HONORS THESIS

Eligibility Requirements

The honors program in Women and Gender Studies is open to majors who have strong academic records. Students who have maintained a cumulative 3.5 grade point average through 5 semesters and have at least a 3.5 in our major may be considered for honors.

Selection of Primary Thesis Advisor

The student is responsible for finding a primary honors thesis advisor from among the Women & Gender Studies Faculty and associated faculty. In selecting the thesis advisor, the student should be attentive to the research interests and areas of expertise represented by the faculty and select the individual whose expertise most closely relates to the student’s proposed thesis topic. The student must obtain the consent of the faculty member. (Students should note that faculty members periodically take leaves- of absence and may not be available during the semester when the student intends to complete the thesis). Students must also find two other faculty members to agree to be on their honors committee. Their recommendations will determine what is contained in your final draft of your thesis.

Applying to the Honors Program

Application to the program must be made by April 1 junior year (no late applications will be accepted). An application consists of the following:

1. An application form that includes the following information: name and signature of the faculty advisor who has agreed to direct the thesis. Also required are the names and signatures of two faculty members who have agreed to be readers of the completed thesis.
   
2. A printout of the student record (from webstac) should be included, one that includes the latest GPA.
   
3. A 2-3 page proposal which outlines the central question or issue to be investigated during work on the thesis, including a discussion of the methods to be used.
   
4. 1-2 page preliminary bibliography
   
5. The thesis advisor should review and approve the proposal and bibliography before the application is turned in.

**Please note that these items may be submitted via e-mail if the student is abroad.

Acceptance Procedure

1. All honors proposals will be reviewed the Program. Students will be notified of their acceptance or rejection by April 30. In some cases, students will be asked to rewrite and resubmit their proposals.
   
2. Accepted students should register for WGS 499 (Honors Thesis: Research and Writing) in the fall; with approval from the thesis director at the end of fall semester, students will be able to register for WGS 499 for the spring (see below for expectations). The thesis director will determine the fall grade based on the quality and quantity of work done by the student on the project.

Thesis requirements, expectations, and guidelines

1. An honors thesis is an original work. Many final projects will be in the range of 50-70 pages, typed, double-spaced, including bibliography; however, the specific length of the project should be determined in consultation with the thesis advisor.
   
2. Frequent meetings with the thesis advisor should take place both during the research and the writing part of the thesis.
   
3. The thesis advisor will counsel students on research, argument, and presentation. Expect to write revisions based on the advice of the advisor. After the project has been evaluated, revised, and approved by the advisor, the student should then contact the two outside readers who will read and make suggestions on the thesis before its final submission to the thesis advisor.
   
4. The introduction should explain the topic and clearly state the thesis. The student should survey the literature to review what has been done, how it relates to the thesis of the project, and how this work differs from previous scholarship.
   
5. The thesis should be written in a clear, concise fashion, as a double-spaced, typed document.
   f. For footnotes and sources, students should use the format that is appropriate for the subject; students should check with their thesis advisor to ascertain what format to use.
   
6. After the thesis has been turned in and evaluated by the student’s committee, minor revisions can be made. The revised thesis should be printed and spiral bound. It should have a cover page with the title, student’s name, the month and year, and the names of the thesis advisor and second readers. It is customary to give a copy to the thesis director. It is required that a bound copy be turned into the Women & Gender Studies Program by the last day of classes in spring semester.
   
7. Please be reminded that doing an honors thesis is demanding and takes a great deal of time and effort. It is strongly recommended that a schedule be developed, in consultation with the thesis advisor, for the research and the completion of the thesis so that deadlines set by the program and the College can be met.

Evaluation of the Thesis and How Honors are Determined

Candidates should submit complete, polished drafts of their thesis to their thesis advisor by March 1. The thesis will then be evaluated by the advisor and the two readers. By the third week of March, the level of honors that has been approved will be submitted by the Program to the College of Arts and Sciences. The honors thesis must receive a grade of “A” or A-“ in order for the student to be recommended for Latin Honors to the College of Arts and Sciences. Level of honors are determined by the cumulative GPA at the end of the eighth semester: cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude, require cumulative averages of 3.5, 3.65, and 3.8 respectively. Since Latin Honors are determined by the final GPA, the exact level of honors will not be known with certainty until the final semester grades are submitted and processed by the College Office.

Final Deadlines

Junior year
April 1: Completed applications due.
April 30: Students notified of acceptance or asked to rewrite.

Senior year
March 1: Completed theses due for advisor and readers
Third week of March: Recommendations for honors made.

Students should discuss their plans with their proposed thesis advisors early, preferably in the fall of their junior year. Early planning is especially important if the student is going abroad second semester junior year. Since deadlines are critical, it would be advisable to set up a schedule with an advisor in order to ensure that deadlines are met.