Brief Timeline:
- Quarter N-2: Take Senior Seminar or DRiP; Join Research Group
- Quarter N-1: Take Senior Seminar or DRiP; Pursue Thesis Research
- Quarter N: Take Phys 488: Write thesis, Prepare poster, Give talk on research.
Where N = the quarter in which you plan to submit your thesis.
Expanded Timeline
No later than the start of quarter N-2, but preferably earlier:
- Identify the physics research area(s) that interest you and seek out a faculty supervisor for research. It is permissible to write your thesis on research done outside the department, either through an off-site research experience (e.g., NSF REU) or in a cognate department on campus (e.g., astronomy or atmospheric sciences); the project must, however, have physics at its core and not be used for an honors thesis or project in any other department.
- Apply to Departmental Honors using this form.
Quarter N-2:
- Take either PHYS 485, 486, 487, or 498. (email physadvs@uw.edu for 48x seminar add code; apply here for an add code for Phys 498.)
- Take Phys 499 (or equivalent) [for add code, apply here]
- Work with your research supervisor to identify a project suitable to be used for an honors thesis (see thesis information page).
- Complete background reading as well as acquire the data acquisition and analysis skills required to accomplish the project by taking preliminary data.
- If you are taking Senior Seminar, present a proposal and/or background information for your thesis project to the other students in the 48x seminar; otherwise do so within your research group.
Quarter N-1:
- Take either PHYS 485, 486, 487, or 498. (email physadvs@uw.edu for 48x seminar add code; apply here for an add code for Phys 498.)
- Take Phys 499 (or equivalent) [for add code, apply here]
- Work with your research supervisor to pursue a research project of which you can take ownership and on which you can write your thesis. It is best if you can complete the main result by the end of quarter N-1 so you can focus in quarter N on presenting your results.
- Give an update on your project and/or a talk on relevant background information to the other students in the 48x seminar and/or your research group.
- Fill out this form to apply to take PHYS 488 in quarter N.
Quarter N:
- Take PHYS 488
- Create appropriate figures.
- Prepare and give an oral presentation.
- Prepare a poster presentation.
- Create a written thesis based on your thesis project.
- Draft due at end of the 7th week
- Final version due the last day of classes.
- Submit a copy of your poster and your written thesis to the Physics Department Archive (Coming Soon). The archived version of the thesis must include a cover page signed by both your research supervisor and the Physics 488 instructor.
- OPTIONAL
- sign the permission form (Coming Soon) for the department to print and display your poster in the building and/or and or share on the department website
- sign the permission form (Coming Soon) to allow your thesis to be posted in the public and/or MyPhys pages of the department website.
Information on selecting a research topic and expectations for an undergraduate honors thesis is HERE.