of the LAHP Director.
7. Is it possible to do an interdisciplinary project?
Absolutely – in fact we encourage you to think about your projects in interdisciplinary terms. These kinds of projects may be a little harder to create and manage, but we promise to do everything we can to make them work if possible. Speak to the LAHP Director if you have an interdisciplinary project you want to propose.
8. What do I do with the Honors Project Contract?
You fill it out with your mentor and submit it to the LAHP Director. In the contract, you will describe the project, provide a timeline and describe how the project will be assessed.
9. How do I put together a committee for my honors project?
The head of the committee will be your mentor. That’s the person who will do the most work overseeing your project. We recommend that you find a faculty member from your minor –or your major, if your project is in your minor field–and an LAHP faculty liaison for your remaining two committee members. These committee members will provide additional oversight and advice on the project.
10. How and why do I sign up for an independent study with my mentor?
The independent study will provide a structure to insure that you and your mentor work together on the project. It provides you with credit for your work towards your major – this is why we ask you to save at least one upper level elective in your major. It also provides your mentor [a small amount of] credit for working with you. It enables you to create a timeline for your work with your mentor, and you need to make sure to do this. The end result of the independent study will be your honors project.
If your mentor does not have an independent study section available, one can be created. This is typically done by the department administrative assistant.
If an independent study is not offered in your department, or if your major does not feature upper level electives, please contact the LAHP Director immediately. The LAHP Director will work with you to figure something out.
11. What happens if I don’t do an Honors Project?
You need to complete an LAHP Honors Project to graduate with the LAHP Honors Minor.