Honors Requirements
- To qualify for honors in religion, a student must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better and an average of 3.4 or better in the major.
- In order to graduate with honors, a student must complete a research thesis.
- Qualified students should apply to the Department Chair by March of their junior year.
- Those whose candidacy is accepted will consult with the Department Chair, and an adviser will be selected who will guide the student in the selection of an appropriate subject for the research thesis.
- Having undertaken the thesis project, the student will enroll for three credits each semester. The student will enroll in 01:840:497 in the fall semester and 01:840:498 in the spring semester.
Deadlines are as follows:
- by April 30 of the junior year: The student applies for honors, meets with an adviser, and submits a general proposal for the thesis.
- by May 15 of the junior year: The department notifies the student of departmental approval.
- by Sept. 20 of the senior year: The student meets with the adviser to discuss progress made over the summer and deadlines for the future. It is the student's responsibility to contact the adviser and arrange this meeting.
- by Oct. 15 of the senior year: The student submits a detailed introduction, a chapter-by-chapter proposal, and the first chapter of the thesis.
- by Dec. 20 of the senior year: The student submits at least two chapters (or an equivalent portion) of the thesis to the adviser. If at this point the adviser is concerned about the student's progress, the adviser, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and the Chair will meet to discuss it.
- by Feb. 20 of the senior year: The student must have completed approximately half of the thesis, and must meet with the adviser to discuss progress. It is the student's responsibility to contact the adviser and arrange this meeting.
- before spring break of the senior year: The student must submit a first draft of the entire thesis to the adviser.
- on the first weekday of April: The final draft of the thesis is due to the adviser and second reader.
- before April 15: The departmental oral defense must take place.
- April 15: The department must notify the School of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office about the student's level of honors.
- at least one week before final exams begin: If, at the oral defense, the examiners required additional revisions, those revisions must be completed and submitted.
