Program Overview
Honors Program
The Humanities Program offers students the opportunity to intensify and expand their undergraduate study by writing an Honors Thesis, which is an independent study with the goal of graduating with Honors.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for Honors in Humanities, students should:
- have a general GPA of at least 3.3
- have a GPA in Humanities of at least 3.5
Program Requirements
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
- submit Humanities Honors Thesis Agreement to the Humanities Honors Council Representative
- enroll in the course: HUMN 4950 Honors Thesis (an independent study for Honors Students) after completing the paperwork
- complete and submit the Registration to Graduate with Honors by the required date
- maintain a suitable GPA overall and in the major during the Honors year
- write an Honors Thesis
- defend the Honors Thesis in an oral examination
- consistently meet with the Honors Thesis Advisor
Humanities Honors Council Representative
The Humanities Honors Council Representative serves on the Arts and Sciences Honors Council, the committee that oversees honors designations. The Representative will:
- approve the HUMN Honors Application and Honors Registration Forms
- provide additional information about the process of writing and defending a thesis
- possibly serve as the Honors Thesis Advisor or as a member of the committee
- help locate an Honors Thesis Advisor, if needed
- represent the student's interests at the Honors Council Meetings, where final designations are awarded
Honors Thesis Advisor
Students must have an Honors Thesis Advisor, who must be:
- a faculty member from the Humanities Department
- someone who has taught a Humanities course
- in rare cases, someone from another department who doesn’t meet any of these criteria (must be approved by the Humanities Honors Council Representative)
Examination Committee
This committee consists of at least three professors:
- the Honors Thesis Advisor
- a member of the Arts and Sciences Honors Council (likely the HUMN Honors Council Representative)
- a member from a department outside of Humanities One of these professors must be from The Humanities Program. The committee will read the thesis and ask questions about it at the oral examination, called a Defense.
The Honors Thesis
The thesis is a significant, extended essay – usually 50+ pages – on a topic of the student's choice, often building on work done in one or more classes. The thesis should demonstrate ability in the following areas:
- interdisciplinary focus (literature & art, art & music, film & literature, literature & theory, etc.)
- extensive research
- critical thinking (close analysis of the texts)
- excellent writing skills
Mechanical Guidelines
Check with the Honors Department for this information. Students and their Honors Thesis Advisor should choose what form of citation is best (MLA versus Chicago; endnotes versus footnotes, etc.).
Thesis Deadlines
A rigorous schedule of deadlines must be established with the thesis director. In addition to the Honors Program deadlines, the following are some general guidelines to be observed:
- For graduation in May: The thesis should be completed by Spring Break (late March).
- For graduation in December: A draft of the thesis should be completed before the beginning of the Fall semester.
Defending the Thesis
After completing the thesis, students will need to “defend” their thesis in an oral examination conducted by their Examination Committee. This generally lasts around an hour and is usually held in the Humanities Seminar Room or a faculty member’s office.
Honors Designations
If students complete the thesis and pass their oral defense, they will be awarded one of three honors designations:
- cum laude: generally awarded when students have an overall GPA of 3.3
- magna cum laude: overall GPA of 3.5
- summa cum laude: overall GPA of 3.8
The Key to Success
Most students who elect to do Honors find it a challenging and rewarding experience. Success depends on starting early, working steadily and consistently, and meeting regularly with the Honors Thesis Advisor.
Award Banquet
For graduating Honors students, there is an Honors Ceremony at the end of Fall and Spring terms, during which they receive their Honors medal, walk across the stage, shake the Dean’s hand, and enjoy a brunch provided for them, their parents, and friends.