UG Thesis
Important Documents
By the end of Junior year, you must have completed at least 1 semester of research in a laboratory of interest, and received verbal approval from your faculty advisor to pursue a thesis.
You must submit a thesis proposal form and 1 page proposal to your faculty research advisor for approval. Once approved, send your signed form and proposal to besb-thesis@mit.edu the end of spring term junior year and no later than add date of fall term senior year.
If in doubt of eligibility, you may petition to be considered to still pursue a thesis.
Faculty advisors will be expected to meet with thesis students at least once a month to discuss progress and provide feedback.
The BE Communication Lab will provide support for all thesis students, potentially including group workshops, group writing and feedback sessions, and individual mentorship by BE Communication Fellows.
Credit: Thesis students can receive up to 15 credits for thesis research per semester of senior year (where thesis credits ≤ 15 credits). Amount should be decided in consultation with thesis advisor and is typically related to the number of hours a student plans to spend in the lab. Most students sign up for 12 units of 20.THU in the Fall and Spring terms of their senior year.
You cannot receive both thesis credit and UROP credit/pay in the same term. The only exception is if you are doing a thesis on project X in one lab and a UROP on project Y in another field. In order to do this, both projects need to be on diverse topics and in different fields, and the combined number of credits received for UROP and thesis projects cannot exceed 15 credits per semester.
In the Fall term senior year, students have the option of doing senior thesis work as a UROP for pay or 20.THU for credit. For the spring term, students will have to register for 20.THU for credit and cannot be paid through UROP funds for this work.
Grading: The thesis will be graded by the student’s faculty advisor at the end of senior year.
Recognition: Thesis students will receive at least one opportunity to present their research publicly, and thesis titles and abstracts will be published on the departmental website. Theses receiving an A will receive the title of ”Senior Thesis with Distinction,” which can be listed in students’ resumes/CV’s.
Printed theses: BE will pay for the printing and binding of thesis copies for both the student and their laboratory.
Znaty and Merck Prizes: All senior theses will be considered for the Znaty and Merck Research Prizes for Undergraduate Research in BE. One Znaty and one Merck Prize winner will be selected. Awardees of each prize will receive $500.
To Apply: Submit a 1-2 page thesis summary. You will draw heavily on text from your thesis proposal and thesis for the summary application, as indicated in the Thesis Summary Guidelines.
Deadline: Submissions must be received by 11:59pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 to znaty-merck_research_prize@mit.edu.
Questions? Please contact besb-thesis@mit.edu.
Timeline
| Junior Year | |
|---|---|
| End of spring semester | Student will have worked in intended thesis lab for at least 1 semester. Student receives approval from advisor to pursue thesis. Student works on thesis proposal with advisor.Thesis Proposal Guidelines (pdf) Advisor evaluates research significance, design, and feasibility. Advisor returns written evaluation. Student completes any necessary revisions. Advisor approves thesis, and student notifies Undergraduate Academic Office, cc’ing the advisor. The Undergraduate Academic Office will compile a list of approved thesis students and notify BE Communication Lab. |
| Summer | Students are encouraged (but not required) to pursue research in their thesis lab. |
| Senior Year | |
|---|---|
| Fall | Add Date: Student registers for 20.THU, such that thesis credits + any UROP credits ≤ 15 credits. Student works in lab and begins to receive communication and project management support from BE Communication Lab (e.g., monthly meeting with a Communication Fellow mentor). Student meets with thesis advisor at least monthly. |
| IAP | BE Communication Lab holds seminars or working sessions with all thesis students to assess research progress thus far, review expectations and models for written thesis, and draft content. Students present research updates at the end of month. |
| Spring | Add Date: Student registers for 20.THU, such that thesis credits + any UROP credits ≤ 15 credits. April: (3 weeks prior to standard non-PhD thesis due date, e.g., 5/12) Student submits first draft to advisor and BE Communication Lab. Advisor returns comments within 2 weeks. April: Thesis students present work, potentially as highlighted presenters at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. May: Student submits final draft by standard non-PhD thesis due date. By last day of final exams: Thesis advisor evaluates and grades thesis. Awards and recognition: All thesis titles and abstracts showcased on BE website. Students who receive an A receive the title of “Senior Thesis with Distinction”. All senior theses will be considered for the Znaty and Merck Research Prizes. Publication: Thesis Office pays to print bound copies of thesis for advisor and student. Students with no IP concerns can submit their theses to D-Space. |
For questions, please contact the BE Academic Office