Honors Program Information for Faculty

Undergraduate students majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health Science, or Public Health are accepted to the College’s Honors Program in fall semester of their 3rd year of undergraduate study. They complete an Honors Seminar course the following spring. If the student is not already part of a research lab or wishes to change to a research lab within PHHP, they actively seek out mentors who will supervise a brief (7-page) Honors Thesis and poster due in the spring of their 4th year. Students must take at least 6 credit hours of HSC4970 (research credit) with their mentors during their 4th year summer (optional), fall and spring. Mentors and students decide how these credit hours are distributed across each semester, although students must be registered for at least 1 credit hour of 4970 in spring 2024.

Interested in recruiting an Honors Student to your lab? Contact Dr. Alana Rawlinson at a.resmini@phhp.ufl.edu

Link to Thesis Requirements (https://undergrad.phhp.ufl.edu/wordpress/files/2020/09/Honors-Thesis-Requirements_Fall-2022_Final.pdf)

Poster presentations can occur at an on-campus research symposium such as PHHP Research Day, Public Health Day, UF Center for Undergraduate Research Symposium or at a regional or national off-campus conference.

Class of 2024 Thesis Deadlines

All deadlines listed below are due on Canvas. Mentors are encouraged to set their own earlier deadlines to review drafts prior to submission to the Honors Program.

Key dates

Date assignment
10/2/23 Thesis Title Page
10/16/23 Thesis Introduction and Background
11/6/23 Thesis Methods
January 2024 Thesis Results and Discussion outlines
3/8/24 Final thesis due with mentor approval
April 2024 Poster presentation. Upload final thesis.

Mentor Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When can PHHP faculty members recruit Honors Student to their labs?
    Third-year Honors Students may join labs “unofficially” each spring by attending lab meetings and completing required training. They then join for research credit in the summer (optional), fall and spring of their fourth year. Contact Dr. Rawlinson at a.resmini@phhp.ufl.edu to be added to the list of labs recruiting students.
  2. Can faculty who are already working with a student who is accepted to the PHHP Honors Program serve as their thesis advisors?
    Yes, students who are already involved in research may elect to complete a thesis project within their current labs if all parties agree and the student registers for HSC4970 with their faculty mentor.
  3. What are the thesis deadlines?
    Students submit their thesis title page, introduction and methods sections in the fall of their fourth year. They submit their results, discussion and final thesis early in the spring of their graduating semester (fourth year). With faculty mentor permission, Honors Students submit their thesis to the UF Institutional Repository (https://ufdc.ufl.edu/collections/ufhonors) prior to graduation.
  4. What other deadlines should mentors be aware of?
    Students are encouraged to present a poster of their thesis projects to an on- or off-campus conference during their final spring semester. On-campus opportunities include PHHP Research Day, Public Health Day and the UF Center for Undergraduate Research’s Spring Symposium.
  5. How often should Honors Students meet with their mentors?
    Honors Students should be meeting with their mentors at least monthly to discuss their projects, goal setting and lab expectations. Often, Honors Students attend lab meetings and meet with graduate or post-doctoral mentors weekly.
  6. Can a graduate student or post-doctoral associate mentor an Honors Student?
    PHHP faculty members must serve as Honors Students’ formal advisors and meet at least monthly to discuss progress. Mentoring an undergraduate student is a wonderful training opportunity for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who can provide day-to day project oversight, professional development mentorship and draft feedback. Ultimately, faculty mentors are responsible for approving thesis drafts and final products, and assigning final grades.
  7. Do Honors Students defend their thesis in front of a committee?
    No, Honors Students do not form committees or schedule defenses.
  8. How can faculty members document their mentorship of honors students?
    Faculty members provide signatures on Honors Program forms that are required to register students for HSC 4970 in their faculty mentor’s name. Mentors typically list Honors Students on their CVs and annual Faculty Activity Report.
  9. Where can I view prior PHHP Thesis documents?
    Prior Honors Theses can be viewed on UF’s Institutional Repository here https://ufdc.ufl.edu/collections/ufhonors.
  10. What are the PHHP Honors Thesis requirements?
    https://undergrad.phhp.ufl.edu/wordpress/files/2020/09/Honors-Thesis-Requirements_Fall-2022_Final.pdf
  11. If the student opts to publish their Honors Thesis in the UF Repository, does that prevent the data/findings from being published in a research journal?
    Our understanding is that data/findings from a student’s Honors Thesis published within UF’s Repository can still be submitted for publication in research journals, conferences, etc; however, faculty mentors have final approval on restriction timelines (e.g., 1 year, 2 years). Please view the following link to determine restriction options if there is concern of duplication. https://guides.uflib.ufl.edu/ld.php?content_id=50412482 and https://guides.uflib.ufl.edu/etds/honors_theses