Completing an Honors Thesis in Biological Sciences

Most Honors theses in Biological Sciences build upon research carried out under the mentorship of a faculty member. If you think you might be interested in completing an Honors thesis, a first step is to explore opportunities to get involved in research. Visit our Mentored Research in Biological Sciences page to learn more about what research at Mount Holyoke might look like, and how to apply.

For students carrying out a research project, the decision to pursue an Honors thesis is made in consultation with their faculty mentor. College eligibility criteria must also be met (see below). Not all mentored research leads to an Honors thesis. There are other ways to showcase research accomplishments, including presenting at Senior Symposium or a scientific conference, or contributing to a manuscript to be submitted for publication.

The Honors process involves formally proposing and completing the research project, writing the thesis, and presenting and defending the thesis before a faculty committee. The sections below walk you through each step.

Less commonly, students pursue an Honors thesis based on research conducted outside of Mount Holyoke. This requires a Mount Holyoke Biological Sciences faculty member who is willing and able to serve as advisor of record and provide mentorship through the Honors process.

A senior may be eligible to do Honors work if:

1. They take at least 8 credits of independent work (BIOL-395) distributed between at least 2 semesters,

2. Their cumulative GPA, or GPA in their major, prior to senior year, is 3.0 or better, and

3. Their major department (or committee) recommends the change from independent to Honors work.

Eligibility does not automatically mean that a project will be approved for Honors. Students should discuss their readiness to pursue an Honors thesis with their research advisor early in the fall semester of their senior year, if not sooner. 

Students who decide, in consultation with their research advisor, to pursue Honors should carefully review the procedures and deadlines outlined here.

Fall 2026 Semester

By early October: Discuss with your research advisor whether you will pursue Honors

By Monday, October 19: Submit your second committee member nomination form and, if needed, an application for additional research funding

By Friday, October 30: Schedule your thesis proposal presentation after checking availability with your advisor and second committee member

By Monday, December 7: Submit your written Honors thesis proposal

December 14-18: Complete your thesis proposal presentation with your advisor, second committee member, and a faculty representative from the Biological Sciences Independent Work & Honors Committee.

Spring 2027 Semester

Early/Mid-January: Receive feedback on your thesis proposal/presentation and learn whether you have been approved to pursue Honors

By Friday, February 12: Submit your third ("outside") committee member nomination form

By Friday, March 26: Schedule your oral thesis defense after checking availability with all committee members

Friday, April 23: Present in Senior Symposium!

By Monday, April 26 4:00pm: Submit your completed thesis! (Note that any thesis submitted after 4:00pm will be disqualified to be considered for High Honors or Summa Cum Laude.)

May 3-7: Complete your oral thesis defense with your full thesis committee! (A faculty representative from the Biological Sciences Independent Work & Honors Committee will also attend.)

By Monday, May 10: Submit your corrected final thesis

By July 1: Submit your final thesis to LITS

An Honors thesis committee normally includes:

1. Your research advisor;

2. A second committee member from the Department of Biological Sciences whose expertise is relevant to your project; and

3. A third committee member from outside the Department of Biological Sciences.

In cases where there are co-advisors, a fourth committee member may be appropriate.

Students are responsible for asking proposed committee members whether they are willing to serve and submitting the appropriate nomination forms. See the Honors Timeline section above for links to the nomination forms and due dates.

The Biological Sciences Independent Work & Honors Committee gives final approval to committee nominations.

Near the end of the fall semester, students pursuing Honors in Biological Sciences must submit a written thesis proposal and present their proposed work to their research advisor, second committee member, and a representative of the Biological Sciences Independent Work & Honors Committee.

Thesis Proposal

This year's thesis proposal submission deadline is Monday, December 7, 2026.

Your ~6-page proposal should include a statement of purpose and a literature review (which may provide a basis for the introduction to the thesis), summaries of the methods and materials used to that date and of any results obtained (possibly in tabular form), additional work to be carried out, and the timeline for independent work for the rest of the year. A list of additional references that have been or will be used in the research effort should also be included.

Thesis Proposal Presentation

During the week of reading days at the end of the fall semester, you will meet with your research advisor, second committee member, and a representative from the Biological Sciences Independent Work & Honors Committee for an oral presentation and discussion of progress and future plans.

Note that you are responsible for scheduling your thesis proposal presentation; see the Honors Timeline section above for this year's scheduling deadline.

In early/mid-January, you will receive written feedback about your proposal and proposal presentation and whether you have been approved to continue pursuing Honors.

Your thesis should follow the Mount Holyoke College Honors thesis formatting guidelines provided by LITS. These guidelines specify the required components and overall organization of the thesis. 

***We have additionally prepared a Biological Sciences-specific guide with more detailed advice about organizing and writing your thesis: Guide to Writing a Biological Sciences Honors Thesis***

The exact organization appropriate for individual projects may vary. Be sure to discuss the structure and formatting of your thesis with your research advisor.

All seniors completing 8 or more credits of independent work (BIOL-395) are expected to attend and present at Senior Symposium regardless of whether they decide to do Honors work or not. 

For more information about Senior Symposium and to register, visit the Weissman Center for Leadership  resource site.

Your completed Honors thesis is due Monday, April 26, 2027 no later than 4:00pm.

The thesis submitted by this deadline is the version that will be considered by your thesis committee and the Department of Biological Sciences in determining the level of Honors. 

Please note that any thesis submitted after 4:00pm on the due date will be disqualified from consideration for High Honors or Summa Cum Laude.

Detailed submission instructions will be provided to students pursuing Honors during the spring semester.

The thesis defense (also called the “oral examination”) will take place during the week of reading days at the end of the spring semester and will be no longer than one hour. 

Note that you are responsible for scheduling your thesis defense; see the Honors Timeline section above for this year's scheduling deadline.

At the defense, you will begin with a brief (5-10 minute) presentation of your work, which will likely be interrupted by questions, and then followed by questions from and discussion with your committee. The presentation should not be a reiteration of your Senior Symposium talk, but instead provide a starting point for discussion of your thesis.

Generally, the second committee member will lead the questioning, followed by the third ("outside") committee member. Your research advisor may also ask questions, but will take more of a back seat during the defense. If time permits, the representative from the Biological Sciences Independent Work & Honors Committee and any other Biological Sciences faculty in attendance may also ask questions.

After your thesis defense, you will leave the room, but will be asked to stay nearby. Typically, within a few minutes you will be informed whether you passed the defense. 

The level of Honors is determined separately, following a recommendation from your thesis committee and a vote of the Department (see the "How Honors Work Is Evaluated" section below).

Mount Holyoke recognizes three levels of Honors based on thesis work: Honor, High Honor, and Summa Cum Laude. The level of Honors is determined following the thesis defense, based on the recommendation of the thesis committee and a vote of the department.

To determine the level of Honors, three broad areas are considered:

1. Your activity and independence throughout the year, including your engagement with the project, initiative, creativity, responsibility, and use of appropriate experimental approaches.

2. The quality of your thesis, including the clarity and quality of the writing, your use of the scientific literature, your presentation and interpretation of your research, and your understanding of the significance of your work.

3. Your performance at the thesis defense, including your understanding of your research and the broader field and your ability to answer questions thoughtfully and with clarity.

For more information about the different levels of Honors, see the Mount Holyoke College Graduation and Honors Guide.

All students who complete an Honors thesis must submit a digital copy to LITS by July 1.

Guidelines for submitting your final thesis can be found at the LITS Theses and Honors Work website.