Thesis Process

Thesis Responsibilities Students, Advisors, Chairs and designated Honors Visitors

The legislation governing departmental honors is available in Articles of Government, Book II, Article IV, Section 2.

Students: 

  • Arrange for a tenured faculty member to serve in the role of honors visitor for the oral exam in consultation with their advisor

  • Submit all names of all members of the thesis oral examination committee through the thesis reviewers form

  • Submit an electronic version of the thesis to the College's Repository no later than the final submission deadline

  • Provide an electronic version of the thesis to all oral examination committee members

  • Provide a paper copy of the thesis as requested by any committee member

Advisors:

  • Assist the student in identifying an honors visitor or the oral examination

  • Schedule the date, time, and place of the oral examination

Department Chairs (or Chair’s designee):

  • Confirm the names of all students standing for honors in the department, including students who are pursuing honors by examination and other approved routes to departmental honors

Honors Visitors:

Procedure for Selecting Honors Visitors

The honors student, in consultation with the honors advisor, will ask one tenured faculty member from outside the student's major department or program to serve as the honors visitor representing the Committee on Curriculum and Academic Policy (CCAP). For an interdepartmental thesis, the visitor should not reside in the same department/program as the advisor(s) of the honors thesis. A list of tenured faculty members will be updated in March.

The honors advisor is responsible for scheduling the honors oral exam at a time convenient for both the student and the entire examining committee.

Thesis Schedule for Spring 2025

Please address any questions to thesis@wellesley.edu.

Friday, January 31

Departments and programs approve all students continuing from 360 to 370. With the department’s approval, each student is administratively registered by the Registrar’s Office.  A student may not self-register for a 360 or 370 course. 
Friday, March 7

Each department will confirm the names of students standing for honors in their department (a list of candidates  is provided by the Registrar's Office to each Department Chair). In select departments that offer an alternate path to departmental honors, the Chair (or Chair’s designee) will provide the names of each student being considered for departmental honors through any alternative path (for example, honors by examination).
Tuesday, March 11

Students must submit thesis oral examination members through the thesis oral examination members form with a clear indication of which role each faculty member will serve (a minimum of 4 faculty members must participate):

  1. honors advisor

  2. honors visitor

  3. department chair or Chair's designee

  4. additional member of the department

Follow the link to more information about the procedure for selecting Honors Visitors.
Friday, April 11 @ Noon

Students must submit their thesis document to the College's Repository. Students must also email an electronic copy to each oral examination committee member (and provide paper copies as requested). See an example of what the title page should look like.
Friday, April 11 @ Noon
 
 

Embargo request deadline. Students requesting an embargo must complete the embargo request form.
Tuesday, April 22 - Monday, May 5

Oral examinations are scheduled through the Chair/ Program Director within these dates.
Tuesday, May 6

The Department Chair (or Chair’s designee) submits the name of each student who has earned departmental honors by any non-thesis path (such as by examination) to the Registrar.
Tuesday, May 6

The designated Honors Visitor (representing CCAP) must report on the results of the Oral Examination committee decision to grant honors using the Report of Honors work form.
Monday, May 12 (midnight)

In cases where revisions were required by the oral examination committee, a student must submit a final edited copy to the College's Repository. Instructions for submitting a revised document are available.