plan ii honors thesis

Honors Theses

Permanent URI for this collection https://hdl.handle.net/2152/13341

This is a collection of undergraduate honors theses completed by UT Austin students. There is not a requirement for students to submit their thesis to Texas ScholarWorks, so the collection only includes those students who have opted in. If you are interested in submitting your honors thesis to this collection, please complete this form and send it along with the file for your thesis to [email protected] . Please make sure to remove any signatures from your document before sending it.

If you are looking for a Plan II honors thesis, please see the Plan II Honors Theses collection .

Recent Submissions

• No Thumbnail Available Item Cross-Species Analysis of YTH Domain Proteins from H. sapiens and A. ricinus ( 2024 ) Fang, Janssen ; Contreras, Lydia Show more RNAs are known to undergo a large number of post-synthesis chemical modifications that can alter their function and structure. Current studies are uncovering the significance of modified RNAs by delineating their associations with RNA-binding proteins, known as “readers.” One such family of protein readers contains a YTH RNA-binding domain, which is widely conserved and involved in recognizing N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) modifications found in eukaryotic mRNA. More recently, the YTH domain proteins have been found to recognize other RNA modifications, such as N1‐Methyladenosine (m1A) and 5-Methylcytosine (m5C). However, the “rules” that govern the YTH domain protein interactions with other modifications still remain unclear. In this study, we explored the biochemical characteristics of the YTH domain identified in Acarus ricinus via sequence and structural alignment. This particular YTH domain contains a sequence insertion akin to that observed in YTHDC1, which we hypothesize will impact the affinity and specificity for RNA modifications like m1A and m5C when compared to the human YTHDF1. In addition to sequence-based analysis, we validated protein expression of these domain proteins with SDS-PAGE. We also performed microscale thermophoresis binding assays to compare the binding affinities of YTHDF1 with m6A-containing RNA and unmodified RNA. These experiments lay the groundwork for future comparison of the YTHDF1 YTH domain with the A. ricinus YTH domain. Show more

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Prospective Students

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Discover Plan II, a small honors program within the University of Texas at Austin where students can explore the issues and questions that shape the human experience. The Plan II major can be combined with other studies, giving students the best of what UT has to offer.

Build your community.

Plan II offers a wealth of opportunities for peer and alumni mentorship, from our Peer Mentors and Writing Fellows to the Career Connections alumni mentorship program.

Find what inspires you.

Following the example of UT's world class faculty, our students participate in inspiring and cutting-edge research. From their exploratory freshman signature course to the rigorous senior thesis process, Plan II Honors students dive into topics that excite them and roll up their sleeves to solve world problems.

Plan your future.

Plan II students graduate with exceptional writing, communication, and analytical skills that can be applied to virtually any career path.

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See the world

We encourage all Plan II students to study abroad during their time at UT. It's our mission to fund travel opportunities for as many students as possible, especially those with financial need.

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This is an archived copy of the 2018-2020 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.utexas.edu/ .

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Social Science: S S

Lower-division courses, s s 301. honors social science..

An introduction to the study of the individual, society, or culture using the methods of one of the social sciences. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of the director of Plan II, may be repeated once for elective credit. Prerequisite: Admission to the Plan II Honors Program.

S S 302C. Honors Social Science: Methods and Theory.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. An introduction to the study of the individual, society, or culture using the methods and theories of one of the Social Sciences. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Social Science 301 and 302C may not both be counted.

S S 302D. Honors Social Science: Psychology.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. An introduction to the study of the individual, society, or culture using the methods of the social science discipline of Psychology. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Social Science 301 and 302D may not both be counted.

S S 302E. Honors Social Science: Anthropology.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. An introduction to the study of the individual, society, or culture using the methods of the social science discipline of Anthropology. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Social Science 301 and 302E may not both be counted.

S S 302F. Honors Social Science: Economics.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. An introduction to the study of the individual, society, or culture using the methods of the social science discipline of Economics. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Social Science 301 and 302F may not both be counted.

Upper-Division Courses

Tutorial course: t c, t c 302. first-year signature course: plan ii..

Restricted to first-year Plan II students. Small-group seminar involving reading, discussion, writing, and oral reporting around a central interdisciplinary topic. Designed to introduce undergraduates to scholarly analysis from an interdisciplinary perspective. Includes an introduction to University resources, such as research facilities, museums, and attendance at University lectures or performances as assigned. Multiple sections may be offered in the fall and spring with various topics and instructors. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Some sections may require additional meeting times. Only one of the following may be counted: Tutorial Course 302 , Undergraduate Studies 302 , or 303 .

T C 303C. Plan II World Literature Part I.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. Reading of masterpieces of world literature and intensive training in writing and in critical analysis of literature. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Tutorial Course 303C , 603A ; English 303C , 603A ; Rhetoric and Writing 306 , 306Q .

T C 303D. Plan II World Literature Part II.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. Reading of masterpieces of world literature and intensive training in writing and in critical analysis of literature. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 603B , 316N , Tutorial Course 303D , 603B Prerequisite: Tutorial Course 303C or English 303C .

T C 310. Modes of Reasoning.

Introduction to forms of quantitative reasoning: computer science, game theory, operations research, or statistics and probability. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Philosophy 313Q and Tutorial Course 310 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Admission to the Plan II Honors Program.

T C 325. Topics in the Arts and Sciences.

Analysis of various topics within the arts and sciences through reading, research, written reports, and discussion. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing in the Plan II Honors Program or consent of instructor; additional prerequisites vary with the topic.

T C 125K. Subjects in the Arts and Sciences.

Analysis of subjects in the arts, sciences, and social sciences through reading, discussion, and lectures. The equivalent of one lecture hour a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing in the Plan II Honors Program or consent of instructor.

T C 126. Plan II/Knowledge Is Power Program Charter Schools Partnership.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. Mentorship of younger students attending an Austin-area Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) school. Through mentoring and class meetings, students will be deeply immersed in issues related to education reform, (in)equality of educational opportunity, and in promising strategies, such as those used by KIPP, for addressing such issues. The equivalent of one lecture hour and two hours of service a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

T C 127. Civic Viewpoints.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. Explores civic engagement and innovative solutions for societal justice. The equivalent of one lecture hour a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Offered on the pass/fail basis only.

T C 330. Special Topics in Plan II.

Restricted to Plan II majors. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, with additional hours to be arranged. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

T C 358. Plan II Junior Seminar.

Restricted to students in the Plan II Honors Program. Seminar sections of about fifteen students. The subjects vary, but in each the attempt is made through careful reading, discussion, and written work to analyze and compare varied approaches to topics of lasting importance. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Students must take this course twice with different topics to fulfill degree requirements. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

T C 359T. Essay Course.

Directed reading followed by the writing of an essay. Conference course, with additional hours to be arranged. Prerequisite: Two semesters of Tutorial Course 358 (or 357 ) and consent of the director.

T C 660H. Thesis Course: Honors.

Directed reading followed by the writing of a substantial essay. Conference course for two semesters, with additional hours to be arranged. Prerequisite: For 660HA , two semesters of Tutorial Course 358 (or 357 ) and consent of the director; for 660HB , Tutorial Course 660HA .

Pages in this Section

• Liberal Arts
• Liberal Arts Honors
• Department of African and African Diaspora Studies
• Department of American Studies
• Department of Anthropology
• Department of Asian Studies
• Department of Classics
• Cognitive Science
• Comparative Literature
• Thomas Jefferson Center for the Study of Core Texts and Ideas
• Américo Paredes Center for Cultural Studies
• Department of Economics
• Department of English
• Center for Asian American Studies
• Center for European Studies
• Department of French and Italian
• Department of Geography and the Environment
• Department of Germanic Studies
• Department of Government
• Health and Society Program
• Department of History
• Human Dimensions of Organizations Program
• Humanities Program
• International Relations and Global Studies Program
• Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies
• Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies
• Department of Linguistics
• Department for Mexican American and Latina/​o Studies
• Center for Middle Eastern Studies
• Department of Middle Eastern Studies
• Department of Philosophy
• Department of Psychology
• Department of Religious Studies
• Department of Rhetoric and Writing
• Department of Air Force Science (ROTC)
• Department of Military Science (ROTC)
• Department of Naval Science (ROTC)
• Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
• Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies
• Department of Sociology
• Department of Spanish and Portuguese
• UTeach-​Liberal Arts
• Center for Women’s and Gender Studies

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• Social Science Courses
• Tutorial Course Courses

2018-20 The University of Texas at Austin

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• 2018-2020 Undergraduate Catalog
• 2019-2021 Graduate Catalog
• 2019-2020 General Information Catalog
• 2018-2020 Law School Catalog
• 2018-2019 Medical School Catalog
• 2017-2019 Graduate Catalog
• 2018-2019 General Information Catalog

Plan II Academic Advising - Summer 2022

Schedule an advising appointment:.

All appointments can be scheduled via Calendly. Peggy is available for current student advising via Zoom on Thursdays and Fridays only during the summer due to New Student Orientation.

Schedule with Peggy via her calendar .

*Prospective Plan II students are not permitted to meet with a Plan II academic advisor. Please contact Kerry Pasquale, Plan II Admissions Director, with questions at [email protected] . 

SPRING 2022 REGISTRATION INFORMATION

The Summer and Fall 2022 course schedules are available. Check your Registration Information Sheet for your registration access time periods.

Course Descriptions Detailed course descriptions for all Plan II TC (Tutorial Course) and SS (Social Science) classes, and other course offerings from the College of Liberal Arts, can be found at the following  here .

Advising Resources The  Advising Resources page  on the Plan II website is where you can find approved course lists for Non-US History, Plan II Fine Arts, Degree Checklists (be sure to look at the correct catalog based on your first semester at UT), the Plan II Science Guide, and many other useful planning tools.

Maximum Hours Students wishing to enroll in over max hours (17) for the fall 2021 semester will be able to do so during the August add/drop period (graduating seniors may get permission during early registration). At that time, students should meet with a Liberal Arts  Student Division Advisor to initiate the process.  Plan II Advisors can discuss the merits of this idea and the drawbacks with students, but cannot actually approve them to take additional hours,  here  is information on the policy/process "Maximum Semester Hours".

Mode of Instruction Definitions ( Click Here )

Junior Seminar (T C 358) Registration Policy To ensure that students can register for the classes they need to progress in their degree plan, registering for multiple topics of T C 358 (Plan II Junior Seminar course) in the same semester is prohibited. Students who register for more than one section of T C 358 in the same semester will be dropped. Once everyone has had a chance to register for at least one T C 358, if seats remain open students may then attempt to register for an additional course. An announcement will be posted in Plan2News and on the Plan II website here if or when students may register for additional T C 358 courses.

PLEASE NOTE: ONLY T C 358 sections fulfill the Junior Seminar requirement. T C courses offered under other numbers DO NOT fulfill the Plan II Junior Seminar requirement.

Detailed course descriptions for all TC 358 sections can be found  here .

Plan II Study Abroad Maymesters

Maymester classes will NOT be listed on the Spring 2022 course schedule . Classes scheduled to start in mid-May and carry into June or later will now be included as part of the Summer term in 2021. Maymester courses will be connected to Summer semester, but students enrolled full-time (12 hours) spring 2022 will not pay additonal Summer semester tuition for Maymester coursework as determined by Texas Global and the Office of the Registrar. 

The Maymesters program deadline is  November 15, 2021 .

For more information about each Maymester:

Pope Francis's Catholic Church: The Making of the Modern Papacy - Rome, Italy  ( Learn More ) Plan II students will earn three credit hours for a Plan II Junior Seminar (TC 358) Exploring UK Education  ( Learn More ) Plan II students will earn three credit hours for a Plan II Junior Seminar (TC 358)

Philosophy (PHL 610QB) - Required for all second-year students Students taking the second half of Plan II Philosophy (PHL 610QB) this spring must register for the same professor. Switching sections mid-year is typically not permissible. Please try to work out any time conflicts by adjusting your other planned courses. Contact a Plan II Advisor if you need further assistance.

Logic and Scientific Reasoning (PHL 313Q, aka Plan II Logic) PHL 313Q is only offered during the fall semester. 

Modes of Reasoning (TC 310) Registration Information Professor Lewis’s version of TC 310 (unique 41720) focuses on Medical Problem Solving. The course has a prerequisite of credit for or concurrent enrollment in a Chemistry and Calculus course. The Chemistry course should be intended for Pre-Health students or those pursuing a Natural Science Major; CH 301 or higher level. Students not meeting both prerequisites will be dropped from the course. 

Professor Navratil's version of TC 310 (unique 41715) focuses on Computer Programming. The course has no pre-requisites; however, some background in programming can be helpful. 

NOTE regarding LOGIC and MODES: Plan II students are required to take either Logic (PHL 313Q) or Modes of Reasoning (TC 310) or an approved substitution in order to fulfill the Plan II requirement. Detailed course descriptions for both TC 310 (Modes) sections can be found  here . Honors Social Science (SS 302) Registration Information Four S S 302 sections will be offered in Spring 2022:

• S S 302C HON SOCIAL SCIENCE: METHODS/THEORY (unique 41600)
• S S 302C URBAN CULTURES (unique 41610)
• S S 302D PSYCHOLOGY (unique 41605)
• S S 302F ECONOMICS OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE (unique 41615)

Detailed course descriptions SS 302 courses offered in Spring 2022 can be found  here .  

PHY 321 Plan II Physics  (Physics for Presidents) (unique 55930)

This course covers essential physics that students need in order to understand today's core science and technology issues, and to become the next generation of world leaders.  Topics covered include the physics of energy, atoms, gravity, radioactivity, chain reactions, electricity and magnetism, waves light, climate change, quantum physics, and relativity.  These are discussed in relationship to specific technological applications and policy questions. Please refer to spring 2020 syllabus for additional information about the course.

NTR 365 Plan II Nutrition (Nutritional Biochemistry: Busting Nutrition Myths) - offered in Fall only

The approved substitution for Plan II Physics. This one-semester substitution will fulfill the Plan II upper division science requirement, but will NOT fulfill UT Core requirements**. This course is approved for the Liberal Arts Natural Science Requirement. 

The course has a prerequisite of credit for BIO 301E, BIO 311C, or BIO 315H and will be enforced by Plan II Honors, not the registration system.

Click here for the course description.

M 310P Plan II Math (unique 53655) - See Spring 2021 syllabus for overview

Plan II/KIPP Partnership (T C 126 and T C 125K) Registration Information Mentorship of younger students attending an Austin-area Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) school. Through mentoring and class meetings, students will be deeply immersed in issues related to education reform, (in)equality of educational opportunity, and in promising strategies, such as those used by KIPP, for addressing such issues.

• TC 126 – unique 42790: Reserved enrollment**: students must have applied and be accepted into the year-long course/mentoring program.
• TC 125K – unique TBA: Reserved enrollment**: students must apply to volunteer as KAL Mentor or PlanTutor to take this course.

Students who have taken TC 125K are not required to retake the course to continue to volunteer in KIPP schools.

TC 302 First Year Signature Course Information

First-year students should enroll in the TC 302 course they received in the course lottery at orientation this past summer. If you are unsure of which professor/section you received in the lottery, please contact a Plan II Advisor.

TC 127 Civic Viewpoints with Professor Lee Walker  

Explore civic engagement and innovative solutions for societal justice. This course is open to all Plan II students regardless of classification and can be taken more than once. The course is a lecture series featuring Austin community leaders, focusing on areas of education, healthcare, human rights, and civic engagement. Professor Lee Walker leads each session, which includes an engaging lecture from the week’s speaker and a period of question-and-answer from the audience. Spring 2022 Thesis (TC 660HA) Registration Instructions

STEP ONE:    Thesis Topic Approval  by a Plan II Associate Director – By October 22, 2021

STEP TWO: Register for TC 660HA during spring 2022 registration, October 25-November 5.  An approved topic approval form is REQUIRED in order to register for the course.

STEP THREE :  Secure a Supervisor and Second Reader  - By December 3, 2021

* DEPARTMENTAL THESIS OPTION : Students with approval to register for an honors thesis course with your 2nd major (or 3rd/4th), should complete the  Departmental Thesis form  (available on the  Plan II website ) and send to [email protected]. The form does not need to be approved by Plan II. Students enrolled in a departmental thesis course are not required to attend the Tuesday evening meetings for TC 660HA or TC 660HB, but are welcome to if they wish. More details about the departmental thesis option can be found in the Plan II Thesis Manual. **Thesis required forms, the Thesis Manual, Supervisor guidelines and other links can be found  here .

For other concerns related to COVID-19, please check the UTexas.edu main page for the latest information from University leadership. For Frequently Asked Questions related to COVID-19 and Academics, visit the Texas One Stop page:  https://onestop.utexas.edu/faq-covid19/

For information about the spring 2022 semester, visit:  https://protect.utexas.edu

Questions about COVID-19 Testing? Please refer to this guide and follow the recommended processes.

Plan II Academic Advising

Advising is available both in-person and virtually, with options for scheduled appointments or walk-ins. Email us if you have any questions.  Students, please include your UT EID in all emails to us. We look forward to seeing you!

Advising Appointments

In-Person Appointments

Location: Plan II Honors Office, RLP 2.102  

Virtual Appointments

Location: Advisor's Personal Zoom Room (Link sends with email confirmation)

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Advising Walk-Ins

In-person walk-ins.

Location: Plan II Honors Office, RLP 2.102 Tuesdays: 3–4PM (Tim) Wednesdays:  3–4PM (Anastasia)

Virtual Walk-Ins

Location: Advisor's Personal Zoom Room Mondays 3–4PM ( Anastasia's Zoom )  Thursdays:  3–4PM ( Tim's Zoom )

Other Offices to Visit:

The Liberal Arts Student Division can assist you with:

-Switching a course to pass/fail - Q-dropping a course - Withdrawing from the university - Requests to raise the maximum number of hours above 17 hours

Another Major’s Advising Office:

Plan II Academic Advising can assist with questions and course selection specific to Plan II. If you have questions regarding another major you are pursuing, contact your other major’s advising office. If you are interested in adding on another major, come talk with a Plan II Advisor for guidance.

Other Members of the Plan II Team

Questions about the Plan II Thesis should be directed to the Thesis team . Questions about Plan II Scholarships should be directed to Kerry Pasquale . Questions about Plan II Alumni can be found here.  

About Plan II

Established in 1935, Plan II is a challenging interdisciplinary curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. Plan II differs from most honors programs in that its core curriculum is a major.  Plan II is a carefully designed core curriculum honors major with very specific multi-disciplinary course requirements and strong emphasis on problem solving, critical and analytical skills, and particularly on writing—including a capstone thesis requirement.  

Plan II is a four-year interdisciplinary arts and science honors major with a core curriculum.  The curriculum is designed as a building process, with each semester and year of study building skills and knowledge for the next.  Although Plan II is quite flexible due the 30+ hours offered as open/free elective hours, the core curriculum requirements are relatively inflexible.  There are very few accepted substitutions of test credit hours, transfer courses or concurrent enrollment credits in lieu of the Plan II core requirements.  However, other major and University core requirements, as well as electives, are often fulfilled with test and transfer credits.  Plan II is never a fast-track program to be completed in two, or even in three years.  Specific courses are required in each year of the four-year plan, to be completed in a carefully designed order.

Over a third of the courses required for a Plan II degree are restricted only to Plan II students. Plan II students also have access to other honors-level courses at the University. The remaining classes are chosen from the extensive list of the University's departmental offerings. Many of these classes will be as challenging as honors courses.

The Plan II Honors cores requirements include:

• a year-long freshman course in world literature from the ancients to the present
• three semesters of interdisciplinary topical or thematic tutorials and seminars which develop and refine students' analytic and synthesizing capacities
• a year-long philosophy course for sophomores
• a semester of honors social science
• two semesters of non-US history
• a four-semester honors sequence in modes of reasoning, theoretical math or calculus, life sciences, and physical sciences
• a senior thesis, a major independent research and writing project, which is the culmination of a student's academic program in Plan II

In addition, students must satisfy University and College requirements with courses in both US government and history, a fine arts/humanities sequence, foreign language proficiency, and additional math or science. The elective hours incorporated into the Plan II curriculum provide flexibility if Plan II students choose to complete the equivalent of a second major in a particular subject area. For instance, a student might take electives in English in preparation for English graduate school. Someone wanting a career in banking might concentrate elective hours in economics, or even the Business Foundations certificate program. Many students complete the premed curriculum or a pre-law concentration in conjunction with their Plan II major and go on to medical school or law school. Often, Plan II students take an additional year and simultaneously earn a second degree––in business, engineering, or architecture, for example. Hence, it is possible through the electives to achieve some degree of specialization in tandem with the broad-based Plan II curriculum.

Admission to Plan II is competitive and is separate from admission to UT Austin. The program typically receives around 1400 applications for the 175 freshman spots. While our students are high academic achievers, admission to Plan II is not based on scores and grades alone; other criteria include a lively spirit of intellectual adventure; leadership and initiative, a genuine desire for a broad education in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences; and the capacity for imagination and originality.