The honors thesis is a cornerstone of the Oregon State University Honors College experience and the culmination of the honors baccalaureate degree. It offers students the chance to showcase intellectual and creative talents through a project that reflects individual interests. Thesis topics range from scientific research to artistic creations to service projects, allowing exploration beyond a major or discipline. It is a significant project, but it is one that the Honors College supports through a multi-stage process designed to create manageable steps. For most students, this journey begins with Stage 1: Plan, a one-credit course that introduces the thesis requirement, campus resources and strategies for mapping out personalized goals.
What is Stage 1?
All honors students complete HC 408 Stage 1: Plan, during their first year in the college. The class provides a framework for thinking about the thesis and the steps toward completion, including creating a thesis plan that can be updated as ideas evolve.
“Stage 1 is the first of four stages that structure the honors thesis process and is completed by passing HC 408: Stage 1,” says Beau Baca, Honors College head advisor. “Students learn about current undergraduate research happening at OSU, the structure of the honors thesis and the resources and support that are available. The Stage 1 course really gets students thinking about how the thesis process will align with their time at OSU, as they begin to create a timeline for completing the remaining three stages.”
Who is Stage 1 for?
“Stage 1 is for students who are new to the Honors College, whether they’re ‘traditional’ first-year students, have transferred from another university or were already at OSU before joining the Honors College,” says Beau. “The Stage 1 class should be completed within a student’s first few terms in the Honors College.”
Why take Stage 1?
“This course will, hopefully, demystify the honors thesis, ease some anxiety and help students come away with a clearer idea of the overall process and next steps for starting and completing an honors thesis project,” says Beau.
Honors College Associate Dean Troy Hall adds, “Stage 1 helps students establish a mindset to begin thinking about possible thesis ideas, which can be very helpful in deciding what classes to take, events to attend and which faculty to approach. The class also provides access to a wide range of resources and examples that are collected in Canvas.”
How is Stage 1 different from a Transitions course?
“While there are some similarities in introducing students to resources, the Stage 1 course is more focused than a Transitions course,” says Beau. “Stage 1 is specific to the Honors College and the honors thesis project in particular. The Stage 1 class connects the thesis requirement to students’ interests and priorities so that they can think about what the thesis is going to mean to them.”
“The Transitions course is primarily about establishing the skills to succeed in college generally and educating students about available campus resources,” says Troy. “Stage 1 is primarily about the honors thesis.”
What do students say about Stage 1?
“In our annual survey, a majority of students agreed with the statement: ‘The HC 408 thesis courses have been useful in making progress on my thesis,’” says Troy.
Mandy Eng, a second-year honors microbiology student, says, “Taking Stage 1 reassured me that I wasn’t going to be completely alone during this process, that it wasn’t an abstract project I had to come up with on my own without any resources or support. The thesis project feels daunting at first, but Stage 1 helped me clear away misconceptions and ease the thesis journey.”
"I was an internal transfer to the Honors College, so I began taking honors classes in the spring of my first year,“ says Keegan Oakes, a fourth-year honors biohealth sciences major. “Stage 1 was my first real introduction to the thesis project and the Honors College as a whole. The class broke down the thesis project and resources in a way that made the end goal of authoring and defending a thesis feel attainable."
Fourth-year honors student Molly Wheeldon, who is double-majoring in medical humanities and human development and family sciences, says, “When I was a first-year student in the Honors College, I felt overwhelmed by the thesis project and wasn’t sure where to begin. Through the Stage 1 class, I gained a broader understanding of the thesis and got excited about pursuing a topic I was truly passionate about!”
Why complete a thesis?
“The benefits of an honors thesis are clear: working on a thesis project helps students develop skills in leadership, communication and problem solving,” says Beau. A thesis is also a chance to curate and produce a long-term project that may “generate new ideas or ways of thinking in the moment or further down the road in life.” The honors degree, Beau adds, “gives students opportunities and support for exploration.”
Troy emphasizes the collaborative nature of the process. “The thesis fosters collaboration and interdisciplinary skills within students to manage long-term projects,” she says. “These skills transfer beyond OSU, preparing students for graduate study and professional paths that require creativity and persistence.”
Winter priority registration opened November 17. Nine sections of HC 408: Stage 1 Plan will be offered during winter term 2026. Students new to the Honors College are encouraged to register early to secure a spot in this foundational course.
