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Dropping an Honors Thesis or Senior Honors Project in Fine Arts

Dropping an Honors Thesis or Senior Honors Project in Fine Arts

This pertains to (4990-5000, 4991-5001 coursework in Newcomb-Tulane College (NTC) (Architecture, Busienss, Liberal Arts, Public Health, Science & Engineering)

Background & Introduction:

  • The Newcomb-Tulane College Honors Thesis or Senior Honors Project in Fine Arts courses are year-long projects numbered 4990-5000 (Honors Thesis) and 4991-5001 (Senior Honors Project in Fine Arts)

  • See details about the Honors Thesis in the Academic Catalog here: https://catalog.tulane.edu/newcomb-tulane/#academicpoliciestext

  • These courses can be dropped without record at any time prior to completion/graduation with approval of thesis director (instructor of record) according to NTC policy. A Committee on Academics Requirements (CAR) petition is not required for these drops.

  • Students who are dropping in the second semester of their thesis or project will need to drop both the second semester course (5000/5001) and the first semester course (4990/4991), requiring careful coordination and considerations, as noted below.

  • The student should determine how dropping the thesis will impact progress toward degree/full-time enrollment in coordination with their advisor. Special consideration and review should go toward reviewing the tier-2 writing proficiency requirement (and the SLA tier-2 writing requirement if the student is earning a degree in the School of Liberal Arts).

  • In some instances, with the approval of the thesis director, students who are dropping the Thesis/Project coursework will also add independent study coursework. If the drop(s) will result in a change in status (full-time to part-time status/bellow 12 credit hours), students should be informed by their Academic Advisor about potential financial aid and other implications of dropping the thesis/dropping below full-time.

  • If the student is going to be adding an independent study (or studies), the independent study/studies should be added first to avoid negative consequences of dropping below full-time status resulting from the drop of the Honors Thesis/Senior Honors Project in Fine Arts.

Process for Dropping Honors Thesis:

  • To complete the drop of the Honors Thesis or Project, NTC Advisors work with academic departments to prepare the following required form(s) needed to drop thesis and submit these forms to the Registrar’s office via the “Contact Our Office” form located on the Registrar website.

  • Add/drop form for each course being dropped. E.g. if both 4990 and 5000 are being dropped, two forms are needed, one for each term.

  • Write “drop without record” on the form.

  • Instructor, student, and academic advisor signatures are required.

  • If dropping the first semester of the thesis/project after that semester has ended, a “change of grade” form to drop the Year-Long grade placeholder on the first-semester course is required.

  • Indicate that the previous grade is IP and the new grade is blank

  • Advisor submits the form packet to the the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) via the Registrar Support Form, found in the Contact Our Office button on the OUR website.

  • Upon receipt of the required forms, the OUR staff member will drop the coursework without record as indicated on the forms provided by the advisor/department.

Adding Independent Study when dropping thesis:

  • In some cases, a student who is dropping an honors thesis is eligible to “convert” the thesis to an independent study course or courses.

  • Student should consult with their thesis director to determine if enough work was done to earn Independent Study credit—and if so, how many credits are to be earned.

  • As a best practice and to avoid issues with students dropping below full-time status, independent study credit should be created and added to a student’s record BEFORE the thesis credit is dropped.

 

  • The student should work with their thesis director to determine if enough work was done to qualify for the NTC cord Tier II Writing proficiency requirement or the School of Liberal Arts Tier-II writing requirement, if needed.

  • If the student is eligible for independent study credit with tier-II writing:

 

  • The advisor must submit a degree audit petition to request that the independent study be added to the tier-II writing proficiency requirement. (If the course needs to be added to the School of Liberal Arts writing requirement as well, the advisor should indicate this in the petition).

Additional resources:

Undergraduate Research and Fellowships’ Honors Thesis Website: https://uraf.tulane.edu/honors-thesis

 

Developed in coordination with Newcomb-Tulane College (C. Marques and H. Cooper). Approved and last updated by NTC June 2025.