Students and Faculty Co-Design Syllabi

Vol. 5
2026

R. Jordan Hazelwood
Kathryn R. Long
Stacy F. Thornton
Christopher M. Seitz

Abstract

Using Shanahan et al.’s (2015) co-design framework, faculty and undergraduate students worked collaboratively to design semester-long undergraduate Honors Thesis production requirements and schedules. The undergraduates describe how components of the co-design framework were enacted; while the faculty and students reflect on the overall process.

     Students don’t always experience the Honors Thesis as an “honor.” They might actually dread it or feel nervous about it. Other universities might call it different things, for example, a senior project, an undergraduate research project, or a capstone project. Ultimately, it is just a culminating project, in which students have to demonstrate their understanding and show their expertise on a focused research question, a process, or creative inquiry

      With co-design, students are engaged as partners, in designing their Honors Thesis requirements, for their course credit thesis planning and development, Students actively shape how they will learn through their research project, and how they will demonstrate their learning and development. As students take more ownership for their project, their creativity is sparked, and they and their passion comes through.With co-design, connection can be made between why the student is doing this now and its relevance to the student’s post graduation pursuits. In addition, in working in partnership with students, faculty have opportunity to take students’ work a step further and consider looking to have it published or presented at a conference. The co-design approach is not only applicable to an Honors Thesis project – it can be applied to other summative assignments, a collaborative class project, a final exam, or other activity or assessment.

     Undergraduate Honors students, Kathryn R. Long and Stacy F. Thornton, each designed their individual semester-long Honors Thesis development syllabus (see Appendix for a link to both syllabi) and each developed their thesis, with one-to-one guidance and support in designing and adhering to their syllabus, from R. Jordan Hazelwood, Honors Thesis Mentor and Christopher M. Seitz, Honors Academic Mentor.

… I feel far less tentative in my decision-making and even more confident in my communications with other peers and graduate school professors.
– Stacy F. Thornton

Seven Co-Design Components

      For our partnerships, in planning and developing the students’ Honors Theses, we used Shanahan et al.’s (2015) seven interconnected components of effective co-design: Strategic Pre-Planning, 1:1 Mentoring,
 Supporting Emotions, 
Scaffolding Expectations, Skill Building, 
Community Building, and Guiding Dissemination. Shanahan et al. explain that these practices can be applied, in a strategic way, to provide mutual benefit for both students and faculty. Following are reflections of Kathryn R. Long and Stacy F. Thornton, on how each of the seven components were addressed in planning and developing their Honors Theses.

     Strategic Pre-Planning. In the Honors Program, at Appalachian State University, we are taught to begin planning our thesis in our junior year, but after taking a Neuroanatomy class with Dr. Hazelwood, in my sophomore year, I knew that I wanted her to be my thesis mentor. I set up a Zoom meeting, joined Dr. Hazelwood’s research lab and started to learn what research looks like, in practice. Then I met with my Honors academic mentor, Dr. Chris Seiz, and we talked about thesis logistics, workload deadlines, and requirements. Junior year, monthly check-ins with Jordan Hazelwood were very frequent, as I explored in what direction I wanted to take my thesis.
– Kathryn R. Long

     One-to-One Mentoring. Throughout the process, there were regular evaluations from Dr. Hazelwood. There were many times where I was writing one section of my thesis and Dr. Hazelwood was editing another section. In addition, Kathryn and I both had second readers, so we also had regular mentoring from them, especially during the drafting and editing process. Something that was unique to my thesis was that I did my reflections through visual journaling, an idea that was brought up by my second reader. Through that one-to-one mentorship, which was making sure that everything was staying on track, I felt like I knew what I needed to do.
– Stacy F. Thornton

    Something that helped was, every time I had a one-on-one with Dr. Hazelwood, she told me to pull up my syllabus. That way I knew if I hadn’t done something. That was a level of accountability that I think comes with one-on-one mentoring. With all the other schoolwork, it was definitely challenging to stay on task. But it helped to have Dr. Hazelwood, and it helped to have Stacy, a peer, going through the same thing that I was.
– Katherine R. Long

     Supporting Emotions. Relationship building develops through frequent involvement. We met with Jordan Hazelwood at least twice a week, most weeks. We had a one-on-one meeting in our lab meetings and then, something that I did a little bit differently than Kathryn, I also had an independent study. So I actually met with Dr. Hazelwood three times a week, most weeks.

    My thesis was always the first priority for meetings, but a lot of our relationship building came from also discussing topics outside of my thesis. At that time, I was applying for graduate school, and Dr. Hazelwood was usually one of the first people who heard about updates for my application and acceptances, so we discussed topics, such as that. Also, just plans for the weekend, general check-ins. Something specific to my experience, and also Dr. Hazelwood’s is that we both had injuries at the same time that were pretty significant and landed us at home, for a couple of months. We had to go back and forth a lot, for example, “Hey, are you doing okay? Any updates?” Building a thesis isn’t just about having a finished project, but it’s also a serious networking opportunity that allows for connection.
– Stacy F. Thornton

     Scaffolding Expectations. Cultivating a thesis is ever-evolving. There are unexpected challenges that might come up that require change. For example, in my thesis, there were problems or unexpected steps with synthesizing data. Sometimes you don’t fully know how much data you have or how you want it organized, until you really get in there and process everything. My original timeline of completion changed after getting into the data, and I realized that much more time was needed than originally expected, due to data complexity. Building flexible time into the process to account for these challenges, really helps make the process go more smoothly.
– Stacy F. Thornton

Moving from clearly defined assignments to an open-ended project required me to develop a new level of independence, creativity, and self-discipline. Learning how to create something out of nothing, particularly through designing a syllabus, fostered a sense of accountability and personal investment…
– Kathryn R. Long

     Skill-Building. When Dr. Hazelwood asked me to create a syllabus for my project. I was overwhelmed, at first. My thought was “What are you talking about? I don’t make the syllabus, I’m not a faculty member! That’s not something that I should be doing.” I was encouraged to “make it my own,” yet the absence of a structure felt paralyzing, especially after years of highly guided coursework.

     I learned to begin with a long to-do list and then organize the items into the semester’s 16 weeks. I made columns for Topic, Action Items, and Notes which you’ll see on my Syllabus (Kathryn Long and Stacy Thornton’s Syllabi are linked in the Appendix) I kept in mind important dates, like Spring Break, or when I needed to submit the final draft. I worked backwards from those big deadlines and figured out what I needed to have happen each week, to get there. Most of the action items and notes came from my one-to-one meetings with Dr. Hazelwood. I didn’t include the meeting times in the actual syllabus, because they were scheduled at regular, predictable times. My weekly lab meetings also helped me in developing my schedule. Some of my weekly topics are a little bit silly, and that was definitely on purpose. It helped me keep things fun and gave me something to look forward to each week, even when things got overwhelming.

     Moving from clearly defined assignments to an open-ended project required me to develop a new level of independence, creativity, and self-discipline. Learning how to create something out of nothing, particularly through designing a syllabus, fostered a sense of accountability and personal investment that I had not experienced in previous classes. It challenged me to think about my approach, learning objectives, and how research is meaningfully communicated, leading me to continually question the reason behind what I was doing, a practice I feel had gotten lost throughout some of my collegiate coursework.
-Kathryn R. Long


     Community Building. In preparing my thesis, I was able to work with two participants, throughout my project. I regularly updated them and invited them to give feedback on how the data would be presented. They 
even joined our research lab discussions, ensuring that the project stayed grounded in my participants’ experiences. Our whole research lab, collaboratively, took part in Appalachian State University’s Interprofessional Education Day, and Stacy presented her research at a regional Honors conference. Sharing our research, with people unfamiliar with the topic, helped us communicate more effectively and connect more deeply, with the community around us.
– Kathryn R. Long

     Guiding Dissemination. After finishing all of my research and collecting all my data, I went back to share a summary of the findings with our participants. That helped me to be able to present and defend the thesis. We also had weekly lab discussions with our lab group, which allowed for regular peer feedback. The peer feedback sharpened the presentation and explanation skills I would need for defending. For my thesis, we were able to create a handout for students to use in future Neuroanatomy classes that explained the research and how it can be implemented going forward.
-Kathryn R. Long

I see students not only completing a thesis, but also learning to manage complex work, communicate professionally, and trust their own judgment…
– R. Jordan Hazelwood

Additional Reflections

     The undergraduate students I mentor usually come to their Honors Thesis work excited but unsure how research actually works or how it connects to their clinical careers, for which they are preparing. Earlier in my mentoring, I used a more traditional model, where students completed a small part of my research. While that approach kept projects moving, it often left students without a clear sense of why they were doing what they were doing or how their work fit into the bigger picture. Over time, I realized that this limited their ability to think like researchers or clinicians. This pushed me toward a co-design approach that aligns with Shanahan et al.’s (2015) description of mentoring that builds students’ intellectual ownership and professional identity, through partnership rather than task assignment.

     Now, students enter my lab during their junior year, learn about the projects we are working on, and then identify a research question that matters to them. Together, we figure out how their interests can connect with and complement my research program. I can see students’ collaborative and independent learning in the way they take responsibility, for their projects. They write their own project syllabi, map out their timelines, and organize the stakeholder and resources they need to move their work forward. Students regularly coordinate with lab members, second readers, and collaborate,l reflecting what the undergraduate research literature describes, as learning through authentic participation in scholarly communities (Shanahan et al., 2015; Tompkins, Rogers, & Cohen, 2009)

     Self-agency. I also see strong evidence of growing self-agency in how students talk about and present their work. Early on, many rely heavily on my guidance and struggle to explain their project in their own words. By the time of their Honors Thesis defense, they can clearly describe their research questions, defend their methods, and explain why their findings matter for dysphagia training or patient-centered care. These shifts show up in their written reflections, in how they introduce their projects to others, and in how confidently they answer questions. Research on undergraduate research experiences suggests that this key identity shift from student to emerging professional is a meaningful outcome of mentorship (Adebisi, 2022).

      What continues to surprise me is how much students step into leadership, when they are given real responsibility, within a supportive structure. Co-design means I cannot always predict how a project will unfold, but it also means students must learn to make decisions, solve problems, and adjust their plans when things do not go as expected. Tools like the Honors Thesis syllabus give students a way to organize their work, while still allowing flexibility. In that end, I see students not only completing a thesis, but also learning to manage complex work, communicate professionally, and trust their own judgment, skills necessary for graduate school training and clinical practice.
– R. Jordan Hazelwood

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     As one of the Academic Mentors for Appalachian State University’s Honors College, my role is to help undergraduate students begin the initial stages of finding faculty who could serve as their Honors Thesis director. This has involved helping students search for faculty who are currently conducting research that aligns with the students’ research interests, as well as how to brainstorm, with the faculty member’s potential thesis ideas.

     After learning about co-design from the literature (for example, Adebisi, 2022; Shanahan, et al., 2015; Tompkins, Rogers, & Cohen, 2009) have shifted my perspective from advocating that students take on a traditional thesis design, to more of a co-design process. As a pragmatist, this means meeting with Honors students earlier in their college career to talk about what the thesis process entails, how co-design works, and how they can start the conversation with their potential thesis director to plot out the steps in completing a thesis that is co-designed.      

     Granted, traditional thesis design is “easier” in a sense for those who are starting and completing a thesis in their last semester of college. However, if a student is prepared (and willing) to start their thesis project earlier, the student and thesis director will experience a richer mentor-mentee relationship, a deeper appreciation for the research process, and the potential for a wider dissemination of findings beyond the thesis itself, for example, conference presentations and journal publications.
– Christopher M. Seitz

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     Following graduation from Appalachian State University, I work at the University of North Carolina System Office as a Presidential Scholar. As someone who hopes to pursue a career in higher education, having the opportunity to design an entire course through a syllabus felt especially meaningful. My Honors Thesis gave me insight into what life in academia might look like and solidified my desire to teach, learn, and contribute to academic work.
– Kathryn R. Long

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     In my earlier years at Appalachian State University, when I first considered what my Honors Thesis might look like, I remember feeling deeply intimidated and unprepared, for the process. At the time, I viewed my thesis as something to “check off” on my list of graduate requirements. However, I quickly realized that completing the project was anything but a task. I remember viewing the research process as something rigid and linear, and as I approach almost a year post-graduation, I now understand that research is dynamic, cyclical, and, most importantly, reflective. I truly believe that had my Honors thesis process followed a more traditional mentor-to-student model instead of the colleague-to-colleague, co-design process, I still would not be interested or engaged in research today.

My undergraduate Honors Thesis was an experience that laid the foundation for my critical thinking and confidence, allowing me to be more self-sufficient.
– Stacy F. Thornton

     Now, as a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I recognize how profoundly my undergraduate research experience shaped my development, as both a scholar and an early clinician. It was an experience that laid the foundation for my critical thinking and confidence, allowing me to be more self-sufficient. I feel far less tentative in my decision-making, and even more confident, in my communications with peers and graduate school professors. My undergraduate Honors Thesis is one of, if not the most meaningful projects that I have ever completed. When my Honors Thesis was finally defended and accepted, I felt immense fulfillment and was proud that it truly was my work, not just a task I was involved in.
– Stacy F. Thornton

References

Adebisi, Y. A. (2022). Undergraduate students’ involvement in research: Values, benefits, barriers and recommendations. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 81, 104384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104384

Hazelwood, R. J., Long, K. R., Thornton, S. F. & Seitz, C. M. (2025, August 13). 
Co-designing honors theses: Partnering with undergraduate students for meaningful learning. [Workshop]. Elon University 2025 Teaching and Learning Conference. online.

Shanahan, J. O., Ackley-Holbrook, E., Hall, E., Stewart, K., & Walkington, H. (2015). Ten salient practices of undergraduate research mentors: A review of the literature. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 23(5), 359-376. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2015.1126162

Tompkins, C., Rogers, A., & Cohen, H. (2009). Promoting undergraduate student research collaboration: Faculty perceptions of benefits and challenges. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 14(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.18084/basw.14.1.b172444649872588

Appendix

Workshop Slides and Kathryn R. Long’s
and Stacy F. Thornton’s Syllabi

(The syllabi are color coded corresponding to Shanahan et al’s (20215) Components of Effective Co-Design.)