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Honors Undergraduate Thesis Admissions

Eligibility Criteria

At minimum, the following criteria must be met for admission into the Honors Thesis program*:

  • 60 completed hours of college credit
  • 12 completed upper-division hours of college credit
  • 3.4 or higher UCF GPA or Overall GPA
  • Two or more semesters remaining prior to graduation

*In some cases, departments or colleges have additional requirements for students who are pursuing the HUT program. These majors include Biomedical Sciences, Nursing, English, and Psychology.

**Biomedical Sciences requires a 3.4 Overall GPA. Nursing requires a 3.4 Nursing Major GPA. Psychology requires a 3.5 Psychology Major GPA. Students pursuing a thesis in English will be expected to submit an additional application to the English Department HUT Liaison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Submit a HUT program eligibility form to the Office of Honors Research. Eligible students will receive an invitation to complete an Admission Agreement and Registration Form to start the Honors Undergraduate Thesis program. The application and registration form cannot be found online.

 

No, submitting the HUT eligibility form does not serve as a binding agreement to become an active HUT student. Submission of the eligibility form allows eligible students to receive the HUT admission agreement and course registration, which are formal program admittance requirements.

If your plans change and you wish to begin the program earlier or later than previously indicated on the eligibility form, email HonorsResearch@ucf.edu to update your eligibility request.

 

Students can begin the HUT program in the Fall, Spring or Summer term. The HUT program is a minimum of two semesters and a maximum of four. We encourage students to review the admission criteria, attend an information session, and submit an eligibility form during the semester before their intended HUT start semester. We require students to submit a HUT eligibility form by the posted deadline to have enough time to complete the HUT Admission Agreement and Registration Form.

 

Yes, all students who meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply and join HUT! Students have the option to complete original research or creative work in their major in a traditional, Honors in the Major Thesis or outside of their major in an Interdisciplinary Thesis.

Most majors may even allow the use of HUT courses to count towards major requirements or electives. Contact your major's department/academic advisor for more information on scheduling HUT into your academic plan.

 

Yes, successful Honors students can participate in all types of co-curricular activities both on and off campus. Many HUT students have received awards or have been recognized for their co-curricular involvements, publications, and presentations.

 

Finding a Faculty Mentor

Finding a faculty member to mentor you and chair your thesis committee is one of the most important aspects of success in the Honors Undergraduate Thesis program. Your faculty mentor is the person with whom you will be working most closely over the course of your research or creative project. It is important that you select a mentor whose interests and expertise correspond with your own so that they can best help you develop your project.

The Honors Thesis Chair must be tenured or tenure-track (titles: Assistant/Associate/Full Professor) or have an appointment as Lecturer in the Department/School in which the thesis discipline is housed. Non-tenure-track faculty must possess a terminal degree in their discipline* and be a subject matter expert in the discipline in which the student intends to write a thesis. (*Exceptions may apply to departments or colleges with specific agreements with the Burnett Honors College.)

Projects and mentors can be found in a variety of ways. Below are some suggestions. For best success, try several of these methods.

The UCF Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) maintains a campus-wide research database. Faculty and graduate students post a wide variety of research positions to this database that would benefit from the assistance or inclusion of an undergraduate researcher. In order to access this database, students must receive permission through the following on-campus offices and resources:

  • Virtual peer advising in the UCF Office of Undergraduate Research
  • Attending an Office of Undergraduate Research “How To: Get Started in Undergraduate Research” workshop

Please note that access is not granted through an informal request (such as e-mail or a phone call). Students must meet with a staff member or attend a workshop to be given access information.

Review the websites of academic departments to review affiliated faculty members and their research interests and ongoing projects. Most faculty members post the list of their research publications or a copy of their Curriculum Vitae (an academic resume that lists their professional presentations, publications, teaching experience, grants, etc.). Browse these faculty profiles to see if someone is working on a project that is interesting to you. If so, contact them to ask for an appointment to discuss their research. Faculty members generally enjoy meeting with students who are interested in their work and have done some "homework" ahead of time to become familiar with their research. During this meeting, you can ask about getting involved in their research.

Faculty members often discuss their research in class. If you have had professors whose enthusiasm for their research has spread to you, let them know! Again, faculty members enjoy hearing from students on whom they have made an impact in the classroom. Perhaps you have a friend who has spoken highly of a professor she or he has had. Schedule a meeting to discuss their research and whether or not it is possible for you to get involved.

At this exciting event, Honors scholars can learn about cutting-edge research, meet with active researchers, and find meaningful research opportunities in a variety of settings. More than 50 faculty attend each event, and each one has a different type of research endeavor for you to participate in.

Want to learn more?

The Office of Honors Research hosts various information sessions throughout the Fall, Spring, and Summer. These information sessions cover the Honors Thesis eligibility requirements, program benefits, and an overview of the steps to complete an Honors Undergraduate thesis/creative project. During these sessions, students can ask questions and fill out the Honors Thesis Eligibility Form to get started in pursuing original and independent research. Join us!

Do you have questions about the HUT program? E-mail honorsresearch@ucf.edu or complete the Request for Contact Form. An Honors Research staff member will be happy to assist you.