Thesis
Love research? Interested in taking what you learned in a PSYCH 4998 lab further? Consider completing a undergraduate thesis in psychology!
The Thesis is independent research conducted by the student and supervised by a psychology faculty member. Students who are earning PSYCH 4998 credit in a psychology research lab and are interested in pursuing a more independent project, are encouraged to talk with their faculty research advisor about the possibility of completing a Thesis Project within the lab.
To Graduate “With Research Distinction in Psychology” a Student Must:
- Be a psychology major.
- Work with a faculty thesis advisor who has a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychology.
- Graduate with at least a 3.0 overall GPA.
- Take PSYCH 4999.01 and PSYCH 4999.02 across two semesters with your faculty thesis advisor. You and your faculty thesis advisor determine which two semesters you will enroll in these courses.
- Submit completed Enrollment Form (see below - frequently asked questions) to have Psych 4999.01 added to your schedule.
- Write and successfully defend a Psychology Thesis.
To Graduate “With Honors Research Distinction in Psychology” a Student Must:
- Be a psychology major.
- Be a member of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program.
- Complete the psychology honors major requirements.
- Work with a faculty thesis advisor who has a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychology.
- Graduate with at least a 3.4 overall GPA.
- Take PSYCH 4999.01H and PSYCH 4999.02H across two semesters with your faculty thesis advisor. You and your faculty thesis advisor determine which two semesters you will enroll in these courses.
- Submit completed Enrollment Form (see below - frequently asked questions) to have Psych 4999.01H added to your schedule.
- Write and successfully defend a Psychology Honors Thesis.
To Graduate “With Research Distinction in Psychology” a Student Must:
- Be a psychology major.
- Work with a faculty thesis advisor who has a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychology.
- Graduate with at least a 3.0 overall GPA.
- Take PSYCH 4999.01 and PSYCH 4999.02 across two semesters with your faculty thesis advisor. You and your faculty thesis advisor determine which two semesters you will enroll in these courses.
- Submit completed Enrollment Form (see below - frequently asked questions) to have Psych 4999.01 added to your schedule.
- Write and successfully defend a Psychology Thesis.
To Graduate “With Honors Research Distinction in Psychology” a Student Must:
- Be a psychology major.
- Be a member of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program.
- Complete the psychology honors major requirements.
- Work with a faculty thesis advisor who has a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychology.
- Graduate with at least a 3.4 overall GPA.
- Take PSYCH 4999.01H and PSYCH 4999.02H across two semesters with your faculty thesis advisor. You and your faculty thesis advisor determine which two semesters you will enroll in these courses.
- Submit completed Enrollment Form (see below - frequently asked questions) to have Psych 4999.01H added to your schedule.
- Write and successfully defend a Psychology Honors Thesis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students interested in pursuing a Thesis or Honors Thesis should begin participating in research (PSYCH 4998) no later than their sophomore year.
Students should secure a Faculty Thesis Advisor during their junior year (typically this will be a faculty member with whom you completed 4998 research).
To enroll in PSYCH 4999.01 or 4999.01H, students should complete the Psychology Thesis/Honors Thesis Enrollment Form. This form requires the signature of the Faculty Thesis Advisor. Once this is turned in to psychadvising@osu.edu, students will be enrolled in PSYCH 4999.01 or 4999.01H.
For non-Honors students:
You must submit a Thesis Application with the College of Arts and Sciences at least one term before your graduating term. You will need to submit a research proposal with your Faculty Thesis Advisor’s signature on the application form. To learn more about this process and see exact deadlines for paperwork, check out the Research Distinction information through ASC.
For Honors students:
The application to graduate with Honors Research Distinction is available from the Arts and Sciences Honors Office. You will need to submit a research proposal and your Faculty Thesis Advisor’s signature on the application form. If you do not have an approved Honors Contract on file at the Honors Office, you will need to call (614) 292-5750 to schedule an appointment with the Psychology Honors Advisor to complete the Major Program Form of the application (you will have to complete the psychology major contract requirements).
After you have successfully completed your written Thesis document, you will have an hour-long meeting with your Faculty Thesis Advisor and at least one other faculty member. You will describe your Thesis project to them, and they will ask you questions about your work. You must defend your Thesis at least two weeks before the end of the term you graduate.