Honors in Psychology
HONORS IN PSYCHOLOGY
The Honors Program in Psychology involves a multi-semester project designed to capture and represent development of expertise within the domain of psychological science. The project can be within any domain in psychological science, such as research, pedagogy (teaching), community projects and service, methodological design, clinical practicum, interdisciplinary projects and research, professional development, and specialized independent products. Overall, an honors project must have three components: (1) Inquiry—a systematic investigation into a problem, issue, or topic; (2) Product—an outcome of discipline specific or interdisciplinary inquiry; and (3) Dissemination—sharing of inquiry process and product with project stakeholders and target audience.
Students can choose between two tracks to complete an honors project in psychology–(1) an honors thesis or (2) a directed project. Prerequisites for both tracks include:
- At least two semesters remaining before graduating
- Achieved Junior standing
- Completed PSYC 2103 with a grade of B or above (a grade of A is preferred)
- A minimum overall GPA of 3.2 (or be close enough to a 3.2 to be reasonably confident of achieving it by graduation)
- A minimum Psychological Science GPA of 3.5 (or be close enough to a 3.5 to be reasonably confident of achieving it by graduation)
Track 1–Honors Thesis (PSYC 4701/4702)
The honors thesis track follows a traditional “mini-masters” model in which students work with a faculty mentor to develop an original research document incorporating original research in a student’s area of interest. Students interested in the honors thesis track must identify a faculty mentor BEFORE enrolling in 4701.
Applications for the honors thesis track will be accepted on a rolling basis given admission is predicated on a faculty mentor.
The guidelines below are meant to be flexible enough to allow for student creativity while also providing a roadmap.
Here are the main steps students work through in Honors 1 (PSYC 4701):
1. Through the development of inquiry the student identifies their topic of inquiry or research question.
2. A literature review is conducted to provide the relevant information to readers/observers to understand your project and your inquiry questions. (Together steps 1 and 2 cover the development of the project Introduction and literature review.)
3. Define your outcome product and present your hypothesis, expectations and goals. Is your product going to be a research manuscript? A pedagogical advancement in teaching psychology? Or a creative project with a unique outcome product? (This will be the description of study; i.e. Present Study section of manuscript.)
4. Describe, in detail, the steps you are going to make to meet your project goals. What procedures and methods will you use? What type of data will you be working with (if applicable) and how will you collect it? What planned analysis (if applicable)? Basically, describe in detail how you plan to conduct your project. A reader should be able to reconnect your project based on the details you provide. (This will form the methods section of your project proposal.)
The steps above will yield a proposal comprising a literature review of relevant information, a project description, and planned methods and analyses. The Proposal will be due at the end of the first semester in their Honors Thesis 1 Course. At the end of the first semester there is also a formal presentation of the proposal before a committee of faculty members and other interested students.
During the second semester (Honors Thesis 2; 4702), the student follows through on the activities they proposed in the Honors Thesis proposal. Traditionally, students have conducted the research and/or analyses described in the proposal: they gather data, analyze the data, and write a final APA manuscript style honors thesis. At the end of the semester, there is a formal presentation of the completed thesis in front of a faculty committee and other interested students. This process may be different for those doing an alternative type of thesis.
***This application must be submitted if you are interested in Track 1–Honors Thesis.
Track 2–Directed Project (PSYC 3001/4702)
A directed project is an applied research document involving research and application to a real world problem or opportunity. Students interested in the direct project track do NOT need to identify a faculty mentor.
The direct project track will follow a full year cycle. Applications for the directed project track will be due each year on March 31st. PSYC 3001 will be completed in the fall semester and PSYC 4702 will be completed in the spring semester.
During the first semester (PSYC 3001), students will be required to pick two psychology areas of specialty (e.g., clinical, neuro, developmental, health, cognition, social, etc.) to view a particular research topic of their choice. Students will then spend the semester examining the major concepts, philosophies, & theoretical approaches together in a “big picture” understanding of how the research topic is explored from their chosen specialty perspectives. At the end of the semester, students will have three products reviewed by the Honors in Psychology program director and two other faculty members holding positions on the department’s Honors Committee.
For PSYC 3001, students will complete a 1500-2500 word literature review accompanied by an annotated bibliography that includes 15-20 peer reviewed sources.
The second product is a brief recorded presentation and accompanying slides of the literature review. This presentation should be conference style talks in the form of research spotlights, limited to 3 minutes, that reflect the content of literature review (i.e., nothing extra). Three-minute research presentations are helpful in the development of academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The three-minute presentation format requires presenters to synthesize ideas and condense research findings and to craft presentations that are clear, concise, engaging, and convince a non-specialist audience of its importance and significance.
During the second semester (PSYC 4702), students will create a product that integrates the project literature submitted at the end of the previous semester and reflect on what this combined approach contributes to our understanding of their chosen research topic. The product should be an alternative format (e.g. Book, Podcasts, Portfolio, etc…), not a traditional research manuscript. Students are encouraged to develop a product that aligns with their personal and/or professional goals. Products will be disseminated either on the Department of Psychological Science’s website or presented at an undergraduate research conference.
Final products will be reviewed by the Honors in Psychology program director and two other faculty members holding positions on the department’s Honors Committee.
***This application must be submitted if you are interested in Track 2–Directed Project.
For more information, please contact Dr. Erika Montanaro (emontana@charlotte.edu).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
How do I find a project advisor/mentor?
Students who have a faculty member who has agreed to mentor them for their Honors Thesis (and who meet the above requirements) will be admitted to Honors Thesis 1. Students who do not have a faculty mentor will be admitted on a case-by-case basis by Dr. Montanaro, the Director of the Honors Program in Psychology. So it is best to try to find a faculty mentor who can mentor you. To find a mentor you should have an idea of a general topic that you would like to research. Then you should check our website for faculty members who share your research interest. You may also approach faculty members who have taught classes that you have enjoyed. Once you have a faculty member in mind, schedule a meeting with them in which you discuss your topic and ask them to advise you.
Can I do Honors Thesis work over the summer?
This depends upon the availability of your faculty mentor. Many faculty members are not available during the summer to supervise thesis work.
My GPA is currently below a 3.5. Can I still enroll in Honors Thesis I?
Yes, but be aware that you cannot actually graduate with honors unless your final GPA increases to a 3.5 or higher.
What if I complete a thesis but don’t achieve a 3.5 GPA?
Your two semesters of thesis work will still show up on your transcript, but you will not have the designation of “graduated with honors in psychology.”
Does honors thesis always involve collecting original data?
In some cases, students are required to collect original data for their honors thesis. You may also be able to analyze data that was already collected in the lab of your faulty mentor, as long as your research question and the data analysis you conduct is novel. A literature review is not considered appropriate for an honors thesis.
I see Honors Thesis on the schedule. Do we really meet every week at that time?
You need to have that time generally free on your schedule. The class will meet weekly or bi-weekly at that designated time in the schedule. During class Dr. Montanaro and your fellow classmates will help you hone your topic and research ideas, guide you in your literature review, give practice presentations, and discuss your progress.
How to Apply
For more information, please contact Dr. Erika Montanaro.
This Application must be completed by students who want to apply to the Psychology Honors Program and enroll in Honors Thesis I.
Information for students already enrolled in Honors Thesis 1 and 2
All students planning to graduate with honors must submit to the Honors College an Application to Candidacy Form with a thesis/project proposal by the deadline the semester PRIOR to the semester in which they expect to complete the thesis/project. This process includes review of the proposal by Honors Faculty and sometimes requires revisions. Plan ahead and contact your honors program director to facilitate this process; they, as well as your thesis advisor and any reader(s), must review the proposal and approve it via signature before submission. This Application to Candidacy process is required before taking any honors thesis/project courses on campus. For more information, including the form, deadlines, and guidelines, visit the Honors College’s Website. Students who fail to complete this required step will not be able to proceed with the thesis/project, nor graduate with honors.