Creating your thesis can seem like a daunting task. Should I write a paper? Should I make a film? What do I even want it to be about? Luckily, we have members of our own Honors College to guide us in this process, changing the experience from intimidating and unnerving to collaborative and productive. This past week I had the opportunity to chat with the Honors Thesis Advisor, Tyler Thier, and I got lots of great insight on how students and faculty can work together to formulate a successful piece.

When should someone even start thinking about their thesis? Tyler recommends beginning the process as early as midway through your junior year, but it’s never too early to pop in and introduce yourself! As for beginning to formulate a topic, if you find yourself at a crossroads, Tyler advises thinking about a professor who stands out as being memorable throughout your pace journey. Whether it was the content they taught or the professor themselves, asking the professor if they want to work with you, or if they can expand on a piece of content with you is a great starting point.  

A common misconception I had was that your thesis had to relate to your major. However, there is plenty of flexibility within this project. It can be centered around an elective you really enjoyed, and it doesn’t just have to be a paper. Students have made films, written plays and presented their research in all kinds of creative ways. One example Tyler told me about that really stuck out to me was the idea of taking your research and synthesizing it into a children’s book. Your thesis doesn’t have to be a grueling task ; it can be an opportunity to expand on something you have a passion for by creating a hybrid between traditional research and a creative turn into a project you can be proud of.  

If you have any more questions, feel free to reach out and introduce yourself to Tyler (tthier@pace.edu), whose office is right in our Honors Lounge! It’s never too early to start thinking about your project! This is especially important if you plan to do a project working with humans, as you’re going to need to go through some stages of approval for that. I had a great time getting to talk with Tyler! Make sure you stop in to do the same and to get started on this awesome element of your Pace path!