Honors in Medieval and Renaissance Studies

Majors in Medieval and Renaissance Studies who have demonstrated exceptional ability and an unusual degree of independence in their course work may be eligible to participate in the department's honors program. Honors candidates ordinarily enroll in ME/R 360 during the fall and ME/R 370 during the spring semester of the senior year and are expected to write a thesis based substantially on original research in primary sources.

Students interested in the honors program work with their faculty advisors to identify a research topic during the spring semester of the junior year and begin their research during the following summer.

To be admitted to the program, students must write a proposal in consultation with their advisors and submit it to the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program director(s), normally before the last day of the spring semester of the junior year. To be accepted, the proposal must be approved by the prospective advisor(s) and the program director(s), in consultation with other faculty if necessary. The student should have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the Medieval and Renaissance Studies major above the 100-level.

Before enrolling in ME/R 360 in the fall semester, each honors candidate will work with the advisor(s) to establish an “honors committee” consisting of three faculty members, including the advisor(s). It will have at least one senior faculty member and representatives of at least two departments within the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program.

This committee will meet with the honors candidate at least twice: (1) at the start of the fall semester to discuss the candidate’s proposal and (2) by the end of the exam period of the fall semester to discuss a written chapter and the candidate’s plan of work. The chapter must be submitted to the committee by the last day of classes. The approval of the advisor(s), in consultation with the honors committee, is necessary to allow the candidate to enroll in ME/R 370.

In addition to meeting with the honors committee, honors candidates may arrange with their advisors to attend meetings of thesis-writers that may be offered by an advisor’s home department.

Honors candidates will be expected to complete a draft of the entire thesis no later than the last Friday before spring break. This will leave ample time for final revisions.

Final evaluation of the thesis will proceed according to college regulations. Normally, the members of the candidate’s honors committee will serve on the committee that conducts the oral examination.