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Junior/Senior Honors Project Guideline
Bouvé College of Health Sciences
School of Pharmacy
University Honors Program
The Junior/Senior Honors Project is a culminating experience in a student’s academic career. It is an
opportunity for students to work with a faculty member to explore issues and topics of research interest. This
requirement satisfies the college project distinction requirements of the University Honors Program.
Eligibility
Honors students are eligible to complete the project during their junior or senior years (4th and 5th year of the
PharmD program). If you are not a member of the University Honors Program, you may petition for admission
if you have a cumulative 3.60 QPA and have an academic plan to complete the junior/senior honors project as
defined below. Contact the University Honors Program at 150 West Village F (617-373-2333 or
www.honors.neu.edu).
Completion of the Junior/Senior Honors Project for students graduating in 2006 and beyond requires
eight credits of academic independent research (PMDU, PSCU, or TOXU 4970 and 4971). A student
should discuss these options with his or her academic advisor and the School of Pharmacy honors advisor
(currently Professor Jennifer Kirwin). The following procedures outline the major steps required to complete
the Junior/Senior Honors Project.
Procedures
1. Decide on an honors project and faculty research advisor with the approval of the School of Pharmacy
Honors Advisors.
Students should meet first with the School of Pharmacy honors advisor early in the semester that precedes
the first semester for the project to explore the various options for conducting an honors project. Students
will then be directed to discuss these options with a discipline-suitable faculty member who will serve as the
student’s research advisor. The selection of a research advisor to direct the project is generally based on a
student’s interest in a faculty member’s research or interest in a class taken with a specific faculty member.
The student’s research advisor will be responsible for assessing progress, advising, and recommending the
final grade.
2. Prepare the project proposal and supporting materials:
Students are expected to submit:
 Junior/Senior Honors Project Approval Form (see last page)
 A project proposal that identifies the research hypotheses and the methodological approach of the
research (see below)
 A research schedule detailing targeted dates for completing various stages of the project.
Preparing the Project Proposal.
In consultation with the research advisor, the student will prepare a project proposal. The proposal
should be no more than four typed pages (not including bibliography) and should generally cover the
areas listed below.
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Project Overview and Focus – State your central research question, and list hypotheses.
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Research Significance – Explain the significance or importance of your research. Why is the
research question you are asking important? This part of the proposal should describe the broader
context for your project. It typically reviews the relevant literature and general context for your
research question.
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
Research Methodology and Resources – Explain how you will study and answer your research
question. What is your research methodology (e.g., interviews, surveys, etc.) and/or what kind of
resources will you need to complete your project? As part of this section, briefly describe the
schedule of activities you will engage in to complete your project.

Bibliography – List scholarly materials (e.g., books and journal articles) that are relevant to your
research.
3. Submit Project Proposal and supporting materials to research advisor and School of Pharmacy Honors
Advisor.
Students must allow adequate time for review by the School of Pharmacy honors advisor and the research
advisor. Students should be approved for their projects by the final exam week in the semester preceding
the beginning of the project credit.
4. Submission of Approved Project Materials to Honors Program Office.
The School of Pharmacy Honors Advisor will send a list of approved projects to the Honors Program Office
during exam week of the semester preceding the beginning of the project credit. The list includes project
title, student name and ID number, semesters approved for credit and student email address.
The Pharmacy Honors advisor will send the student an approval letter (with a copy to the research advisor
and School of Pharmacy honors advisors). The Pharmacy Honors Advisor will use a Directed Study Form
to register the student for the appropriate credit (PMDU, PSCU, or TOXU 4970 and 4971 are assigned for
the eight-credit research projects).
5. Conduct your research and prepare a written report. Students are strongly encouraged to submit the
research project for presentation at a professional meeting (in poster format, etc.) or in appropriate journals.
Students will also be asked to participate in the University Honors Evening, a poster session held at the end of
each Spring semester.
6. Submit a Copy of the Research Project and Appropriate Correspondence.
To obtain the distinction:
 The student must submit a copy of the completed research project to the Honors Program Office
in PDF electronic format only by the last week of the semester prior to graduation. Submission
guidelines and exact dates are available on the Honors Program website under Junior/Senior
Honors Project forms (www.honors.neu.edu) A copy must also be submitted to the research
advisor and to the School of Pharmacy honors advisor by the end of final exams in the spring
semester of the senior year (5th year of the PharmD program).
If a copy of the research project in PDF format is not received, the Honors Program Office cannot post the
earned Honors Program distinction to the student’s transcript.
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Funding Opportunities:
Talk to your research advisor about the need for funding to complete your research. Some possible resources
are listed below; your research advisor may be able to recommend discipline-specific resources.
Provost Undergraduate Research Grant
The Provost's Office is sponsoring a number of undergraduate research projects during the 2008-2009 academic year.
Awards up to a maximum of $1,000 are provided to support student research such as purchase of supplies, software,
reference books, or travel to research sites and to present work at professional meetings. Team research is also supported
and, in appropriate cases, the award amount is larger than the single-student maximum. Students who wish to be considered
should first discuss possible topics with their faculty sponsor.
For more information please go to: http://www.northeastern.edu/research/students/undergraduate_research/grants/
Honors Program Funding (more info at www.honors.neu.edu)
Students who are approved for their Junior/Senior Honors Project may apply for the Honors Senior Fellow,Gladys Brooks
Award or a Junior/Senior Honors Grant. Applications are available in the spring semester with a deadline near the end of
the semester. See the Honors website for additional details.
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Junior/Senior Honors Project Approval Form
Bouvé College of Health Sciences
School of Pharmacy
University Honors Program
This form does not create project credit. Rather, academic credit for the project is created by the University
Honors Program using a Directed Study Form after receipt of (1) a signed Junior/Senior Honors Project
Approval Form and (2) a copy of the approved research project proposal.
Student Name: ___________________________________ Student ID:______________________________
Local Mailing Address:
________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: _________________________ E-Mail Address: ___________________________________
Major:
Project Option:
______ Pharmacy
_____ Eight Credits of Research
______ Toxicology
List Semesters for Research Project:
Term: ____________ Year: _______
Term:____________ Year:_______
Research Project Information:
Title of Research Project:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Brief Description of Research Project:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Required Signatures:
_____________________________________
Research Advisor Signature
_____________________________________
School of Pharmacy Honors Advisor
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________________________________________
Printed Name & Date
________________________________________
Printed Name & Date
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