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The Senior Thesis should be original in its conception and analysis.
Originality, however, need not mean the discovery of new knowledge, but can be
reflected in the questions posed, the synthesis formed, or the organization and
presentation of data. Theses should be the result of serious research, original
thinking, and a clear understanding of the issues surrounding a topic. Since
in-depth, comprehensive studies are usually preferable to broad surveys, topics
should be feasible in terms of the student's competencies and the time
available.
Senior Theses may take many forms:
*traditional narrative/analysis of a topic
*in-depth study of specific texts
*empirical research
*practical applications
*a creative effort
Students should possess some background knowledge and any
essential methodological skills prior to embarking on the thesis. The final
paper should place the specific topic in a broader scholarly context by
exhibiting familiarity with other literature on the subject. Projects involving
empirical research should develop a testable hypothesis, design and conduct a
study to test it, and analyze the results in an appropriate manner.
Length should be determined by what is appropriate for the particular
subject. In the past, theses using Social Science methodology have ranged from
20 to 60 pages; those in the Humanities from 60 to 80 pages; and theses in the
Natural/Mathematical Sciences typically have been 10 to 30 pages.
Senior Project Requirement
The Senior Project requirement for University Honors students enrolled in the School of Business may be met by either of the following:
- Honors Policy Formulation and Administration class (MGT 3301 HONORS) in the Fall semester and an Intensive Group Learning Project Course in the Spring semester (MGT 3302 HONORS). In conjunction with the Honors Policy class, students will form groups and begin work on group learning projects during the Fall semester. The group learning projects will include work with other School of Business Centers such as the Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance, Center for Economic Education, The Institute for Research in Advanced Financial Technology (IRAFT), etc. as well as work with area non-profit organizations and start-up businesses.
- Individual research project in a Business area (Accounting, Business Law, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Management, Decision and Information Technology/MIS).
- All junior and senior Honors students pursuing the B.S., Business Honors will participate in the Honors Senior Thesis Colloquia in January.
All theses should be documented in accordance with the standards of the
relevant discipline, and include an abstract, title page, table of contents,
introduction, notes, and bibliography. The final copy should be as perfect as
possible in terms of English usage, spelling, etc.
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