2009-2010 Honors Program Guidelines
for Departmental Honors & Honors Degree Candidates
At the conclusion of an Honors course of study, Honors students at Sweet Briar College have two options for programmatic recognition:
I. Departmental Honors
II. The Honors Degree
I. Departmental Honors
In order to receive Departmental Honors at graduation, a student must successfully complete the Senior Honors Thesis Project. The Senior Honors Thesis Project provides the Honors student with the opportunity to design and complete a long-term project in her major department. The student will work closely with her faculty thesis advisor in developing her topic and executing her Honors Project. Departmental Honors at one of three levels (Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors) will be indicated on the transcript of those students who have successfully completed the Honors Project and will be announced at graduation. A student who is interested in completing Departmental Honors should consult with the Department Chair in her major, her faculty thesis advisor, and the Director of the Honors Program early in her college career, particularly if she plans to spend a semester or more abroad. The Honors Program strongly recommends that students who initiate Honors thesis projects should be among the best in their department, and have a cumulative and/or major department GPA of at least 3.3.
II. The Honors Degree
The Honors Degree is awarded to students who have successfully completed Departmental Honors (demonstrating depth of study) and have also taken at least six Honors courses (demonstrating breadth of study). A student wishing to pursue an Honors Degree should consult with the Department Chair in her major and her faculty thesis advisor, and should further consult with her academic advisor and the Director of the Honors Program when planning course work, to ensure that all options are explored. Requirements for the Honors Degree are:
1. Successful completion of the Honors Thesis Project
2. Successful completion of at least six Honors courses, with no grade less than a “B.” At least three (3) of the six (6) courses must be Honors seminars, or the approved equivalent. The other three (3) courses may be Honors variants or Honors sections. At least one (1) Honors course must be at the 300 level. Successful completion of Junior Honors research is considered the equivalent of a 300 level Honors seminar. Students completing a Sweet Briar College approved course abroad may petition the Honors Committee to grant Honors seminar credit to appropriate work done abroad.
3. A cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher at graduation
The award of the Honors Degree is announced at graduation and is noted on both the student’s transcript and on her diploma.
Senior Honors Thesis Project: Description and Timetable
The Honors Program requires the equivalent of nine (9) credit hours of work toward the completion of the Senior Honors Thesis Project in the major department. Projects are approved by the Honors Committee in consultation with the major department through a Thesis Project Proposal process in the senior year, described below. Three (3) credit hours, or an approved equivalent, must be satisfactorily completed prior to the beginning of senior year (usually done by completing a Junior Honors research independent study).
The standard model is for the student to complete a 3-credit Independent Study in the Junior year (Junior Honors research), and two terms of 3-credit Independent Study in the Senior year (6 credits total of Senior Honors research). While students are strongly encouraged to follow the standard model of three 3-credit independent studies of work on the Honors Thesis Project, other options are possible.
The entire Thesis Committee – faculty thesis advisor, and two readers - conducts the final project assessment, most commonly an oral examination of the candidate on the thesis project. The Thesis Committee determines whether the candidate should be awarded Honors for her thesis project and, if so, the level of Honors (Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors) to be granted. To be recognized for Honors, the candidate must earn a grade of B+ or better on the Honors Thesis Project. The letter grade (regardless of the level of Honors) may be assigned by the Thesis Committee, but most often is determined by the faculty thesis advisor.
The criteria for awarding Honors at one of the three levels - Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors - are determined by individual departments. Students should consult with their faculty advisors early in the thesis process to learn what the standards are within their departments for awarding thesis Honors. Some departments have published their guidelines on the Honors website http://www.sbc.edu/honors/
Timetable
Spring of the Junior Year: Students should enroll in a 3-credit Junior Honors* research course, an Independent Study course in the major department, with their faculty thesis advisor (usually this course will have a 461 course number). Work done during this semester should be the foundation for a fully realized Honors Thesis Project. *As an alternative, a student may complete preparatory thesis project work during the summer before her junior year, or the summer after her junior year, or while abroad during the junior year. At the end of the spring semester, students submit the Declaration of Intent for the Senior Honors Thesis Project to the Honors Program (beginning with the class of 2011).
Fall of the Senior Year: Students must register for a 3-credit Senior Honors research course, an Independent Study course in the major department with their faculty thesis advisor ( this course will have a 472 course number). Students receive a Pass/Credit/NC grade for their Independent Study in the fall term, which is converted to a letter grade upon successful completion of the Honors Thesis Project in the spring term.
At the start of the semester, when the student is drafting her Thesis Project Proposal, she and her faculty thesis advisor must select a second reader for the project. The second reader may be another faculty member from the student's major department, or a faculty member from another department on campus who can offer expertise in the research area.
By the beginning of the third week of classes, the student must submit a fully developed Thesis Project Proposal to the Honors Committee, which must include the proposal cover page with appropriate signatures. When the proposal is submitted to the Honors Committee it must include the signatory approval of both the faculty thesis advisor and the second reader.
At the end of the fall term, the faculty thesis advisor must assign a grade of Pass or No Credit for Senior Honors research (Independent Study 472) work completed during the term. The faculty thesis advisor, often in consultation with the major department, will determine if the work is of Honors quality, and if so, the student is allowed to continue with the Honors Thesis Project. A Pass does not necessarily mean that the project will be allowed to continue as an Honors Thesis Project.
Spring of the Senior Year: Students must register for a second semester of Senior Honors Research, Independent Study course 472 in the major department, with their faculty thesis advisor. By mid-February, the Thesis Committee should be fully formed by selecting a third reader (also known as the “outside reader”) from outside the Sweet Briar College community. Faculty thesis advisors should discuss with their students the options for selecting an outside reader and decide which of them will assume responsibility for securing the outside reader.
No later than two weeks before the end of classes, the student, in consultation with her thesis committee, will schedule a culminating experience or event for the Honors Thesis Project: a presentation, exhibition, or oral defense, as described in the Honors Project Proposal. This event will be attended by all members of the Thesis Committee (and other faculty in the department, and other faculty and students as deemed appropriate). The outside reader will review and evaluate the work and participate in the oral defense. All members of the Thesis Committee will be given ample time to read or view and comment on the student's work.
No later than the Friday following the last day of classes of the spring semester, all work related to the project is due. For research projects this includes the final draft of the written thesis along with the thesis title/cover page signed by all members of the Thesis Committee. Final copies must be submitted to the Honors Program, the major department, and the college library. For non-research projects this might include photographs of exhibitions, recordings of performances, written work, or other material to be archived by the Honors Program, the major department, and the college library. The thesis title/cover page signed by all members of the Thesis Committee must be included with the final submission. To be recognized for Honors, the candidate must earn a grade of B+ or better on the Honors Thesis Project.
By the senior grade deadline, the faculty thesis advisor will report to the Honors Program the level of Honors awarded and will report the grade for both terms to the registrar. Transcript designations for fall and spring will be converted to Senior Honors and assigned letter grades.
Upon successful completion of the Senior Honors Thesis Project, the Independent Study credits will be converted to Honors credit (472 to 472H) and the student will receive a grade for both semesters of 472 Senior Honors thesis research.
Students who successfully complete the Senior Honors Thesis Project are awarded Departmental Honors at one of the three levels, which is announced at graduation and indicated on the transcript.
If a student has met all requirements for the Honors Degree, the Honors Degree designation is announced at graduation and is noted on both the student's transcript and on her diploma.
Thesis Project Proposal
The project proposal functions to communicate to the Honors Committee, a group of faculty from various disciplines across campus, the candidate’s goals and objectives and the context of the project. The Thesis Project Proposal is due at the beginning of the third week of classes during the fall semester of the senior year. The Honors Program strongly recommends that students who initiate Honors thesis projects should be among the best in their department, and have a cumulative and/or major department GPA of at least 3.3.
HONORS THESIS PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORMS
Research proposals are typically 8-10 double-spaced, typewritten pages with additional pages devoted to bibliography and other resources. Non-research proposals, including proposals in creative, performing, and visual arts, may take another form. It is strongly recommended that all students pursuing an Honors Thesis project meet with the Director of the Honors Program to discuss the proposal prior to submission. All proposals (regardless of type) will have a signed cover sheet.
The Honors Committee serves as a clearinghouse for all Thesis Project Proposals to assure that college-wide standards are met, to support both the faculty thesis advisor and the student candidate, to clarify expectations and traditions, and to mentor students during the process. Within two weeks of submission, students will be notified that their proposals have been approved, or in some cases, a student may be asked to submit additional information to the Committee, or to revise and resubmit her proposal. The Honors Committee will communicate with the faculty thesis advisor and student if there is a need for additional information, revisions, or resubmission. If the Honors Committee has serious concerns about a proposed thesis project, or a student’s ability to successfully complete the year-long project the Chair of the Honors Committee will consult with the faculty thesis advisor. In some cases, where support from the Honors Committee may be very weak, and attempts at revision are unsuccessful, the Chair of the Honors Committee and the faculty thesis advisor may agree that the proposal not go forward as a Senior Honors Thesis Project. The student will be notified by the Honors Committee if her thesis proposal is ultimately not approved.
Guidelines for the Thesis Project Proposal are given below. These guidelines are recommendations only – meant to provide the student and faculty thesis advisor with an outline based on traditions within the Honors Program and a framework for communicating expectations, goals, and objectives to the Honors Committee. Flexibility in the proposal is possible. It is strongly recommended that all students preparing Thesis Project Proposals meet with the Director of the Honors Program to discuss their projects and their proposals.
Thesis Project Proposals that are research based should include:
1. A Proposal Cover Page, with required signatures (see forms).
2. A Definition and History of the Thesis Project:
The proposal should begin with a focused, clearly defined thesis statement, followed by a thoughtful description of the basic questions to be explored, the scholarly context in which the work is to be understood, the specific program of research planned, and the expected goals of the research. The student should explain how the project was conceived, work completed up to the date of proposal submission, and how the project will contribute to her intellectual development. Also included should be a discussion of the theoretical and critical framework of the project, a discussion of the significance of the work within her discipline and an explanation of how the project is situated within that particular discipline's critical and/or historical traditions. The student should make clear how the proposed project transcends the normal senior research or capstone experience in the major. Finally, the student should describe the anticipated final form of the project.
3. Work Plan, Methodology, and Schedule:
Issues that are pertinent include preliminary work (reading, study, research), the critical approaches the student expects to employ, the specific stages the student plans to follow, week by week if possible, in order to complete the thesis project, and a description of the thesis advisor's role in the project. The work plan should make reference to the expected outcomes: research projects will result in a written thesis, which has been vetted by a juried oral defense. Final copies of the thesis, along with the thesis title/cover page signed by the faculty thesis advisor and by both thesis readers, will be submitted to the Honors Program, the major department, and the college library.
4. Bibliography and Other Resources:
Students should include a carefully prepared bibliography describing the texts of greatest relevance that will be used and a list of additional materials or resources to be consulted. An annotated bibliography is recommended.
Thesis Project Proposals that are non-research based (creative, performing, and visual arts projects) should include:
1. A Proposal Cover Page, with required signatures (see forms).
2. Definition and History of the Thesis Project:
The proposal should begin with a description of the work to be undertaken. The student should explain how the project was conceived, what work has been completed up to the date of proposal submission, and how the project will contribute to her intellectual and/or artistic development. A discussion of the significance of the work within her discipline and an explanation of how the project is situated within that particular discipline's critical and/or historical traditions should also be addressed. The student should make clear how the proposed project transcends the normal senior performance or capstone experience in the major. Finally, the student should describe the anticipated final form of the project (a performance, an exhibition, or a work of creative writing, for example).
3. Work Plan, Methodology, and Schedule:
The stages of project development that the student plans to follow in order to complete the thesis project, and a description of the thesis advisor's role in the project will be presented. A detailed timeline for anticipated outcomes will be included.
4. Bibliography and Other Resources:
Where appropriate, students should include bibliographic references describing the texts of greatest relevance and/or a list of additional materials or resources to be consulted.
Additional Information, Procedures and Guidelines
Students doing Senior Honors work may request up to $100 to help defray the cost of project related expenses (e.g., books, lab equipment, art materials). Outside readers will receive a $100 honorarium, and a modest travel reimbursement allowance, if appropriate.
Should a student withdraw from Honors thesis project work, fail to complete the thesis project on time, or do work not judged to merit the Honors designation, the independent study credits for fall will remain in effect along with the Pass/Credit/NC grade the student received or, at the discretion of the thesis project advisor, a letter grade. A candidate whose thesis project and examination are not of Honors quality is given course credit, but not Honors credit. (To be recognized for Honors, the candidate must earn a grade of B+ or better on the Honors Thesis Project.) The grade for the spring semester independent study course would, in this event, be at the discretion of the student's Honors thesis project advisor. Depending on the circumstances, the grade given could be a Pass. The Honors designation (the letter "H" on the transcript) will not be used under these circumstances.
DEADLINES FOR THE CLASS OF 2010:
August 31 - Declaration of Intent form due
September 14 - Thesis proposal due; faculty thesis advisor recommendation letter and form due; department endorsement form due; petition for alternate Junior Honors credit due
February 15 - Outside reader selected and added to thesis committee
April 20 - Thesis project culminating event must be completed (oral defense, exhibition, reading, or performance)
May 7 - Three copies of the final version of written thesis, exhibition catalog, or other material appropriate for archiving must be submitted to the Honors Program, the college library, and the major department
Glossary of Terms
Academic Advisor – The faculty member assigned to the student for purposes of academic counseling, and course selection. For juniors and seniors this is usually the major advisor.
Department Chair – Each academic department has an assigned Chair, these rotate on a periodic basis.
Departmental Honors – Awarded to students who successfully complete a Senior Honors Thesis project in their major.
Director of the Honors Program – The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
Faculty thesis advisor –A faculty member from a student’s major department, or approved by the major department, who supervises the Senior Honors Thesis project.
Honors Degree – Awarded to students who successfully complete a Senior Honors Thesis project in their major and at least six Honors courses.
Honors Committee – A group of faculty representatives from across campus who oversee all aspects of the program, approve Honors seminar courses, establish policies and procedures, and vote on all matters concerning student endeavors including thesis project proposals, travel grants, summer research project proposals, and Honors Scholarship awards.
Honors courses – Honors courses include Honors seminars, sections, and variants.
Honors Journal – Online publication that features research papers completed by Honors Summer Research students as well as course related research papers submitted by other students.
Honors section – Departments may designate one section of a multi-section introductory course an Honors section. Honors section offering vary from year to year and are most often 100 level courses.
Honors seminar – Honors seminars are offered every semester and are not part of any regular department curriculum. Honors seminars are unique courses taught voluntarily by faculty from all departments and they are often interdisciplinary. Most seminars are 200 level courses.
Honors student – All students with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above are considered Honors students. Incoming first year students are designated Honors students based on merit scholarship awards. Those students who are considered in the Honors Program are Honors students who take Honors courses and participate in other Program activities.
Honors variant – With the permission of the instructor, a student may convert a regularly offered course to an Honors variant. The terms of the variant are determined by the instructor, often in consultation with the student, and should provide an opportunity for a student to relate more fully the material of the course to her own intellectual interests. Honors variants may be 100, 200, or 300 level courses.
Junior Honors research – A one-semester Independent Study with an Honors designation, carried out in the student’s junior year.
Outside reader – The outside reader is the third member of the student’s Senior Honors thesis committee, and is not a member of the Sweet Briar faculty. The outside reader is asked to join the thesis committee early in the spring semester of senior year.
Second reader - The second reader is a campus faculty member who, along with the faculty thesis advisor, serves on the student’s Senior Honors thesis committee. The second reader may be another faculty member from the student's major department, or a faculty member from another department on campus who can offer expertise in the research area.
Senior Honors research – A year-long Independent Study with an Honors designation, completed in the major department and supervised by the faculty thesis advisor in the student’s senior year.
Thesis Committee – A committee assembled by the student in consultation with her faculty thesis advisor for assessment of the Honors Thesis Project. The committee will include (at a minimum) the Faculty Thesis Advisor, a second campus reader, and an outside reader.
Thesis Project Proposal – The proposal is submitted at the beginning of senior year and serves as formal notification that a student intends to pursue Departmental Honors and/or the Honors Degree. Prior to submission the proposal must be reviewed and approved by the faculty thesis advisor and should communicate to the Honors Committee as well as the faculty thesis advisor and second reader, the direction, goals, and objectives for the year-long project.
