Students pursuing an Earth Sciences major degree can enrich their experience by completing independent research and an honors thesis, in accordance with the following guidelines:
- Maintain at least a 3.50 grade point average (GPA) in all courses at the UO.
- Complete the honors application form with committee members’ signatures, filed in the Earth Sciences administrative office (161 Straub Hall).
- Submit and orally present an acceptable honors thesis written under the supervision of a committee consisting of: (1) an ERTH faculty member (chair); (2) a UO faculty member (may be in ERTH or other department); and (3) a faculty member or ERTH PhD student or a community professional with expertise in related field.
- The thesis should be orally presented no later than week 8 of the term the student plans to graduate.
- Complete at least 1 ERTH 403 Thesis credit. Honors must register for at least one credit of ERTH 403 Thesis during the term in which the thesis is submitted and presented. Up to six credits combined of ERTH 401 Research and 403 Thesis may be applied toward electives in the major degree. Successful completion of the honors thesis is indicated by a passing grade in ERTH 403 in the term when the thesis is presented to the committee.
After discussing potential projects with faculty, students wishing to pursue department honors should establish their thesis topic, advisor, and committee at least 12 months before their proposed graduation date. Normally this will be in spring term of the junior year, assuming graduation/thesis presentation will occur spring term of senior year. The scope, content, and style of the thesis is determined in consultation with the advisor and committee. The thesis should summarize independent research and resemble an extended term paper containing original data, conclusions, and cited references. A PDF of the final approved honors thesis must be submitted to the Earth Sciences department’s undergraduate coordinator for archiving.
Formatting for the honors thesis should (as much as is practical) follow the same guidelines required for graduate master’s theses at the UO. Please see the Division of Graduate Studies webpage and look for their style guide for information on formatting. A title page and abstract are required for ERTH Honors theses; prefatory pages including table of contents are optional. Advisors have the final word on formatting decisions and approving the thesis.
Samples of undergraduate theses are available upon request in the Department of Earth Sciences office.
Students who would like to gain research experience and/or write an undergraduate senior thesis, but prefer to not take on the challenge of a full honors thesis can explore other options here: Research and Senior Thesis.