Honors Thesis
Department of Geography
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Do you like a challenge?
Are you interested in performing at a higher standard than the minimum graduation
requirements?
Do you have the desire to explore, in-depth, a topic that sparked your interest in a class?
Would you like to work with a faculty member in a research setting?
Do you want to exemplify your ability to put to work the skills and interests you have been
developing?
Do you want to differentiate yourself from other applicants for jobs and graduate schools
when you leave CU?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, then Departmental Honors in Geography is for
you!
Graduating with Honors - Overview
Identify an area of research and a Geography faculty member (sponsor) to work with you. One of
the benefits of working on an honors project is the opportunity to work more closely with a
faculty member than you generally can in a normal classroom setting.
With guidance from your faculty sponsor, you will develop a research plan, conduct the research,
and write a thesis. At the end of the project, you will present your thesis to your thesis
committee. The committee will discuss the thesis with you and ask you questions about your
work. This is called a thesis defense.
Your thesis committee makes a recommendation to the Honors Program Council for graduation
with a Bachelors of Arts, cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude. The
recommendation is based on the quality of your written thesis, your thesis defense, and your
cumulative GPA.
Eligibility
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Cumulative GPA at CU of at least 3.3
Geography GPA of at least 3.5
At least 18 credit hours in Geography with at least 1 upper division Geography course
Schedule
The program is designed to be completed in about one year, but the earlier you get started, the
better. The following table represents a general timeline. There can be some slight flexibility in
the schedule to accommodate individual student needs. Talk with the department Honors Advisor
if you have particular needs.
Geography Department Honors Advisor
Bill Travis
GUGG 102c
303-492-6312; william.travis@colorado.edu
honors/geog_honors_general
September, 2006
Recommended Planning Schedule
2nd
Semester Junior Year
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Summer between
Junior & Senior
Year
1st Semester Senior Year
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Beginning of
Final Semester
Midway through
Final Semester
Approximately
5-6 weeks prior to
end of Final
Semester
End of Final
Semester
End of Academic
Year
honors/geog_honors_general
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Begin to think about graduating with Honors.
Make an appointment to talk with the Geography Honors
Advisor about the program.
Identify an area of research and make an appointment to talk
with the faculty member you would like to work with.
Visit the Honors Program Office in Norlin Library, room
M400C and pick up an information packet. You should also
peruse the Honors Program website
http://www.colorado.edu/honors/ where you can get
information, download the application, get deadlines, etc.
Explore funding opportunities available through the
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
http://www.colorado.edu/Research/UROP/
UROP office is located in the Norlin Library, Room S436
Work on your research.
Enroll in Research Seminar course (GEOG4173) if offered.
Course counts as critical thinking core requirement and fills the
skills requirement for geography majors. Working with your
faculty sponsor and the 4173 instructor, you write a draft of
your honors thesis.
Submit your Senior Thesis Agreement Form to the Geography
Honors Advisor.
Submit your Honors Application to Honors Program Office in
Norlin Library, room M400C. Don’t miss application
deadline!
Finalize your research.
Write your thesis.
Enroll in Senior Thesis “course” (GEOG4990)
Select your thesis committee (your faculty sponsor, the
geography honors advisor, one faculty member from outside the
department).
Revise and fine-tune your thesis.
Submit thesis to your committee.
Defend your thesis. Don’t miss defense deadline!
Revise thesis if requested by committee.
Provide archival copy of thesis to Honors Program Office and
Geography Honors Advisor. Don’t miss deadline!
Congratulations! You made it.
Theodore C. Myers Award is awarded to the student with the
most outstanding honors thesis. Winner is chosen by the
Department of Geography. Award is approximately $300
subject to fund availability.
September, 2006