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Honors Thesis Pathways

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.

IconPillarExpected Outcome
 ResearchOutcome focuses on original research
 Creative ProjectOutcome is original creative work
 Community Enrichment and ServiceOutcome benefits the community through service
 Global EngagementOutcome develops global awareness and engagement
 Personal and Professional DevelopmentOutcome focuses on skills for career preparation

Thesis Pathways with Honors Faculty

CourseTermNumberLocationInstructorPillar(s)
HON 492 Global CitizenSpring 2025#37040TempeJakubczak 

HON 492 Healthcare and Medicine

Spring 2025

#36068

#36292

ASU Sync

ASU Online

Lynch

HON 492 Culture & Community Lab

Spring 2025

#34866

Downtown

Sandoval

  

HON 492 Create and Innovate

Spring 2025

#29922

Downtown

O’Flaherty

   

HON 492 Create and InnovateFall 2024#86959ASU SyncO'Flaherty   
HON 492 Belonging, Home, and IdentityFall 2024

#81778

#81779

ASU Sync

ASU Online

Soares 
HON 492 Humanities and the EnvironmentFall 2024

#87122

#87123

ASU Sync

ASU Online

Barca 
HON 492 Leadership, Diversity and EducationFall 2024

#71970

#82097

ASU Sync

ASU Online

Kappes  
HON 492 Science and SocietyFall 2024

#77130 

#86951

ASU Sync

ASU Online

Martin 
HON 492 Imagining the Good LifeFall 2024#87191ASU SyncSturgess 
HON 492 Culture and Community LabFall 2024#87124ASU SyncSandoval  
HON 492 Augmented and Virtual Realities (XR)Fall 2024#77673TempeJohnson  
HON 498 Justice and Equity Honors Network Fall 2024

#81389

#81770

ASU Sync

ASU Online

Brian 
HON 492 Global ImpactFall 2024#87030ASU SyncBriggs  
HON 494 Posthumanism and the Ends of ManFall 2024#80875TempeLozinski-Veach 
HON 492 Professionalism in EngineeringFall 2024#88564PolytechnicSugar  
HON 492 Global CitizenFall 2024#89372TempeJakubczak 
HON 492 Applied TechnologyFall 2024#89431TempeMenees  
CRJ or HUL 494 US Gun Culture and Gun ImpactsFall 2024#86380
#83611
DowntownYoung; Pizarro 

Other unique thesis pathway opportunities

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

Join The Difference Engine, an ASU center dedicated to shaping the future of equality, as part of the esteemed fourth cohort of Barrett Honors students during the 2024-2025 academic year. 

This opportunity is open to juniors from all majors. After two semesters, Barrett students can stay on the team and complete their honors thesis with support from a thesis committee.

As a member of the research team, you'll play a crucial role in evaluating gender equity at large companies through the Women’s Power and Influence Index project. You'll collaborate closely with renowned professors and industry leaders, receiving guidance to maximize your impact. Selected students will:

  • Assist in gender equity research & data collection to expand our Index
  • Design & administer surveys
  • Craft marketing strategies

This role also offers exciting perks, including networking events, national conference presentations, and trips to Los Angeles. Participating in The Difference Engine program grants students automatic honors credit. 

Space is limited! To learn more about the project and to join the Fall 2024 cohort, please complete this application: https://forms.gle/KgbmxvLFRAF44Nxc8

Hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship & New Business Design at the W. P. Carey School of Business, the Founders Lab is a 2-semester (6 credit) honors thesis opportunity for Barrett students to instigate their own entrepreneurial journey, and develop belief in their entrepreneurial skills.

Throughout this intensive program, students gain entrepreneurial confidence as they exercise their critical thinking, business writing, and communication skills through hypothesizing, testing, and adapting a business plan - ultimately targeting traction through user acquisition and sales. This untraditional academic experience focuses on empowering students to engage with a specific opportunity, identify a distinct audience, and provide something of real value (that your target audience will exchange value to obtain).

As outlined above, this program is intense and it requires self-direction (as is entrepreneurial), determination and commitment. We ask that all students who aren't able or interested in this commitment think very seriously about the requirements of this program before committing.
This program is available to current Barrett sophomores, juniors, and seniors and will result in a final thesis submission in the spring semester. All majors welcome! 

Program Logistics

  • Approximately 100 students, in teams of 3, will design and launch a new user-centric business, culminating in a spring demo (defense) day.
  • Thesis credits will be WPC 492 for 3 credits in the fall and WPC 493 for 3 credits in the spring.
  • There will be required group meetings each semester with a schedule determined by the Thesis Director, Jared Byrne.
  • Second committee members will be provided, and students will submit their prospectus during the fall semester.
  • Full commitment and participation is expected for both fall and spring of the academic year.

To apply for participation for the upcoming academic year, visit Founders Lab - a Barrett Thesis Project

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Director of the W. P. Carey Center for Entrepreneurship, Jared Byrne jared.byrne@asu.edu.

The Humanities Lab provides students with the opportunity to engage in hands-on research on compelling social challenges of interest to today’s students while working with others who are also invested in making a difference.

All Humanities Lab courses offer automatic honors credit, and Barrett students have the opportunity to turn select Lab courses into their honors thesis across a two-semester Lab experience with approval from at least one of the professors teaching the course.

We recommend having a conversation with the faculty at the beginning of the semester to discuss your academic interests, your potential interest in the social challenge of the course, and how they can support you. Whether they serve a role on your thesis committee or assist you in locating faculty to serve on your committee, Lab faculty have agreed to support you in developing your thesis topic through their Lab’s social challenge. Barrett students in the Lab course may develop an individual thesis or a group thesis in consultation with the professors. 

Spring 2025 Thesis Pathway Eligible Labs

Fall 2024 Thesis Pathway Eligible Labs

To get started, enroll in a Humanities Lab course offering a thesis pathway opportunity and then complete the Humanities Lab Thesis Application.

InnovationSpace® is a transformative experience, where students build the skills of the future and develop their capacity for collaboration and innovation as they produce extraordinary projects while working on transdisciplinary teams. The program provides students with a unique opportunity to complete a real-world product-development project. Using the Integrated Innovation model, teams of students from all majors spend one to two semesters researching, developing and refining concepts.

Barrett students have the option to turn this two semester project into their honors thesis. These opportunities are open to students from all majors, and your thesis committee is provided for you. To get started, enroll in one of the courses listed below.

Fall 2024 InnovationSpace Projects

  • IVD 494 #71740 Creativity, Ethics and AI - Mon 1:30 - 4:15 p.m.
  • IVD 494 #87964 Unhoused Communities - Tue 9 - 11:30 a.m.
  • IVD 494 #86506 STEAMtank - Wed 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

For more information on the projects, visit design.asu.edu/innovationspace.

MGT 493 Honors Management Consulting (3 credits)

This course is for Barrett students majoring in Management or Entrepreneurship to to leverage their skills through a hands-on, applied project that aligns with their degree and career goals. Successful completion of this course will fulfill the honors thesis requirement while gaining real-world consulting experience.

What to expect in MGT 493 Spring 2025:

  • Propose and execute a management consulting project that tackles meaningful, real-world challenges relevant to you.
  • Gain insights into the world of management consulting.
  • Present your findings with a professional report and presentation, adding a valuable artifact to your portfolio
  • Choose between internship-based, small business collaboration, or curated scenario projects to fit your interests.

Why Enroll?

  • Hands-on experience to apply your analytical and “soft” skills in a real-world context.
  • Professional growth by working on a project that enhances your resume.
  • Thesis credit in a structured format to meet your honors requirements. 

Registration Requirements

  • Students are required to have completed 90 credit hours along with MGT 300, MKT 300 and SCM 300 prior to enrolling in MGT 493.

Reach out to lora.koretz@asu.edu or James.H.Moore@asu.edu with any questions.