During the final year of the program the honors student undertakes an independent and original project, under the supervision of a faculty advisor, which culminates in the senior honors thesis. While the honors thesis itself will always be a traditional academic treatise - that is, a formal and systematic written account of the project - the range of possible projects leading to the thesis is quite broad. Past projects include, for example, library and archival research, scientific and social scientific experiments, art exhibitions, and musical and dramatic performances. The George Center requires only that the project be appropriate to the student's academic discipline, reflect an in-depth study of material, and be above and beyond the requirements for graduation in the student's major. Previous theses are bound and available for review in the George Center for Honors Studies in the James Addison Jones Library.

Typically during the spring semester of the third year the student enrolls in HON 312, a one-credit hour course in which the student prepares the honors thesis prospectus. Then, during either the fall or the spring semester of the senior year, the student enrolls in HON 475, a three-credit hour course in which the student undertakes the project and writes the thesis. Note: If a student enrolled in HON 475 during the fall semester needs additional time to complete the project, the student may request a Carry Over grade and complete the project during the spring semester. If the request is approved, deadlines will be adjusted accordingly. In no case, however, may a student receive more than 3 credit hours for HON 475.

The thesis prospectus must be formally approved by the George Center for Honors Studies. Students enrolling in HON 475 during the fall semester must submit the prospectus for approval to the Director of the George Center for Honors Studies no later than Monday of the third week of classes that semester. Those enrolling in HON 475 during the spring semester must submit the prospectus no later than Monday of the 14th week of classes the preceding (fall) semester. Before its submission to the Director, the prospectus must be formally approved by the thesis advisor and formally reviewed by the Chair of the Department of English and Communication Studies, who will review the prospectus for grammar, style, and form. For details on preparing the prospectus, please consult the Senior Honors Thesis Prospectus Checklist.

An abstract of the thesis must be submitted to the Director of the George Center for Honors Studies no later than Friday of the 12th week of classes during the semester the student is enrolled in HON 475. The thesis itself must be submitted to the Director no later than Reading Day of that semester. Please consult the George Center for Honors Studies Thesis Style Guide. In addition, during the 14th week of classes during that semester, the student must summarize the completed project in a 10-20 minute formal oral presentation. The presentation will be open to all faculty, staff, and students of the College. The exact day and time of the presentation will be arranged by the Director.

Back to George Center for Honors Studies

Back to Academics