The Asian Studies Program Guidelines for Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Students majoring in Asian Studies are encouraged to participate in the Asian Studies undergraduate major Honors Program. Writing an honors thesis is good preparation for future professional positions and graduate studies. It provides an opportunity to develop your research and writing skills. Graduating with honors demonstrates a high level of initiative and ability to work independently. An honors thesis is a way to become an expert on a topic of interest and gain recognition for your outstanding academic work. Finally, writing an honors thesis gives you the opportunity to explore in detail an area or topic which will be important later in your life or career, and it encourages you to synthesize the diverse offerings taken in this interdisciplinary program.

Students who have an overall GPA of 3.70 or higher and want to graduate with honors in Asian Studies are required to write an Honors Thesis. The thesis must address an international or cross-cultural topic relevant to Asian Studies, and it must make meaningful use of at least two Asian language sources. Because the typical page number varies by topic and discipline, we do not have an official minimum or maximum number of required pages. An honors thesis represents a shift to professional writing: away from “how long is the assignment” to “what information is needed to answer the central question(s) of my work.” That said, successful theses typically average 30-50 pages in length.

The honors thesis may be combined with Honors College or other departmental exit project requirements as long as the minimum Asian Studies honors thesis requirements are met.

For full details on the Asian Studies Honors Program, please review each of the following pages (all pages together constitute as the Guidelines for the Honors Thesis):

• Before you Begin your Thesis – The Honors Thesis Agreement
• Credit Registration for your Thesis
• Honors Thesis Requirements
• Submitting your Thesis – The Honors Thesis Approval Form
• Suggested Thesis Project Timeline
• Frequently Asked Questions

Further questions or concerns about the honors thesis may be directed to the GSL Undergraduate Support Team at gsl@uoregon.edu.