University of New Haven
Honors Program
2015-2016 Honors Thesis Proposal Form
Student Name: Click here to enter text.
E-mail: Click here to enter text.
Telephone: Click here to enter text.
Mailing Address: Click here to enter text.
Major: Click here to enter text.
Major 2: Click here to enter text.
Thesis Advisor: Click here to enter text.
Project Title: Click here to enter text.
THESIS PROPOSAL: Attach on a separate sheet. Be sure to include:
 A Title
 An abstract or brief description of your topic including an explanation of your project’s
importance or implications
 A preliminary thesis statement
 A description of your proposed methodology
 A literature review of at least five books and/or articles relevant to your topic
 A timeline of the stages of your project until completion
 A bibliography
 Application for Honors Thesis Support, if necessary
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB): If your project will use information from human participants,
then you will need approval of UNH’s Institutional Review Board.
My project will need IRB approval:
yes ☐ no ☐
I have begun the process of acquiring IRB approval: yes ☐ no ☐
Student's Signature
____________________________________
Date ___________________
Thesis Advisor Approval
____________________________________
Date ___________________
Department Chair Approval
____________________________________
Date ___________________
Honors Program Director
____________________________________
Date ___________________
DISTRIBUTION: One copy to the student, one copy to the Thesis Advisor, and one copy to the
Honors Program Coordinator, Lynne Resnick (Gate House, Room 209).
DEADLINE: March 15th for those graduating in January; October 15 for those graduating in May.
2014-2015 Honors Thesis Proposal Form
DIRECTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS
Thesis Statement: This statement can take the form of a hypothesis, research question, project
statement, or goal statement, but it should be no more than one or two sentences. Your thesis
statement should communicate the essence of your project.
Abstract: Describe your project in one or two paragraphs. Include a description of the
importance of your project. What contributions to our knowledge does it make? What are its
possible wider implications?
Literature Review: Review and discuss five books and/or articles related to your topic. The
precise format for this section varies by disciplines and topic, but you might discuss relevant
theories, methodologies, variables, policies, or arguments found in your literature.
Methodology: Your thesis can take many forms, empirical, analytical, theoretical, or creative.
Make clear in this section what kind of thesis you are proposing and describe your proposed
approach, materials, and/or procedures.
Timeline: Describe the stages of your project and indicate deadlines you have set for the
completion of each step.
Budget: If you are requesting funds for thesis support, complete the Application for Honors
Thesis Support, available on our website. Students are eligible for up to $150 in thesis support
funding, but may be able to receive more depending on the availability of funds.
References: Include a bibliography of all the sources used to write the proposal. Consult with
your advisor about the proper citation format about whether to use endnotes or footnotes.
Institutional Review Board: All research involving human subjects MUST be approved by the
university’s IRB. Students need to submit their paperwork for IRB approval as soon as possible
after finalizing the thesis’ methodology. Consult with your thesis advisor and home department
for the procedures to obtain IRB approval.
Department Guidelines: Some departments develop more specific requirements for thesis
proposals and have deadlines earlier than those required by the Honors Program. Consult
with your thesis advisor and department chair to see if your department has a separate
set of guidelines.