Options for Course Credit for your Honors Thesis

If you are completing an undergraduate Honors Thesis for the Asian Studies program, you may register for a combination of the following for a total of up to six credit hours. Students may apply up to four Research (ASIA 401) or four Thesis (ASIA 403) credits toward the appropriate block of the 48 credits required for the Asian Studies major. There are several ways of completing the honors thesis:

1. Students may write an honors thesis without registering for credits if they have already fulfilled UO and program requirements. The students are still required to work with an approved advisor and meet all other requirements for completion of an honors thesis.
2. Students may enroll in an approved 4 credit hour 400-level class on the subject of the thesis. The professor offering the course must sign the written statement acknowledging his/her agreement to serve as the honors thesis advisor. The professor thereby agrees to meet with the senior on a regular basis to guide the student’s work and evaluate the thesis paper. The thesis is written in addition to any other course requirements except when substituted for a less difficult term paper.
3. Students may register for ASIA 401, “Research” or ASIA 403, “Thesis” credits under the supervision of an Asian Studies faculty member or another faculty member who has indicated in writing his/her willingness to serve as the honors thesis advisor. Seniors may complete an independent research paper on an original topic that conforms to all other honors thesis guidelines. A student may register for ASIA 401 during the first or second term of the project, but not during the final term. If the student wishes to register for credit during the final term, they should register for ASIA 403, “Thesis” credits.
4. Students may write their thesis as part of a practicum by registering for ASIA 409, “Practicum” and fulfilling all honors thesis requirements. This option is especially attractive for students doing internships which afford them unique research opportunities. When appropriate, the senior should work with an approved advisor in the field as well as an Asian Studies faculty advisor. If appropriate arrangements are made well in advance, the honors thesis can be completed while a student is studying or working abroad.

For Asian Studies undergraduate honors students not in Clark Honors College, we suggest that you take 4 credits each of ASIA 401, “Research” (one or two terms before your last term, so usually in winter term if you will graduate in spring) and/or ASIA 403, “Thesis” (your last term, usually in spring term if you are graduating in spring). The intent of these credits is to ensure that students have time in their schedules to dedicate to research and writing. The expectation is that you will spend approximately 12 hours/week working on researching, then writing, your thesis. Your faculty thesis advisor serves as the instructor of record. Example assignments might include a prospectus (see “Winter Term: Complete your prospectus” section for details on what a prospectus can entail), short updates, data summaries, preliminary analysis, detailed thesis outline, draft thesis, etc.

Registering for Individualized Study Credits

Students seeking to register for ASIA 401, “Research,” ASIA 403, “Thesis,” or ASIA 409, “Practicum,” must complete the GSL Individualized Study Registration Form (available for download on our “Register for Individualized Study Credits” page).

The form should be filled out and signed by the faculty member who will oversee their work, and returned to the GSL Undergraduate Support Team at gsl@uoregon.edu.

Once the form is submitted, students will be notified by the GSL Undergraduate Support Team when they have been pre-authorized to register for the individualized study credits in DuckWeb.