University Honors Students

University Honors thesis submission 

If you plan to graduate with University Honors, you must submit your thesis thorough the Honors College thesis submission form by the first day of final exams in the semester you intend to graduate. 

The form asks you to attach some files. It may help to prepare them beforehand:

1. A digital copy of your complete thesis (title page, abstract, and thesis itself) as a single .pdf file. 

  • Your digital copy does not need signatures on the title. 

  • Use the file naming convention FirstName_LastName_Semester_HonorsThesis. For example, Vicky Klima’s Fall 2023 thesis would be named Vicky_Klima_Fall2023_HonorsThesis.pdf.

2. A scanned copy of your title page signed by all signatories except the Honors College Dean.

  • Electronic or scanned signatures are acceptable.

  • Use the file naming convention FirstName_LastName_Semester_TitlePage. For example, Vicky Klima’s Fall 2023 thesis title page be named Vicky_Klima_Fall2023_TitlePage.pdf.

Optional inclusion in Appalachian State’s Institutional Repository

NC DOCKS, which has served as Appalachian’s Institutional Repository since 2005, is in need of an update. Beginning this summer, University Libraries will be replacing NC DOCKS with a new and improved Data & Institutional Repository.

We anticipate having the new repository up and running by year’s end. To prepare for the transition we need to put a pause on uploading theses for the time being.

In the meantime, we encourage you to consider sharing your work appear in the repository by reviewing the benefits and risks of sharing research in an open access repository and discussing the prospect with your faculty mentors. These guidelines refer to NC DOCKS, but the same considerations apply to any OA repository.

Students who plan to publish their thesis, patent any information contained in their thesis, and/or whose thesis contains creative work (including creative writing, original art/design work or plans) should be especially mindful of various intellectual property issues, and discuss these with their faculty mentors and the Library if necessary.

If you decide that you would like to include your thesis in Appalachian State’s forthcoming repository, submit the open access repository submission form in addition to the Honors College thesis form mentioned above. Both forms should be submitted before the first day of final exams in the semester you intend to graduate. The files you share though the form will be stored for submission to Appalachian’s new institutional repository as soon as it is accepting submissions, which we anticipate to be early in the 2025 calendar year. 

The form asks you to attach some files. It may help to prepare them beforehand:

1. A digital copy of your complete thesis (title page, abstract, and thesis itself) as a single .pdf file. 

  • Your digital copy does not need signatures on the title. 

  • Use the file naming convention FirstName_LastName_Semester_HonorsThesis. For example, Vicky Klima’s Fall 2023 thesis would be named Vicky_Klima_Fall2023_HonorsThesis.pdf.

2. A digital copy (scans are fine) of a completed thesis release form.  

  • Scanned signatures are acceptable. 

  • Students should read the release form closely before signing, and discuss any questions with their faculty mentors. 

3. A digital copy of the confirmation email you will receive after completing the library’s thesis metadata form. Please retain a hyperlink to the form in your digital copy.  

Optional purchase of bound thesis copies

Follow the instructions found here to purchase bound copies of your thesis.