Research Thesis Information
Pursuing a thesis at The Ohio State University (OSU) can provide several benefits, including the opportunity to engage in independent research, deepen your understanding of the discipline, and enhance your resume for graduate school or professional careers. The information below is intended to provide important information for pursuing a Thesis and graduating with Research Distinction in a single location for students. The information found here is compiled from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Honors College, and the Undergraduate Neuroscience Major Program.
For all neuroscience students in the College of Arts and Sciences (ASC), regardless of honors or non-honors status, there are two options for graduating with Research Distinction:
- Students may receive the graduation honor with Research Distinction in Neuroscience This distinction recognizes students who demonstrate excellence in the study of neuroscience both through major coursework and by completing an independent research project (Thesis) in the field of Neuroscience.
- Alternatively, students may receive the graduation honor with Research Distinction This distinction recognizes students who successfully complete and defend a thesis in a discipline other than Neuroscience.
Requirements for Honors and Non-Honors Research Distinction
To graduate with research distinction, you must satisfy the following requirements:
- Requirement #1: Finding a Thesis Advisor
- Identify an Ohio State faculty member to serve as your project advisor who will guide you throughout the thesis process.
- Honors: Project advisor must be a tenure-track faculty member.
- Non-Honors: Project advisor must be a research faculty member (includes tenure-track, research, and clinical) or an auxiliary faculty member engaged in research.
- Identify an Ohio State faculty member to serve as your project advisor who will guide you throughout the thesis process.
- Requirement #2: Submit an Application to Graduate with Research Distinction
- Submit an application to graduate with research distinction once you have established a project with your PI’s approval. Application deadlines are typically two semesters before you plan to graduate. For exact deadlines, please visit the links below.
- Requirement #3: Enroll in your PI’s 4999(H) course
- Complete a minimum of 4 semester credit hours of 4999(H) research in the relevant discipline. Usually, you will enroll in 2 credit hour of 4999(H) each semester you are completing thesis work.
- Honors: Enroll in 4999H
- Non-Honors: Enroll in 4999
- Complete a minimum of 4 semester credit hours of 4999(H) research in the relevant discipline. Usually, you will enroll in 2 credit hour of 4999(H) each semester you are completing thesis work.
- Requirement #4: Thesis Oral Defense
- Successfully defend the thesis during a 1-hour oral examination. The exam committee includes your faculty project advisor (PI) and specific number of addtional faculty members (delineated in the table on page 4). In most cases, completion of the thesis and oral examination will take place during the semester in which the student graduates.
- Oral Defense Rules for Honors: https://aschonors.osu.edu/sites/default/files/2022-03/honors_thesis_exam_instructions_3-30-2022.pdf
- Oral Defense Rules for Non-Honors: https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/advising/research-distinction-research-thesis
- Successfully defend the thesis during a 1-hour oral examination. The exam committee includes your faculty project advisor (PI) and specific number of addtional faculty members (delineated in the table on page 4). In most cases, completion of the thesis and oral examination will take place during the semester in which the student graduates.
- Requirement #5: Graduate with the required GPA and at least 60 graded credit hours at Ohio State.
- Honors: minimum 3.4 cumulative GPA
- Non-Honors: minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Requirement #6: Submit the Thesis
- The thesis must be submitted electronically to the University Libraries’ Knowledge Bank no later than the last day of final examination week. This is usually the student’s graduating semester. The Knowledge Bank employs an authorization process which may delay your submission by up to two business days.
- The link to the Knowledge Bank is https://library.osu.edu/kb/instructions/ugr-honors-theses
- The thesis must be submitted electronically to the University Libraries’ Knowledge Bank no later than the last day of final examination week. This is usually the student’s graduating semester. The Knowledge Bank employs an authorization process which may delay your submission by up to two business days.
Additional Information
Complete information regarding Thesis requirements can be found at the links below:
- Honors: https://aschonors.osu.edu/honors/research-thesis
- Non-Honors: https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/advising/research-distinction-research-thesis
Oral Examination Forms and Defense Information
Students who have submitted a Thesis Application will be given oral examination instructions early in the semester in which they plan to defend the thesis.
- Honors: https://aschonors.osu.edu/oralExam
- Non-Honors: https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/advising/research-distinction-research-thesis
You should provide a copy of your thesis to your Oral Examination Committee at least 2 weeks before your defense date.
Registering for Research Credit Hours (4999 or 4999H)
If you are working toward a thesis, it is your responsibility to register for your PI’s 4999 (non-honors) or 4999H (honors) course. Your thesis project advisor will need to provide written permission for you to register for 4999(H). Permission to enroll in 4999(H) can be documented on a Course Enrollment Permission form. (Late registration for research hours will result in a $100 Late Course Add Fee and may only be added by petition). You should submit your Thesis Application before taking 4999(H).
The number of research credit hours you take each semester will depend on the amount of time you plan to spend on your research during that term. You must discuss this with your thesis project advisor. Keep in mind that you will need to take at least 4 credit hours of 4999(H) to meet the requirements for a thesis (usually taken in groups of 2 credit hours per semester).
Deadlines
The deadline to submit the Neuroscience Thesis Application at the Neuroscience Advising Office, please contact the advising office at neuroadvising@osu.edu. Deadlines to submit a thesis application to ASC or Honors ASC can be found at https://aschonors.osu.edu/research-thesis.
Examples of Theses
Abstracts and copies of past theses completed for graduation with research distinction are available for examination online through the Ohio State Libraries' Knowledge Bank 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. https://library.osu.edu/kb
Contact
For questions about how a neuroscience major can complete a Thesis and graduate with Research Distinction, please contact the Neuroscience Advising Office at 614-292-8512 or by email at neuroadvising@osu.edu.
Below is a Cheat Sheet summarizing many of the important aspects of the Thesis Requirements:
