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Psychology

Graduating with Honors in Psychology

Students may graduate with honors—cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude—by meeting both college and departmental requirements.

College Honors Requirements: To graduate with cum laude, students must: Earn a 3.50 GPA or higher on all UF coursework taken beginning the semester after accumulating 60 credits.

Psychology Department Honors Requirements: To graduate with magna cum laude (High Honors) or summa cum laude (Highest Honors) must meet both of the following: Maintain a 3.50 GPA or higher on all UF coursework taken after earning 60 credits, enroll in PSY4970, and defend their work before a faculty committee. Faculty in the Psychology Department will evaluate the thesis to determine whether the student qualifies for magna or summa cum laude. A unanimous vote for “highest honors” is required to earn summa cum laude.

PSY4970: Senior Thesis

A Senior Thesis provides students with the opportunity to engage in independent, empirical research under the guidance of a faculty member. As part of this process, students will develop a formal research proposal, conduct original research, submit a written thesis, and defend their work before a faculty committee. This is a significant academic undertaking that typically spans multiple semesters and may take place in a lab setting or through independent study.

  • Grading Scheme: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
  • Credits per semester: 1–3 (cannot be taken for 0 credits)
  • Overall Maximum credits allowed: 4
  • At least 1 credit of the allotted 9 credits of IW must be preserved

Important Note: Credits taken count toward the 9-credit maximum allowed for Individual Work (IW) coursework and can only count as psych electives at the 3000 level, not the 4000 level. If all 9 IW credits have been exhausted, we cannot retroactively adjust past IW credits to free up space, so please plan accordingly. See  Individual Work Policy for more information.

Thesis & Faculty Member Requirements

The thesis must have a strong foundation in psychological science and be supervised by a Psychology Department faculty member with expertise in the research area who will serve as the Chair.

Note: Students working primarily with a non-psychology faculty member may still enroll in PSY4970 if their work has a strong foundation in psychological science, but they must find a Psychology faculty member who: has relevant expertise in the research topic, Is willing to sponsor the project as the Co-Chair. (Role of Co-Chair is to ensure the thesis maintains a clear emphasis on psychology).

View Psychology Faculty by Area of Specialization

Steps to Enroll in PSY4970

Collect Necessary Information
  • Download & Review the Interactive Enrollment Request Form: PSY4970 Enrollment Request Form
  • Locate a thesis committee:  You and the chair should then identify two other faculty members, at least one who is a psychologist with a research focus, to serve on your thesis committee.
    • Thesis committees must have three members knowledgeable in the area of research the student plans to defend their thesis. A UF Department of Psychology faculty member must serve as Chair or Co-Chair.
  • The purpose of the thesis committee is to direct and assist you in all phases of the project.  Once your committee is familiar with your thesis project, you should apply for IRB approval if your advisor’s current IRB approval does not cover your project, so you can begin conducting the research.
    • The IRB reviews research that involves human participants. Research involving animals must be reviewed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before it begins.
Determine Enrollment Credits

Students can take 1-3 credits per semester, to be determined by their research supervisor. For each credit taken, you must complete 45 work hours this semester. Students must enroll in at least one credit of PSY4970 in the semester they will defend their thesis (often the same semester they will graduate). However, previous semesters will typically have already been spent working on the thesis.

Submit Enrollment Documents
Students must submit the following to the undergraduate coordinator- copying psych advising via email:

  • Completed PSY4970 Enrollment Request Form AND
  • A written (typed) proposal, at least 7-8 pages in length (longer proposals are often appropriate), double-spaced, and consisting of sections representative of the actual thesis. See the enrollment form for more information.
  • Please email your proposal at least 1-2 days before the semester deadline.
Approval for Enrollment

The Undergraduate Coordinator will review the student’s proposal and notify them of approval and enrollment.

Senior Thesis Defense Process and Awarding Honors

In the semester students plan to defend, they will submit a formal thesis written according to APA guidelines. Students also schedule a defense meeting with their thesis committee, deliver a presentation, and respond to questions from the committee.

Before the Defense
  • Meet with your thesis committee chair to discuss the defense process and expectations.
  • Prepare a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation that summarizes your research project and findings.
  • Coordinate with your committee members to determine an available day and time for your defense. Confirm whether it will take place in person or online.
    • If your defense is online: Coordinate the logistics (Zoom link, calendar invites, etc.) with your committee.
    • If your defense is in person: visit https://psych.ufl.edu/info-forms/room-reservations/ to view room availability in the Psychology building (scroll to see all rooms). If you find a suitable room, email David Fowler (dfowler@ufl.edu) to request a reservation. The earlier you make the request, the better your chances of securing your preferred time.
  • Distribute your final written thesis to all committee members at least one week before the scheduled defense.
  • Print a copy of the PSY4970 Senior Thesis Defense Packet  and bring it to your defense.
    • Students may type in the top half of the form (name, UFID, thesis title, exam date) before printing, if preferred.
    • The packet includes instructions for both the student and the chair, as well as criteria for determining whether the thesis qualifies for High or Highest Honors.
During the Defense
  • You will begin with a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation of your project.
  • The rest of the meeting will be a question-and-answer session led by your committee.
After the Defense

Submit the completed and signed Senior Thesis Defense Packet and the three individual evaluation forms to: Dr. Ron Chandler at ronchandler@ufl.edu AND Psychology Advising at psych-advising@ufl.edu.

All materials must be submitted no later than the last day of classes.

If approved, your committee will sign the form and indicate whether your thesis qualifies for High Honors or Highest Honors, based on a unanimous committee vote.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to complete an honors thesis to graduate with honors?

No, students can obtain cum laude by meeting the college requirements: 3.50 or higher GPA on all courses taken at UF beginning the semester after accumulating 60 credits. ( See CLAS AAC college advisor for assistance). Students can obtain magna or summa cum laude if they meet the college requirements and the requirements set by the Psychology department for the honors thesis.

Where to start: Get Involved in research
The first step is to identify a laboratory where you want to gain experience. There are several ways to do this.

  • Talk with your course instructors and teaching assistants about research projects that they are conducting.
  • Browse the notices about available research positions on the bulletin boards on the first floor of the Psychology Building.
  • Look through faculty members’ web pages to see who is conducting research of interest to you (see https://psych.ufl.edu/directory/faculty/ for a listing of faculty and links to their web pages).
  • Get involved with the Psychology Club. The club will announce opportunities for research positions periodically.
  • Once you have identified laboratories of interest, contact the faculty member or graduate student to find out about the availability of research assistant positions and the specific laboratory’s application procedures. You are encouraged to do this as early as possible, as some laboratories have limited available positions. It is best to apply towards the end of the semester, before you want to begin working in the research lab, or as early as possible in the semester you wish to start working.
I don't know my research topic yet. What should I do?

A senior thesis is an original and significant research project conducted under the close supervision of a faculty member. If you’re considering undertaking a senior thesis, it’s important to first gain experience as a research assistant (see PSY4911 of PSY4905 for details). This allows a faculty member to become familiar with your work, making it more likely they will agree to supervise your thesis.

Completing a thesis is a serious commitment, requiring both intellectual effort and time. Most thesis projects take at least two semesters to complete, in addition to the time spent initially gaining experience as a research assistant.

Do I need to complete a course before enrolling in PSY4970?

Students will typically do a couple of things. Some will register for individual study (PSY 4905) to collect data on what they want to do for their research topic. Then, find a faculty member with similar interests and ask them if they are willing to help them with their research work in the lab. This would be supervised research (PSY 4911). They would register for PSY4970, senior thesis, in their senior year to defend their findings.

Registering for 4905 or 4911 is not required, but you must register for 4970 to do the honor thesis for at least one credit. This credit must apply to the additional psych electives.

How should I structure my proposal?

Students must develop a written proposal that is at least 7-8 pages long (longer proposals are often appropriate), double-spaced, and consists of sections representative of the actual thesis. Generally, the proposal should include the following:

  1. Specific aims or purpose of the project.
  2. Review of pertinent literature.
  3. Type and number of subjects to be tested: if applicable.
  4. Apparatus or materials to be used: if applicable.
  5. Techniques or procedures for data collection.
  6. Methods of data analysis.
  7. Possible outcomes of the study and their interpretations for the senior thesis
What happens if I decide not to defend my thesis?
  • If you enroll in PSY 4970 but do not defend your thesis that semester, you must email  a Psych Advising and Dr. Chandler by the last day of classes. If you must discontinue your thesis, provide a detailed explanation, though this should be rare.
  • You must sign up for PSY4970 credits in the semester you intend to defend. A maximum of 4 credits can be taken for PSY 4970, so if you’ve already completed 3 credits, you can only sign up for 1 more. These credits must count toward your Psychology requirements. To continue, again fill out the PSY4970 paperwork using the same thesis proposal and attach it to a new form signed by your Faculty Supervisor. Submit this via email to psych-advising@ufl.edu.
When should I submit my PSY4970 and proposal to ensure I meet the deadline?

Please see the PSY4970 Enrollment Form & Full Proposal Submission Deadline table above.

What should I do if my faculty member is not a Psychology faculty member?

Suppose the faculty member is not in psychology or affiliated with psychology. In that case, you must get a member of the psychology department who is experienced in the research area in which you plan to complete your research. You will need them to sign the form as the faculty sponsor. See “Thesis & Faculty Member Requirements” for a list of Psychology Faculty by area.

I need time to put together my proposal. Can I get credit for this?

PSY4905 may be appropriate for students when developing a senior honors thesis idea or doing a directed readings course as an independent study with a professor. Students should consult with their faculty member and the Undergraduate Coordinator, Dr. Ron Chandler for assistance.

As a UF Online student, can I complete an Honors Thesis?

Yes, it is possible. However, as UF Online students are fully remote, it’s important to find a Psychology faculty member willing to collaborate with you in this capacity.

Can a graduate student serve on my committee?

Graduate students cannot serve on thesis committees; however, with the Chair’s approval, they can attend the thesis defense as an outside non-voting member. Thesis students working with non-psychology or non-psychology affiliated faculty must find a Psychology Faculty member knowledgeable in the research area to serve as the Co-Chair.