The Miami University Honors College aspires to produce students who well embody the concept of “citizen scholars,” using their honors education in ways that enhance existing knowledge and advance the common good. The Honors College requires students who joined the Honors community in the Fall of 2021 or later to demonstrate this commitment to exploring ideas and their consequences beyond the classroom through a culminating Honors Senior Project in order to earn University Honors. This project can assume the form of a traditional research thesis, or it can be achieved through an intensive and sustained creative, pre-professional, or co-curricular activity. 

Any Honors College students who joined the Honors community prior to Fall 2021 are NOT required to complete the Honors Senior Project requirement, however, they have the option of pursuing Honors with Distinction.

Students should direct all questions related to the Honors Senior Project to their assigned Honors advisor and mentors are encouraged to email Honorsadvising@MiamiOH.edu with questions or concerns.

Students will have two options for completing the Honors Senior Project:

All Honors Senior Projects require:

• Inquiry based work that asks a question and results in the creation of new understanding or knowledge
• A faculty or staff mentor (faculty is required for Scholar projects)
• A written component for the final submission to the Honors College
• A mentor approved, project proposal submitted one year before graduation
• Clear delineation of individual work completed if the project was conducted as part of a larger team
• If a student expands their Capstone or Senior Design project, the Honors Senior Project component must extend their learning beyond any assigned work submitted for a grade
  

Timeline for Honors Senior Project

Students must submit a project proposal to the Honors College one year before they graduate. Students should be developing project plans and confirming their ideas with faculty mentors three to four semesters before they graduate. All projects are due by the last day of classes in the term the student graduates. 

The Honors Senior Project proposal form asks for the following information, which should be confirmed between the student and faculty mentor prior to submission:

• Student information
• Faculty mentor information
• Working project title
• A brief description of the project, including the goals of the project
• Description of the research method or process to be used for the project and the specific steps the student plans to take to accomplish the project goals
• Brief description of the project's intended outcomes or product (e.g. a thesis, reflective analysis, business plan, performance, etc.) and the minimum submission requirements (e.g. page length, performance time, etc.)
• The anticipated significance of the project, not only to the field of study and/or society, but also to the student's educational development
• A timeline for completing the project, including the measurable goals and deadlines for each semester