To remain active in the Honors Program, Honors students must earn 6 Honors credits per academic year. The Honors office reviews transcripts each summer for the previous academic year and additional credits earned one year do not carry over to the next for the purposes of this review. You will meet the Honors academic participation requirement by earning credits through Honors courses, Honors course conversions, or graduate courses which must be graded B- or above. Exceptions to the minimum Honors credit requirement may be granted for students who study abroad or participate in internship/co-op work for the entire academic year (not just one semester).

Your academic record will be reviewed at the end of each academic year (typically in late-June) for compliance with the Honors minimum GPA requirement. A minimum of a 3.400 is required to be in “good standing” with the Honors Program GPA requirements.

This is a requirement of the Honors Scholar in the Major award, which in turn is a requirement of the University Honors Laureate award. This requirement is intentionally left broad so that advisees and advisors may determine what constitutes an appropriate type and level of co-curricular engagement for their Honors students’ professional development.

Advisor and advisees will agree on how they will meet the engagement in the major field requirement as part of their Honors Preliminary Plan of Study, and the advisor will approve completion prior to graduation. The preliminary plan of study will provide a space for students and advisors to list a description, rationale, criteria, timeline, and communication plan for the expected engagement in the major field activity. This may include your participation in a conference, an on-campus event where you present your work, a professional organization, a student organization, or other opportunities that are related to your field of study. This could be an activity that they have already done.
Engagement in the major field may be connected to the Honors thesis/project or a course, but the activity must go beyond what would have been required regardless. The research and writing of your thesis is not sufficient to satisfy this requirement.

The Honors thesis is an in-depth research project on a sociological topic of your choice. The thesis should develop an original argument and engage in the scholarly literature about the topic. Students should identify a sociological topic to research based on their interests, prior coursework, and relevance for future career plans.

Students should find a faculty advisor to supervise the Honors thesis project whose expertise align with the topic area. Together, students and their advisor should design a research plan and scope of the project. We encourage students to work with faculty within the Sociology Department, though we recognize that excellent scholarly work is interdisciplinary and students can benefit from guidance that spans multiple fields. The Honors faculty advisor will review and approve both the topic and chosen supervisor.

Depending on your academic and professional plans, your thesis may consist of a traditional research project, piece of scholarship, or a creative product. The exact requirements (such as format or page length) are set by Honors advisors, and your thesis must include some written document that will be submitted to the Honors Program via the Quest system and must be approved by the thesis supervisor and Honors advisor.

Faculty advisors will review and approve the thesis. To submit the thesis, students should submit a hard copy of the approved Honors thesis with a signed approval form to the Honors Program office. An electronic submission to Open Commons is highly recommended, but not a requirement.

The Honors experience provides an enriched undergraduate program focusing on in-depth Honors work in their major, a broader exposure across the disciplines, and co-curricular opportunities that promote student development. Engagement in this full experience is recognized at graduation. There are two graduation awards, which you may work towards simultaneously. Students who enter Honors as first- or second-year students are put on the path to earn both awards, while students who enter Honors in their third year will likely concentrate on Honors Scholar in the Major.

Students should find a faculty advisor to supervise the Honors thesis project whose expertise align with the topic area. Together, students and their advisor should design a research plan and scope of the project. We encourage students to work with faculty within the Sociology Department, though we recognize that excellent scholarly work is interdisciplinary and students can benefit from guidance that spans multiple fields. The Honors faculty advisor will review and approve both the topic and chosen supervisor.

Depending on your academic and professional plans, your thesis may consist of a traditional research project, piece of scholarship, or a creative product. The exact requirements (such as format or page length) are set by Honors advisors, and your thesis must include some written document that will be submitted to the Honors Program via the Quest system and must be approved by the thesis supervisor and Honors advisor.

Faculty advisors will review and approve the thesis. To submit the thesis, students should submit a hard copy of the approved Honors thesis with a signed approval form to the Honors Program office. An electronic submission to Open Commons is highly recommended, but not a requirement.