Departmental Honors
Departmental Honors provides an opportunity for students to challenge themselves academically by engaging in advanced individual scholarly activity in their major.
It is designated as a 499 class in a student's major. The student works one-on-one with a faculty supervisor to undertake an honors project appropriate to the field.
Apply to Departmental Honors
Use the link below to apply for Departmental Honors thesis credits once you have found a thesis supervisor! Keep in mind, applications submitted after the deadline may not be accepted for the proposed date (e.g., applications submitted to begin in the Fall submitted after the beginning of school will not be accepted).
Honors Project
The honors project looks different in every major. It might be any of the following:
- A survey of consumers to evaluate attitudes regarding a certain marketing strategy
- Data analysis of the stomach content in hundreds of flounder in water with different salinity levels
- Critically evaluating the message and narrative in a TV show and how it impacts viewers
- Literary analysis of modern or classical texts
- The production of a film
- Writing of a manuscript
- Showcase of an art exhibition
Why Departmental Honors?
Departmental Honors is a key part of the University Honors curriculum. It's the capstone experience to your story in Honors. But anyone with a 3.2 GPA can complete an honors project.
What are the benefits, and why should you consider it?
- Opportunity to pursue an independent research or creative scholarly project on any topic of your choice
- Complete those last 3 hours at the 400 level in order to graduate on your own terms
- A 499 class fulfills your Explorations Beyond the Classroom (EBC) requirement for University Studies and also counts as Writing Intensive (WI) course
- Completing a thesis will prepare you for grad school by making your application more competitive and preparing you for graduate-level research
- The unique Interdisciplinary Honors Project (HON 499) allows you to combine approaches and research from multiple disciplines or work with a faculty mentor outside your major
- Special honors designation on your transcript and diploma
- Build a close relationship with your faculty mentor
- Opportunities and financial support to present your research at academic conferences around the country
- Fellowships and scholarships dedicated exclusively to undergraduate research
- Some exceptional theses get published in academic journals
- Prove to employers, mentors or grad schools that you are a self-start that's well-equipped to take on advanced, independent projects
- Learn more about yourself, the research process and a topic that interests you