RESEARCH THESIS
Ohio State offers several different avenues for completing a senior research thesis. You do not have to be an Honors student to write a thesis; any student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher will be eligible to consider the thesis option, including students from disciplines in which research takes the form of creative projects or scholarship. Requirements for both regular theses and honors theses and information pertinent to both students and professors can be found below. As noted, students need a faculty research advisor and a substantial body of completed work to fulfill the thesis requirements.
There are two options for students of the Department of Classics in the College of Arts and Sciences (ASC) interested in pursuing graduation with research distinction or with distinction:
- Graduation with research distinction in [Classics or Modern Greek] recognizes those students who demonstrate excellence in the study of a discipline through major course work and by completing an independent research project culminating in a thesis.
- Graduation with research distinction recognizes those students who complete and successfully defend a thesis in a discipline other than the major.
For more information on pursuing a Research Thesis, please visit the Arts and Sciences Advising and Academic Services website.
Requirements
To graduate with research distinction, you must satisfy the following requirements:
- A student may complete a thesis within his/her major or in other disciplines, provided the student has a faculty research advisor serving as his/her project advisor (the faculty research advisor may be tenure-track, clinical, research, or auxiliary faculty). Lecturers and others who do not have tenure-track faculty status may not serve as the designated project advisor.
- Submit the Thesis Application at least one term before your graduating term.
- Apply to graduate, early in your final term, with Ed Quinn.
- Complete a minimum of 60 graded hours at Ohio State.
- Complete a minimum of 4 semester hours (a maximum of 10 hours) of 4999 research credit in the relevant discipline.
- Successfully defend the thesis during an oral examination, typically in the final term.
- Meet any department-specific requirements, which may include a minimum grade point average within the field of distinction.
- Graduate with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
A co-signer from the major department will be required only if the project advisor is affiliated with a college outside of Arts and Sciences, OR if the project advisor is affiliated with a department outside of the department of distinction. The co-signer should be either the departmental advisor or the chair of the department. Students pursuing distinction in an interdisciplinary major (e.g. International Studies, Comparative Studies, etc.) will most likely require a co-signer.
Application for Graduation with Research Distinction
If you are planning to graduate with research distinction, you should contact Ed Quinn in Arts and Sciences Advising to submit the Thesis Application (upon enrolling in 4999 research credit and no later than one semester before your graduating term). Questions about the application should be directed to Ed Quinn.
Examples of Theses
Abstracts and copies of past honors theses completed for graduation with research distinction are available for examination online through the Ohio State Libraries' Knowledge Bank at and in the Mortar Board Room (room 202) of the Thompson Library. They are valuable not only as examples of research undertaken in various disciplines but also as sources of information.
CLAS 4999 or 4999H Thesis Research (minimum of 4 hours)
The senior thesis is required only for the Ancient History and Classics major field, because students in that major are most likely to apply to graduate school and they will need a significant writing sample stemming from an original research project, but it is also recommended for majors in Classical Humanities and the ancient languages. If you wish to take this course and write a thesis, you need to find a faculty advisor who will give you the information that you need in order to enroll in it. You may contact our Director of Undergraduate Studies for help in finding a thesis-advisor. If you intend to apply to graduate school in the humanities and use this thesis as a writing sample, keep in mind that applications to graduate school are usually due at the end of the autumn semester, so you will want to have a significant part of your thesis finished by then, and not leave it for the spring semester (your last before you graduate).
HONORS RESEARCH THESIS
There are two options for honors students of the Department of Classics in the College of Arts and Sciences (ASC) interested in pursuing graduation with honors research distinction or with honors distinction:
- The graduation honor with honors research distinction in [Classics or Modern Greek] recognizes those students who demonstrate excellence in the study of a discipline both through major course work and by completing an independent research project culminating in an honors thesis.
- The graduation honor with honors research distinction recognizes those students who complete and successfully defend an honors thesis in a discipline other than the major.
For more information on pursuing an Honors Research Thesis, please visit the Arts and Sciences Honors Program website.
Requirements
To graduate with honors research distinction, you must satisfy the following requirements:
- Identify an Ohio State faculty member to serve as your project advisor. The project advisor will provide guidance to you throughout the research process.
- Submit the Application for Graduation with Honors Research Distinction at least two semesters before your graduation.
- Complete a minimum of four semester credit hours of 4999H research credit in the relevant discipline.
- Successfully defend the thesis during an oral examination.
- Meet any department-specific requirements, which may include a minimum grade point average within the field of distinction.
- Graduate with a minimum 3.4 cumulative grade point average on at least 60 graded Ohio State semester credit hours.
- In order to graduate with honors research distinction, you must be enrolled in the ASC Honors Program, which requires completion of the honors course work requirement.
The basis for membership in the Arts and Sciences (ASC) Honors Program is a rigorous curriculum and high achievement.
Criteria for maintaining Honors membership: To maintain your membership in the ASC Honors Program, you will be expected to meet the following requirements:
- Maintain a minimum 3.4 cumulative grade point average;
- Complete at least six honors or 4000-level classes (500- or 600-level classes on quarters) over the course of your freshman and sophomore years;* and
- Submit an Honors Contract or Honors Thesis Application at the conclusion of your second year of study.
All students in the ASC Honors Program are required to complete an Honors Contract and/or an Honors Thesis/Distinction Project. Please consult with an ASC honors counselor to learn more about the Honors Contract and Honors Thesis options.
*If your major program of study requires a large number of prerequisite courses, it may not be feasible for you to complete six honors or 4000-level courses by the end of your sophomore year. If you find yourself in this situation, you should plan to take honors or 4000-level courses when appropriate and submit an Honors Contract by the end of your sophomore year to ensure continued membership in the ASC Honors Program. Consult an ASC honors counselor for details.
Application for Graduation with Honors Research Distinction
If you are planning to graduate with honors research distinction, you should submit the Application for Graduation with Honors Research Distinction upon enrolling in 4999H research credit no later than two semesters before graduation. Questions about the application may be directed to an ASC honors counselor.
Examples of Honors Theses
Abstracts and copies of past honors theses completed for graduation with research distinction are available for examination online through the Ohio State Libraries' Knowledge Bank at and in the Mortar Board Room (room 202) of the Thompson Library. They are valuable not only as examples of research undertaken in various disciplines but also as sources of information.