Honors 499 Capstone

HON 499 Proposal Form
HON 499 Guidelines

Honors Thesis & Defense Overview

The Honors thesis or project represents the culminating scholarly experience in the UMF Honors Program, distinguished by a formal defense before the Honors Council. Students submit their completed work to the Honors Director, who forwards it to the Council for review. To be eligible, students must be admitted to the Honors Program, have completed at least 12 Honors credits, and receive approval from both the Honors Director and Council. The experience is pass/fail and requires a polished final draft at the time of defense.

Thesis Defense Process

The defense typically takes place in the Honors House and includes the student and their faculty advisor, who introduces the student and their project. A majority vote from the Honors Council determines whether the thesis or project passes, sometimes with required revisions depending on the quality and timing of the submission.

Thesis Completion Pathways

Students can pursue their thesis or project through several formats, including independent work without credit, a zero-credit option connected to major capstone work, or a traditional three-credit Honors thesis. Honors provides proposal guidelines and expectations to ensure students are well-supported as they develop and present their final work.

Contact US

Honors Program
University of Maine at Farmington
238 Main Street
Farmington, ME 04938
778-7199
umfhonors@maine.edu