Natural Science Division

Honors Research Program In Sports Medicine

Sports medicine majors are encouraged to participate in the Honors Research Program, which is designed to provide insight into how scientists develop hypotheses; design experiments; collect, analyze, and interpret data; and present and disseminate their findings to the scientific community. Students apply to the program during the first semester of their junior year and are admitted to the program based upon grade point average, recommendations, a personal essay, career goals, and potential for successful completion of the program. Students are selected by a committee at mid-semester and, upon acceptance, develop research proposals in close consultation with a faculty member. After proposals are reviewed and approved by the committee, students begin preliminary experimentation. All students are expected to spend the second semester of their junior year, and possibly the summer between their junior and senior years, in data collection. The senior year is spent analyzing the data and preparing an honors thesis. To complete the program, students must present their data in thesis form to the examining committee. After successful completion of an oral thesis defense, the committee recommends that the student's transcript and diploma be marked "Honors in Sports Medicine." It is expected that thesis projects will also be presented at local and national meetings and be published in national and international scientific journals.