201 Commonwealth Honors College, University of Massachusetts
157 Commonwealth Avenue, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-9253
413 545 2483 advisor@honors umass edu www honors umass edu
499T/P
499T/499P Honors Thesis or Project: Contract and Proposal Instructions
GEN ERAL INFORMA TION
Each Honors Thesis or Honors Project must be six or more credits of sustained effort on a single topic. Typically completed in the senior year, this
culminating requirement offers students an opportunity to work closely with faculty members on advanced research topics or creative endeavors. A
thesis involves developing and working toward answering a research question, while a project involves an alternative academic enterprise of equivalent
intensity and scope, e.g., creative work (artistic sculpture/paintings, theater production, musical score), engineering invention, case study, and so on.
Regardless of whether the intended result is a thesis or project, each begins with inquiry and systematic research, includes documentation of
substantive scholarly effort, and culminates in an oral defense or other form of public presentation. Though smaller in scope, both Honors Theses and
Honors Projects should be similar in quality to master’s theses and projects from like disciplines. Further, Honors Projects must require the same amount
of time and intellectual challenge as Honors Theses, and the individual portions of group Honors Projects must be equivalent to that of individual Honors
Projects. Plan to spend a minimum of 130 hours on each 3-credit semester of your thesis or project (more in proportion to the number of credits
registered). Your thesis or project Committee Chair will help you establish a timeline and due dates for the 499Y semester and completion of your
499T/P thesis or project (see Plan Instructions below).
Note: There are two registration options for honors theses and honors projects: 1) individually contracted by the student and a faculty guidance
committee using CHC 499Y/T/P contract forms and 2) special topic seminars taught by faculty -- advertised in the online Honors Course Guide and
scheduled on SPIRE. Regardless of which option is selected, the expectations for intellectual effort and original scholarship or creative work are the
same for both.
R EGISTRATION
Fill out the 499T/499P Honors Thesis/Project Contract form thoroughly and legibly. Then
 Attach your Honors Thesis Proposal or Honors Project Proposal (see next page for instructions)
 Have your completed 499T/P contract and proposal reviewed and signed by your Committee Chair, Committee Member, Honors
Program Director of the department in which the course is to be registered, and Honors Program Director of your DH department if
you are pursuing Departmental Honors (DH)
 If necessary, contact your Academic Dean to request any credit overrides so that your 499T or 499P credits may be registered on
SPIRE
 Check and remove any HOLDS on your SPIRE account which might hinder course registration
 Submit your 499T/P contract and proposal with all approval signatures to 201 Commonwealth Honors College
 Allow at least six business days for review by the CHC Academic Standards Committee and registration by the CHC office
D EADLIN E FOR SUBMISSION OF CON TRAC T AND PROPOSAL
Your completed and signed 499T/499P Honors Thesis or Project Contract with attached Proposal and all approval signatures should be
submitted to 201 Commonwealth Honors College in the last month of the 499Y semester.*


November or December for spring semester registration
April or May for fall semester registration
Note: 499T/499P work should continue (or begin for 1-semester theses and projects) the first week of the 499T or 499P semester.
Therefore, 499T/499P contract forms and proposals that are received by CHC within the Add/Drop semester of 499T or 499P work will
be considered late. If these materials are received after the first week of the Add/Drop Period, registration may be delayed because
thesis/project proposals must be reviewed by the CHC Academic Standards Committee before registration.
*DeadlinesforHonorsthesesorprojectsintendedtobecompletedwithinonesemester(approvedasrareexceptions):

Spring‐semester6crHonorsthesisorproject:contractandproposalaredueNovemberorDecemberoftheprevioussemester

Fall‐semester6crHonorsthesisorproject:contractandproposalaredueAprilorMayoftheprevioussemester
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4 99 T /P PRO PO SAL IN STRUC T ION S
An Honors Thesis or Honors Project proposal must be attached to your completed and approved 499T/499P Honors Thesis or Project Contract when
you submit it to 201 Commonwealth Honors College. This Proposal




Defines your Honors Thesis or Honors Project
Establishes a precise list of goals, methods, evaluation procedures and faculty expectations
Serves with the 499T/499P Contract form as a binding agreement between you, your 499T/P guidance committee, and CHC
Protects you and your 499T/P guidance committee from misunderstandings which could cause graduation delays
THE 499T/P CONTRACT AND 499T/P PROPOSAL CREATE A LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACT AND ARE EQUIVALENT TO A UMASS COURSE
SYLLABUS. YOUR CONTRACT AND PROPOSAL WILL BE RETURNED FOR REVISION IF THEY DO NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE
FOLLOWING:
NOTE: Your 499T/P Chair may adjust the categories below to better address the expectations for your discipline. Adjustments should be
equivalent in scope and provide evidence of a student’s preparedness to continue with the honors research.
1. INTRODUCTION What are you researching and why?

General description of your Thesis or Project topic (about 1 page)

Statement about the scientific problem or intellectual/creative intent (at least 1 page): description of objectives and hypotheses or other
discipline-specific inquiry

Explanation of the significance of the problem or justification of the creative intent (at least 1 page): e.g., relate the key literature to the
problem or creative endeavor, and explain the study's importance to the advancement of knowledge in the discipline.
2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE What have other researchers already written/published on your topic?

Demonstrate your understanding of the primary literature (about 5-15 pages) (text-based thesis writers should seek guidance from their
Committee Chairs)

Consult your Committee Chair about the key literature needed for your thesis or project manuscript and the formatting style used in your
discipline for notes and bibliography (e.g., Chicago, MLA, APA, a specific Journal, etc.). Be sure to note they style you will be using.
3. METHOD How are you conducting your research?

What procedures or techniques are you using to gather information/data or to create your project?

What resources or materials are you using in your research?

If specialized training was required for your thesis or project, e.g., lab safety certification or human/animal testing, what training did you
receive or are you receiving and from whom?
4. EVALUATION How will your work be reviewed and graded?
 What measureable goals does your 499 guidance committee expect you to accomplish during the final stages of your research/creative
project?
 How will your committee provide feedback regarding your progress?
 How will your committee assess the viability of your research to produce an Honors Thesis or Project manuscript with oral defense?
 If you are registering for an Honors Project, be specific about the artifact that you will produce in addition to the Project manuscript, e.g., a
novel, poetry collection, art DVD, case study, engineering design, story board, film DVD, musical composition CD or DVD, etc.
5. COMMUNICATION What are the expectations about meetings with your Committee Chair and other Committee Member(s)? Be specific.
 How often are you meeting with your Committee Chair? How often will you meet with the full committee?
 What are your Committee Chair’s expectations of such meetings? What are your committee members’ expectations about meeting with
you?
 What time commitment is expected to be applied to your research between meetings with your Committee Chair? (For example, 10 hours
of work per week.)
6. TIMELINE
 What are the dates and expectations for periodic review of your research results? (weekly? bi-weekly?)
 When is your first outline due? When is your thesis or project manuscript
o
First draft due?
o
Second draft due?
o
Final completed manuscript and artifacts (where applicable) due?
 What is the date and setting for your oral defense? (e.g., informal with 499T/P committee members only or public defense open to others)
4 99 T /49 9P GR A D IN G
499T Honors Thesis or 499P Honors Project may be graded with an “A through F” grade. In the event you are unable to complete the work by the grade
deadline, an “INC” may be assigned by the 499 committee. A grade of “INC” requires submission of a written, signed agreement between you and your
499 committee to the CHC office, clearly detailing expectations, requirements and any deadlines for completion of the work.
Note regarding 499Y grade: If you received a grade of “Y” for 499Y Honors Research in a previous semester, please remind your Committee Chair to
enter a revised final grade on SPIRE upon completion of your 449T/499P work.
Pleasecompleteandsubmittheformonthefollowingpage.
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CHC Approval & Registration Authorization
Office use only
 CHC Faculty Advisor:
Date:
 Admin Review:
 SPIRE:
201 Commonwealth Honors College
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-9253
413.545.2483 [email protected] www.honors.umass.edu
Note:
499T/499P Honors Thesis or Project: Contract and Registration Form
Contract submission deadline date: November/December for spring semester registration; April/May for fall semester registration.
STUDENT SECTION
Last Name, First:
Grad Year:
Phone:
@umass.edu
Email Address:
Primary
Major:
Secondary
Major:
I am a member of Commonwealth
Honors College:
 Yes  No
This is a (check one):
 Thesis


Spire ID:
 Project
(If applicable) I am pursuing Departmental Honors in:


I need these credits to reach 12 credits
for fulltime status for my 499T/P semester.
If necessary, I have obtained overload permission from my
Academic Dean so these credits can be added to my SPIRE
schedule.
I have read and followed instructions from the “…Contract and Proposal Instructions” page.
I understand that the attached proposal is binding and part of my permanent UMass record; it may be shown to graduate schools upon request.
Student’s Signature:
Date:
FACULTY SECTION -
COURSE REGISTRATION INFORMATION and APPROVAL
Note: the credit norm is 3 hours of student work per credit per week;
3 credits = 9 or more hours of work per week for 13 weeks; 4 credits = 12 or more hours of work per week for 13 weeks and so on.
I have reviewed and approved the student’s Honors Thesis or Project proposal (attached). I
1) approve that the number of credits requested below be added in the course registration department noted
2) will take responsibility for guiding lab safety, human subject testing, or proprietary issues so that the resultant manuscript may be made
public through the Du Bois Library archives.
one box
Check only
COMMITTEE CHAIR:
 Info and Approval
Part II: 499T Thesis
 3cr
 4cr
Committee Chair must provide justification via email to
[email protected] for:
 5cr
 6cr
Part II: 499P Project
 3cr
 4cr
Committee Chair must provide justification via email to
[email protected] for:
 5cr
 6cr

Part I and II combined in one semester (granted as rare exception):
499T Thesis 6cr
499T/P Registration Department/SPIRE Subject
Area (e.g., ENGLISH, KIN, M&I-ENG):
 499P Project
OR
6cr
499T/P Registration Semester and Year:
Chair’s Name
(please print):
Dept:
Dept.
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Chair’s Signature:
Date:
COMMITTEE MEMBER:
 Info and Approval
I agree to serve as a Committee Member for this student’s work as described in the attached Honors Thesis or Project proposal.
Name
(please print):
Dept:
Dept. Address:
Phone:
Email:
Signature:
Date:
For DH students only:
HONORS PROGRAM DIRECTOR of DH department; approval

The committee, the credits, the 499 course registration department noted above, and the
attached Honors Thesis or Project proposal are acceptable for DH in my department.
as DH requirement:
HPD Name
(please print):
HPD Signature:
HONORS PROGRAM DIRECTOR of department in which the
 course is to be registered (as noted above):
HPD Name
(please print):
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Date:
The expectations outlined in the attached proposal do or do not meet the standards of my
department. This 499 coursework:
 may
 may not be registered in my department.
HPD Signature:
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Date: