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About

Office of Honors Research

The Office of Honors Research (OHR) is located in the Burnett Honors College. OHR houses the Honors Undergraduate Thesis (HUT) program. Current and prospective students are invited to fill out the Request for Contact form or email honorsresearch@ucf.edu (the preferred methods) to request assistance.  Our phone number is (407) 823-2076.

Click here to access the HUT Admissions Portal.

Click here to access the information session schedule. When new sessions are announced, they will be posted here.

Click here to access HUT resources, including the Request for Contact Form.

Honors Undergraduate Thesis

The Honors Undergraduate Thesis (HUT) program is the oldest and most prestigious undergraduate research program at UCF. HUT provides juniors and seniors from all disciplines the opportunity to engage in original and independent research or creative activity as principal investigators and independent scholars.

Over the course of two to four semesters, students work closely with a faculty committee to research, write, defend, and publish an original thesis that serves as an honors capstone product of their undergraduate career. This thesis is published through the university library and is available to researchers worldwide through electronic databases.

Thesis Options

Upon successful completion of the program, students earn the Honors distinction by completing one of these thesis options:

Honors in the Major Thesis

Students complete original research or creative work in their major.

Interdisciplinary Thesis

Students complete original research or creative work in their minor or in a discipline other than their major.

Program Benefits

Undergraduate research, and an Honors Undergraduate Thesis in particular, takes place under the direct supervision of faculty members. As you carry out research under their mentorship, you will develop a close working relationship with them (and other members of their research team, if applicable). When the time comes, they can provide detailed and specific letters of recommendation for graduate and professional programs, as well as connect you to other opportunities (e.g. academic conferences) and a broader network of scholars in your field.

Are you planning to attend, or thinking about, graduate or professional school? Participating in research as an undergraduate is excellent preparation for what you will be doing in such programs and will strengthen your applications. Writing an Honors Undergraduate Thesis, in particular, can be useful, as it demonstrates not only research skills, but associated time management and problem-solving skills. The thesis itself can also be provided as writing sample if requested by a graduate program, as well.

If you are considering a career as a scientist, researcher or academic, then you may want to try your hand at research while still an undergraduate! Many students fine-tune their career plans and gain disciplinary/ technical skills, build up their professional abilities and add valuable experience to their resumes by participating in research. In fact, in today’s knowledge economy, most professions require some level of research skills, and participation in undergraduate research enables you to develop and demonstrate proficiency to potential employers.

Participating in research is a great way to develop related skills that are in high demand by employers: written and oral communication skills, critical thinking, creativity, the ability to research, analyze and interpret information, and intellectual independence. These qualities will serve you well throughout your life, no matter what field you choose and your career trajectory looks like.

Engagement in research and writing an Honors Thesis can help you become a better writer, deeper thinker, and more active learner; process and retain information more effectively; and be more adept at independent projects.

Research often involves unforeseen obstacles that require those engaged in it to find solutions quickly. As you grapple with and resolve unexpected issues that arise in research, you will develop greater resilience, become more independent and confident and, at the end of the journey, feel a sense of accomplishment at what you achieved.

For those who enter the Burnett Honors College through the Honors Undergraduate Thesis program, you have the opportunity to join a community of high-achieving and ambitious young people who will provide an environment that will encourage and empower you to reach your highest potential. All social and extra-curricular events (workshops, career/ internship fairs, graduate school recruitment) are open to all our students.

Frequently Asked Questions

To Register for Directed Readings I (3 credits): After submitting the eligibility form by the posted deadlines, qualified students receive the Admission Agreement and Registration Form. Once you complete these forms, collect all necessary signatures (via HelloSign, Adobe, or another secure electronic signature platform), and submit them to the Office of Honors Research, the Coordinator of Honors Research will enroll you* in the requested course before or during the first week of classes.

*Exceptions apply to NUR-3165H students, who are enrolled by their academic department.

To Register for Directed Readings II (1 or 3 credits, optional): Students who need another semester to complete their thesis proposal can take Directed Readings II for 1 or 3 credits. Ensure this fits in with your graduation plan by contacting an academic advisor in your department/college, and work out a feasible timeline to meet your thesis goals with your thesis chair and committee members.

The OHR team will share the Registration Form at least 4 weeks before the due date; it cannot be found on the HUT Webcourse. If you cannot find it in your inbox, reach out to HonorsResearch@ucf.edu via email to request a copy.

To Register for Thesis I: At least 4 weeks before the due date, students will be emailed the Registration Form to prepare and submit along with their thesis proposal and signed cover page. Students who do not complete and submit their thesis proposal will not be permitted to advance to Thesis I.

To Register for Thesis II (1 or 3 credits, optional): Students who need another semester to complete their thesis semester requirements have the option to take Thesis II for 1 or 3 credits. Ensure this fits in with your graduation plan by contacting an academic advisor in your department/college, and work out a feasible timeline to meet your thesis goals with your thesis chair and committee members.

The OHR team will share the Registration Form at least 4 weeks before the due date; it cannot be found on the HUT Webcourse. If you cannot find it in your inbox, reach out to HonorsResearch@ucf.edu via email to request a copy.

 

If a student needs additional time to complete Honors Directed Readings or Honors Thesis semester requirements, they may submit a Registration Form to be enrolled in Honors Directed Readings II (xxx-4904H) or Honors Thesis II (xxx-4971H*). Ensure this fits in with your graduation plan by contacting an academic advisor in your department/college, and work out a feasible timeline to meet your thesis goals with your thesis chair and committee members.

 

The student may choose, in consultation with their thesis chair, a pass/fail (S/U) or a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F) scale. Grades of S (Satisfactory), and U (Unsatisfactory) do not impact your GPA. You need a grade of A, B or S to remain in good standing and be allowed to continue in the HUT program.

 

If a student is seeking to have HUT coursework count as electives or fulfill other degree requirements, the student must speak with an academic advisor in their department, School or College. Departments must grant permission for HUT coursework to fulfill other degree requirements.

University Honors Students: Completion of the HUT program will satisfy one upper-division Honors requirement for any major.

 

No, these courses are not held in a traditional classroom setting. We advise students to establish a meeting schedule with their thesis chair and committee before the start of the semester to ensure that communication and expectations are well maintained during the project.

 

Yes, we can request that the course be built to be fully online to allow UCF Online students to enroll in the program.

 

Semesters of enrollment in the HUT program do not need to be sequential. However, if a student does not have contact of any kind (this includes enrollment) with the Office of Honors Research for more than two subsequent semesters (Fall & Spring semesters are counted), the student will be removed as an Active Student from the HUT program.

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