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Undergraduate Research

Senior Honors Thesis

Any undergraduate student with Economics as their major, regardless of their affiliation with the Honors College, may pursue a Senior Honors Thesis in Economics if they meet the eligibility requirements listed bellow. However, the Honors College oversees all undergraduate thesis work throughout the university to ensure their high quality.

  • The thesis is worth 6 credit hours in total, split in 2 two courses taken consecutively: ECON 3399 and ECON 4399.
  • Students who complete a Senior Honors Thesis will graduate with the corresponding Honors designation on their transcript.
  • A student pursuing a thesis must be committed to working hard throughout the year and maintaining regular contact with their faculty advisor.
  • A thesis is not mandatory for a bachelor degree in Economics.

Eligibility Requirements

Undergraduate students are eligible to apply for a Senior Honors Thesis in Economics if they have:
  • Economics as a declared major
  • A 3.25 or higher cumulative GPA
  • A 3.5 or higher GPA in major
  • A grade of B+ or better in the following courses:
    • ECON 3332 (Intermediate Microeconomics) or ECON 3334 (Intermediate Macroeconomics) depending on the field of research intended
    • ECON 3370 (Introduction to Econometrics)
  • Taken at least one advanced (3000 or 4000 level) course related to the intended research topic 

Enrollment Process

To enroll in Senior Honors Thesis, students should:
  • Contact Dr. Piruz Saboury at psaboury2@uh.edu to discuss research proposal and identify potential faculty adviser and second reader.
  • Obtain approval from the faculty adviser.
  • Obtain approval from a second reader.
  • A third reader will be designated from the Honors College.
  • Write a Prospectus (proposal) that outlines the research idea with a brief bibliography and a timeline for completing the thesis.
  • Complete and submit the following documents prior to the first day of the semester:
    • Verification of Eligibility and a General Petition Form
    • Prospectus and the Prospectus Approval Form
    • Senior Honors Thesis Checklist
Note: a student's application must be approved by both the Department of Economics and the Honors College before they can participate.

Course Requirements

To complete the course students must:
  • Attend the thesis orientation workshop organized by the Honors College.
  • Meet the requirements set by their faculty advisor.
  • Attend any Undergraduate Research Workshops and Seminars held by Department of Economics during the year.
  • Present their work before the end of the each semester.
  • Write a 50-75 page paper.
  • Successfully complete an oral defense at the Honors College.

 

For more information visit the Senior Honors Thesis Program Overview and Thesis Guidelines for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.