Program Overview

Departmental Honors in Genetics

The Departmental Honors in Genetics program provides outstanding students with the opportunity to distinguish themselves by pursuing challenging classes and exciting research projects within their chosen subject area. This program allows students to work closely with faculty, explore their interests more deeply, and develop skills that will be useful after graduation, whether in the workplace, in graduate school, or in the professional world. Upon completion, "Honors in Genetics" will be indicated on the student's diploma, signifying academic excellence to future employers or admissions committees for post-graduate education.

General Requirements for Completing Honors-in-Major

To complete the Departmental Honors in Genetics, students must meet the following requirements:

• Register with the University Honors Program
• Maintain an overall GPA of 3.50 or greater (or 3.40 or greater for students starting their Departmental Honors coursework prior to Fall 2019)
• Earn a GPA of 3.50 or greater at the time of graduation in all courses within the GEN major (or 3.40 or greater for students starting their Departmental Honors coursework prior to Fall 2019)
• Complete a total of 16 credits of honors-designated work, which includes:
  • Approved Honors-designated courses (8-12 credits)
  • Senior Honors Thesis (4-8 credits, conducted over the equivalent of two semesters)

Enrolling in the Departmental Honors Program

Students can begin exploring research areas and talking with potential faculty mentors as early as their sophomore year. It is recommended that students:

• Learn about faculty research or read individual faculty profiles
• Discuss their interests with their academic advisor
• Identify a faculty member who will serve as their Honors Thesis Advisor and obtain their permission to register for GEN 799H
• Contact the Honors Program Liaison for their major to declare their intent to carry out Departmental Honors
• Register as a Departmental Honors student

Honors Coursework

Honors coursework consists of 8-12 credits of approved Honors-designated courses, which can include:

• Any 600- or 700-level Core course or Major Elective course listed on the Genetics Advising Checklist or on Degree Works
• To designate a course as Honors, students must complete the Honors Designation Form in consultation with the course instructor

Senior Honors Thesis

The Senior Honors Thesis is a research project conducted over two consecutive semesters, during which the student enrolls each semester for 1-4 credits of GEN 799H. The thesis project includes:

• A written thesis proposal, reviewed and approved by the Thesis Advisor
• A public presentation of the work accomplished, modeled on presentations typically given at scientific conferences or meetings of professional societies
• A written thesis, consisting of 20-40 double-spaced pages, including:
  • Abstract
  • Introduction/Background/Literature Review
  • Statement of Hypothesis
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • References Cited

Certification of Completion

Two months before graduation, students must submit the Honors Designation form to certify completion of the Departmental Honors program.