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Department of English

Honors in English

The Honors Program in English provides students with the opportunity to complete a year-long project in either literary analysis or creative writing under the direction of a thesis advisor. Honors students must have a 3.0 GPA overall and especially strong grades in English. Whether a student is admitted to the Honors Program as a junior and to the Honors Sequence as a senior may depend on the strength of the student and proposal, as well as such factors as being able to find a thesis advisor.

Stage 1: Junior year: Apply for admission to the Honors Program

Meet with the Director of the Honors Program during the fall semester of the junior year.

• Submit an application by December 1 of the junior year.
• If admitted, enroll in the Junior Honors Seminar (ENGL 494) offered each spring. Enrollment in the seminar is waived for those studying abroad in the spring semester or for those completing honors in creative writing, but the December 1 application to the Honors Program is required in either case.

Stage 2: Junior year: Apply for the Senior Honors Sequence (ENGL 495-496)

Submit an application for the Honors sequence by April 15 of the junior year. This application must include a description of the student's proposed study and the name of a willing thesis advisor.

• If admitted, enroll in ENGL 495 for fall of the senior year.

Stage 3: Senior year: The thesis

• Students will spend a year working with a thesis advisor on a project while enrolled in ENGL 495-496.
• By the end of the fall semester of the senior year, the Honors Committee will appoint an examining committee for each student. Students must meet with each committee member to discuss his or her project.
• The thesis is due by April of the senior year, followed by an oral examination. The examining committee determines the level of honors (no honors, Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors) and assigns a grade for ENGL 496. The thesis advisor assigns a grade for ENGL 495.

More detailed guidelines are available from the Director of Honors.