Thesis
 
This page is the resource for students interested in completing their
senior thesis/project to graduate with honors from the South Carolina Honors College.

Honors Thesis Profile:
Jennifer Addy

Psychology major
December 2008 graduate

Jennifer Addy, Right
with friend

The senior thesis, a requirement for graduation with SCHC Honors, is the culmination of over a year's worth of planning, research, and writing. Students in the South Carolina Honors College have a wide range of interests, as reflected by their thesis topics. Periodically, we feature senior thesis projects currently in the works. We hope they will serve as an inspiration to present and future students

What is your thesis topic?
My topic is studying abroad. The title of my thesis is A Picture's worth a thousand words: My Journey through Spain.
How did you decide on your topic?
It was hard to decide on a topic. It took me a lot of time but I finally realized that I wanted to share what I learned and experienced in Spain with others.
What was the most memorable part of your travels?
The time I shared with my friends was the best part of the trip. I loved living with a host family!
Do you consider writing a thesis or doing a senior project to have been a worthwhile experience?
I think it is a good way to finish your college experience. It gave me time to reflect on what I learned in Spain and how much I enjoyed being there.
If you could give one piece of advice to students contemplating doing a senior thesis, what would it be?
I would tell students to start work on a topic as soon as possible. It is my experience that everyone changes their topic multiple times so you need to give yourself time to change.
What are your future plans?
I plan to graduate in December and start a job working in human resources at Target in mid-January.
Previous Senior Thesis Profiles:
Melanie Clemenz
Kevin Ludwick
Required Courses for the Honors Thesis
SCHC 390z a 1 credit course, taken as pass/fail during the 2nd semester of your junior year to get you thinking about your senior thesis/project
SCHC 499 a year-long course, in which you enroll for your 1st semester of your senior year for 3-15 credit hours.
Senior Thesis/Project Grant Much needed funding, up to $1,500.00, to help cover the cost of some items used during the senior thesis/project.
Senior Thesis/Project Defense A public hearing of your senior thesis/project that takes place by the deadline posted on the Honors College calendar, usually two weeks before you graduate
Senior Thesis / Project Handbook  
 
SCHC 390z Quick Reference
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 In the second semester of your Junior year, you will need to identify your director and general topic for your Senior Thesis or project. You and your director will need to sign the SCHC 390Z: Thesis planning Pre-Enrollment Form in order to register for this 1 credit, P/F course. All students except those studying in exchange programs must complete SCHC 390Z prior to enrolling in SCHC 499: Senior Thesis Project.
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 To register for SCHC 390Z, you must first attend a Senior Thesis workshop. Dates and times for these workshops will be posted with the Senior Thesis announcements at http://schc.sc.edu/. Afterwards, you will need to submit a completed Pre-Enrollment form to the Director of Student Services in the Honors College. Again, the deadline will be posted on the Honors College Homepage.
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The specific requirements for SCHC 390Z are determined by your director. At a minimum, you are required to develop a thesis proposal written according to the protocols of the discipline. These proposals are generally 2-6 typewritten pages. Your director is responsible for entering your grade (an S or U) via VIP at the end of the semester.

Even if you are not required to take SCHC 390Z, you must still identify your director and develop a proposal before you will be allowed to register for SCHC 499.

SCHC 499 - Senior Thesis / Project Quick Reference
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 Ideally a student should register for SCHC 499 Senior Thesis/Project during the fall semester of his or her senior year.  You may register for 3 to 15 credit hours and if registering for 6 or more, you may split them between semesters. Remember, increased credits raise expectations. Essentially, you should expect to invest 150 hours (research through final revision) for every 3 credits.
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 To register for SCHC 499, you must complete the senior thesis contract, which can be found on the Honors College on-line forms. For this contract, you will need to identify your second reader, have the form signed by both readers and your major advisor and submit a copy of your approved proposal. You must turn in these items to the Director of Student Services in the Honors College by the posted deadlines under "News and Announcements" on the Honors College Homepage.
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 SCHC 499 is usually a two-semester experience, thus, if you enroll in the fall semester, your thesis/project is due at the end of spring term. Credits, though, will be awarded for the semester in which you enrolled in SCHC 499. You should plan to complete the majority of the work for your thesis/project in the first semester of enrollment, saving the second for revisions and defense. Students attempting to complete their theses in one semester will be on a significantly more compressed schedule.
Senior Thesis / Project Grant Quick Reference
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 Once registered for SCHC 499 students can apply for a grant to help cover some of the cost associated with your study.  Grant applications can be found on-line at the Honors College website.  See the "News and Announcements" on the Honors College Homepage for application deadlines.
Senior Thesis / Project Defense Quick Reference
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 You must defend your thesis by the deadline posted on the Honors College calendar. You will submit a draft of your thesis and the Defense Confirmation Form to the Director of Student Services at least two weeks before your scheduled defense.   
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 After you have defended and made final corrections to your Senior Thesis/Project, you must submit a CD-ROM version of your paper and a signed, final hard copy of your senior thesis/project to the Director of Student Services in the Honors College by the posted deadline under "News and Announcements" on the Honors College Homepage.
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 We cannot certify you for "graduation with honors from South Carolina Honors College" until we have received the final, signed copy of your thesis/project. If you have not been so certified prior to the date the Registrar closes the books on the semester, you will be graduated from the University without this distinction. The University will not award any distinction retroactively, even if you complete the requirements at a later date.
Senior Thesis Information
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