Thesis Pathways | Barrett Students

Honors Thesis Pathways

An honors thesis pathway is a structured opportunity for those who prefer a little more support to develop a thesis, submit a prospectus, hold a thesis defense, and submit a final thesis. There are a few variations:

Join a cohort of students who are all working on thesis projects based on a particular theme or objective (e.g., Science and Society; Screenwriting; Global Engagement). There is one professor acting as thesis director to all projects and the group meets regularly to check in on each person’s progress.
Turn select honors seminar courses (HON 394) into your honors thesis with approval from the professor teaching the course. In this case, you would take a special topics class one semester and then complete HON 493 with that professor on a topic related to the course the following semester.
Join a cohort of students all working on their own individual thesis projects with the same thesis director. These groups will meet regularly to learn how to complete a thesis and support one another through the successes and challenges.

To get started, explore the options below and make sure to look out for the icon connected to the outcome you are interested in. Find out more information by clicking on the course number to be taken to the class search. Many of these opportunities will require you to talk to the professor before you enroll to make sure that everyone is on the same page about the thesis opportunity.

Honors Thesis Pillars

Each honors thesis pathway is connected to at least one of the thesis pillars which indicates the type of outcome that course intends to produce. Students can always choose to combine the pillars in their project with their thesis director’s approval.

Icon	Pillar	Expected Outcome
	Research	Outcome focuses on original research
	Creative Project	Outcome is original creative work
	Community Enrichment and Service	Outcome benefits the community through service
	Global Engagement	Outcome develops global awareness and engagement
	Personal and Professional Development	Outcome focuses on skills for career preparation

Thesis Pathways with Honors Faculty

Course	Term	Number	Location	Instructor
HON 492 Professionalism in Engineering	Fall 2026	#88698	Polytechnic	Sugar
HON 492 Science and Society	Fall 2026	#87974 #87975	ASU Sync ASU Online	Martin
HON 492 Viral Intelligence: AI, Social Media, and Short-Form Media	Fall 2026	#88161 #88162	ASU Sync ASU Online	Kappes
HON 492 Leadership, Education, and Inclusive Excellence	Fall 2026	#88159 #88160	ASU Sync ASU Online	Kappes
HON 492 Create and Innovate	Fall 2026	#88178	Downtown	Brian
HON 492 Reading and Writing Children’s Literature	Fall 2026	#88172	Tempe	Hopwood
HON 492 ForkHPV Campaign	Fall 2026	#88163	Tempe	Rigoni
HON 492 Global Impact	Fall 2026	#88029 #88030	ASU Sync ASU Online	Briggs
HON 492 Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Video Essay Production	Fall 2026	#88027 #88028	ASU Sync ASU Online	Takada
HON 492 Making Analog Games	Fall 2026	#88024	Tempe	Loebenberg; Mack
HON 492 Applied Technology	Fall 2026	#78903 #78904	Tempe ASU Online	Menees
HON 492 Thesis Boot Camp	Summer 2026	#46851 #46852	ASU Sync ASU Online	Van Engen
HON 492 Humanities and the Environment	Spring 2026	#39238	ASU Sync	Barca
HON 492 Global Citizen	Spring 2026	#38929	Tempe	Jakubczak
HON 492 Global Ties That Bind	Spring 2026	#37942	Tempe	Briggs

Other unique thesis pathway opportunities

In addition to the honors thesis pathways mentioned above, you can explore the following unique opportunities in other departments.

Founders Lab is a 2-semester, 6-credit thesis pathway hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship and New Business Design at the W. P. Carey School of Business. It empowers Barrett students to build entrepreneurial confidence while developing critical thinking, business writing, and communication skills by launching a real venture. Students will identify an opportunity, engage with a target audience, and create something of real value that their audience is willing to exchange value for.

Who Can Apply: Open to students of all majors.

Program Timing:

Runs Fall through Spring each year.
One cohort per year, starting each September.
Applications close in August. Completed applications are reviewed in the order they are received for the next September-starting cohort.
- Example: An application submitted in January 2026 is considered for the September 2026 (Fall 2026) cohort.
- An application submitted in September 2027 (after the August deadline) is considered for September 2028 (Fall 2028).

Program Logistics:

~100 students form teams of 1–5 to design and launch a user-focused venture, culminating in a semester-two defense.
Credits: 3 for semester one (WPC 492) and 3 for semester two (WPC 493).
Students will be assigned a second committee member and will submit their prospectus during the first semester.
Full commitment is expected across both semesters.

Apply: Complete the Founders Lab Interest Form.

Questions? Contact Jared Byrne, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and New Business Design.

Join one of Barrett’s most sought-after thesis pathways! The Women’s Power & Influence Index team at The Difference Engine is accepting applications for their Fall 2026–Spring 2027 cohort.

This unique two-year honors thesis experience allows you to complete your thesis as part of a collaborative research team evaluating large companies for gender equity. Participants earn 12 honors credits.

Year 1: Join as a researcher expanding the nation’s most comprehensive measure of workplace equality through data collection and analysis.
Year 2: Step into a leadership role while completing your honors thesis with built-in mentorship.

What You’ll Experience:

Work directly with corporate executives
Present at national conferences
Travel for special events
Join a growing network of WPI alumni

Open to juniors in Barrett from all majors who want to make workplace equality more transparent and measurable.

Spots are highly competitive.

Apply by April 20, 2026.