Walker College of Business

Completing your thesis is an exciting and enriching process. Make sure to take the time you need to plan, execute, discuss, and submit your thesis. Keep the procedures and deadlines in mind as you take on your thesis journey. While we use the term, thesis, we define it as creative works. To the honors student, this means the final project is only limited by the honor student’s imagination. The thesis can be a traditional research paper, where a student and a faculty member work together on a research project. Alternatively, honors students can work with faculty and/or the program director on other creative works such as developing portfolios, writing reflection papers, writing business plans, participating in consulting projects, securing internships, and more.

The business thesis / creative work is composed of three one-hour classes culminating in a final project. These courses are given a letter grade and the grade is determined by the faculty member (thesis director) or program director.

All new honors students should register for the first thesis class during their first semester in the program. The second and third thesis courses should be completed with their thesis director or program director in the following two semesters. Ideally, the thesis / creative work is completed during the fall semester of the senior year so that students may focus on employment or graduate school applications during the spring semester.

Seize opportunities to get to know your professors. Reach out to faculty whose work interests you. Discuss their work and how it could connect to potential thesis topics and ask how you might join their scholarship team. Work with your academic advisor and program director to develop a thesis completion plan well in advance of your graduation date. They can help you plan to make sure you have time for a full research/creative experience while also taking courses that interest you and fitting in other opportunities, such as studying aboard and internships. Of course, plans can change, so be sure to review and revise your thesis completion plan with your academic advisor and program director each semester.

Use the first semester of your junior year to generate ideas about what your thesis / creative works topic and project will be. If you choose the traditional thesis research approach, you will need to select a thesis director and a second reader. Together, your director and second reader will form your thesis committee. Perusing your department’s website and reading faculty bios is a good place to start identifying possible directors and second readers. Thesis directors must come from your major department, second readers can come from other departments. You will work with your director to identify, plan, and execute your thesis project and your director will assign your final grade for your thesis course. Students typically meet weekly with their thesis directors throughout the thesis process. Follow this link to NC Docks, which provides examples of prior thesis research projects and thesis directors. If you are inclined to choose an alternative project or creative work, speak with the program director for guidance.

• Sample WCOB and University Honors Title Page [DOC]
• Sample WCOB Honors Title Page [DOC]
• Completed Thesis Title Page Example [PDF]

Your thesis must include:

• A title page using the formatting in the sample title page. Students are responsible for obtaining signatures from the thesis director (and second reader and University Honors Coordinator if appropriate) and WCOB Honors Program Director. Students completing a business honors thesis only, should not include a line for the director of the University Honors College to sign; only dual honors students will need the additional signature. University Honors College students should refer to the university honors website  for further instructions. 
• An abstract.
• A minimum of 10 pages of written content. Creative thesis projects, such as portfolios, business plans, consulting projects, reflection papers, etc., can use this written component to provide context for their work, explain the project’s goals, and reflect on the accomplishments of the project. You might also write about what you learned, what you would do differently, and how your project benefits you in the short and long term. Projects not related to such creative endeavors will likely contain significantly more written work. 
• Properly formatted citations using a citation style that is appropriate for your discipline. Most importantly, once you choose a reference style, you should be consistent in its application.
• Digital Copy: One digital copy of the thesis or written content must be submitted to the program director. The thesis or written content must be in a single PDF file. The abstract must also be submitted in a separate Word document to be copied and uploaded to the WCOB website.
• Special Enclosures: Special enclosures must accompany each thesis copy. It is important to include these with the digital copy of your thesis, as you want those reading the thesis to understand it.
• An acknowledgements section is not required, but may be included if you wish.

Formatting

• Properly formatted title page.
• The thesis must have 1.25-inch left margins, and 1-inch right, top, and bottom margins. Charts, graphs, photographs, or other illustrations to be included must also follow these margin requirements.
• All text must be double-spaced unless specific formatting rules dictate otherwise.
• Font style, font size, citations and reference styles ought to be those that are considered professional styles and appropriate to your discipline, and are at the discretion of the thesis director or program director.
• Submit your thesis or your written creative work in a single PDF file. Submit your abstract in a word document. These submissions must be submitted to the program director. Submit creative works such as videos or other files not suitable as PDFs via a link or shared folder with the program director. Files submitted via a link or shared folder must be able to be download by the program director.

After you have completed your thesis defense and incorporated the changes recommended by your committee, you are ready to submit your final, approved thesis. Your completed thesis/project should be submitted by email to the WCOB Program Director, no later than 5:00 p.m. eastern time on reading day. Please follow the appropriate link below to find out how to do that. Congratulations!

• University Honors students
• Departmental Honors students (not doing University honors)
• Bound copies