Modifications due to COVID-19

FALL 2021 THESIS REGISTRATION:

We have implemented a new registration process for Fall 2021 thesis registrations.  Please visit our Honors Thesis webpage and scroll down to "Registering and Defending a Thesis" for more details.  DO NOT submit your Fall 2021 registration using an old registration form.  You must follow the new online process as outlined on our Honors Thesis webpage.  The deadline to register is April 27th by 4pm.

SPRING 2021 THESIS DEFENSE:

The registration period for a Spring 2021 defense has closed.  The next registration deadline is April 27th for a Fall 2021 defense.

Please check back here periodically for updates.

Information on scheduling your defense:

We will allow defenses to be conducted virtually (via Zoom or other video conferencing tool) during the Spring 2021 semester regardless of the campus instruction mode status.  If you and your committee prefer an in-person defense, you will need to follow current campus administration guidelines in determining whether an in-person defense will be permitted.  If the campus instruction mode is "remote" at the time of your defense you must defend remotely.  To check the status of the campus instruction mode, please visit this link:  https://www.colorado.edu/covid-19  We recommend that if you choose to schedule an in-person defense you have a backup plan to defend virtually if needed.  Please note the following:

• You don't need to tell us when you're defending - that's between you and your committee.  Just make sure you've scheduled it on, or preferably before, the last day to defend.
• It is up to you to schedule a date, time and location for your defense.  For assistance in reserving a room, please reach out to your Honors Council Representative.
• Bring a current copy of your unofficial transcript to your defense.
• Don't wait too long to schedule your defense, and try not to schedule your defense on the very last day to defend.
• Once you've defended, email a PDF copy of your defense to honors@colorado.edu.  Please do not send a link to a PDF on Google Docs or other service unless the file is too big to attach to an email.  If you defend prior to the last day, you should send in your defense copy as soon as you defend.  If you defend on the last day (April 7, 2021), you can defend as late as you and your committee wish, but you must send a copy of your defense to honors@colorado.edu by 4pm.  As a reminder, your defense copy is the one you submit to your committee members on the day you defend.  Do not modify your defense copy after your defense.  If your committee suggests changes, you may make those changes if you wish and submit the updated version to CU Scholar as your final copy; however it is the defense copy that is used to determine Latin honors. 
• Your defense committee is forbidden from sharing their decision with you at your defense. Your Latin honors designation will be determined when the Honors Council meets to officially confer honors designations.  You will receive a notification of their decision via your @colorado.edu email address by 5pm on April 16th.

Some of you have asked about issues with lab access and how that might affect your ability to complete your thesis project on time.  If you are unable to complete your lab work, and therefore unable to complete your thesis in the semester that you're scheduled to defend, you do have the option to defer your defense to a future semester.  You do not have to carry a full load of classes, or enroll in any classes at all, to defend; however, you will need to postpone your graduation.  The Honors Program is authorized to award Latin honors to undergraduates only, so this is a key step.  The last day you can notify us to defer is the last day you can defend, so, for example, if you're registered to defend in Spring 2021, the last day you can change your mind and defer to a future semester is April 7, 2021.  Please see FAQ topics "What do I do if I need to defer my thesis project or no longer want to defend my thesis?" or "I'd like to defer my graduation in order to finish my thesis. Do I have to be enrolled in classes?" on our Honors Thesis FAQ page for more details.  Here is the link to the FAQ page:   https://www.colorado.edu/honors/graduationfaq  Please contact us if you have questions or decide to defer. If you wish to withdraw your defense, please let us know via email as well.

FACULTY: 

Please click here for information on defense forms and recommendation letters, as well as deadline updates.

Here is the link to a regular PDF version of the Faculty Thesis Defense Form:  Thesis Defense Form

Here is the link to a fillable electronic version of the Faculty Thesis Defense Form:  Faculty Defense Form - Fillable