Writing and defending an Honors Thesis to be considered for Latin honors
The Arts and Sciences Honors Program, in coordination with departments within the College of Arts and Sciences, gives qualified undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences the opportunity to write and defend an honors thesis in an attempt to graduate with Latin honors: cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude. Most students undertake a thesis project within their major (Departmental Honors), but there is also an interdisciplinary option (General Honors).
Students typically begin working on an honors thesis project in the junior year and defend their thesis in the senior year. Our thesis process is one of the most rigorous in the nation, which means that students who graduate with honors (between four to seven percent of each graduating class) have successfully gone above and beyond their peers not only at CU Boulder but nationwide. Students who earn Latin honors are recognized at the Honors Convocation.
Please plan ahead – you will need to register your thesis project with our office the semester prior to the one in which you plan to defend. For more details on registering and defending your thesis, please click through the information below.
For answers to commonly asked questions, read our Latin honors FAQ
Departmental Honors
Interested in writing a thesis in your College of Arts and Sciences major? You'll start the process by contacting your department.
Learn your department's requirements
General Honors
Have you taken at least four Honors Program courses? Is your Arts and Sciences thesis idea interdisciplinary? Consider General Honors.
Read the General Honors requirements
If you plan to apply for research (UROP) funding, please click here for details. Please be aware that proposals for Summer 2022 and Academic Year 2022-23 term funding will be due mid-February 2022.