Honors Program
Students who have completed at least 48 points of graded work in the College of Arts and Science and have at least a 3.65 GPA may be awarded degrees with "departmental honors" by successfully completing the Department of Social & Cultural Analysis (SCA) honors sequence.
Honors work consists of successful completion of a two courses (8-credits) with honors designation during the senior year: SCA-UA 92 (fall), SCA-UA 93 (spring). The honors thesis is a year-long research project which begins in the fall semester. Students enroll in the Senior Honors Thesis Seminar in the fall term during which they will choose a faculty research supervisor. The spring term consists of independent research under the supervision of this faculty member, who will also be the primary reader for the thesis. Students must also arrange for a second reader for the defense. (If the fall instructor is not the primary advisor, s/he often serves as the second reader.) Honors theses are expected to be works of substantial original research in primary sources, as well as give evidence of familiarity with relevant literature. They will normally range from 55 –75 pages in length.
Honors students will present and defend their completed research before the SCA faculty committee and to present their findings at either the Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference or at a department-sponsored conference in mid-April. The committee will award acceptable work a grade of Honors (A-), High Honors (A) or Highest Honors (A+). Of course, graduating with honors is not automatic--the thesis needs to be of honors quality in order for a student to be awarded Honors. The department may drop from the honors any student whose work does not meet departmental standards and they may be able to complete a Senior Seminar instead or receive a grade of Pass or Fail. For the award of Honors students must also maintain at least a 3.65 GPA.
Students interested in doing Honors who have GPAs that fall slightly below 3.65 may seek a waiver from the Director of College Honors for admission to the Honors Program. Applications will need the support of the department Director of Undergraduate Studies, a strong letter of support from a faculty member willing to direct the research, and offer compelling evidence of their commitment and research interest, and provide an explanation of why their prior performance merits a waiver.
Requirements
GPA: Students must graduate with an average of 3.65 overall and in SCA.
SCA-UA Strategies in SCA (or Research Methods): -
Required, for all Metropolitan Studies majors and strongly recommended for all Honors students.Enrollment: In their senior year, students with a 3.65 GPA will enroll in the designated Senior Honors Seminar (SCA-UA 92) in the fall, and the Senior Honors Thesis (SCA-UA 93) in the spring. Note: students will need an access code to register.
Honors Sequence Deadlines
Junior Year: April: Enroll in Honors Seminar for the fall
Senior Year:
- Fall: Complete much of the first half of honors thesis. Enroll in spring honors.
- Spring: March 15: Submit complete draft of thesis to advisor[s]
- April 1: Full thesis with revisions due; schedule defense.
- April 15: Last date for defense
