To graduate with honors in sociology, students may write a traditional thesis paper or they may choose an alternative form for a major intellectual project. For example, students may conduct original research on a question or topic of their choice and produce a series of podcasts, digital stories, a photo essay with an accompanying catalogue, a digital archive accompanied by a narrative, or a documentary movie. By offering students the ability to select between a broader range of projects, we hope that more students with a variety of learning styles and interests will participate in the honors experience. At its essence, this remains an opportunity to wrestle deeply with an intellectual or policy problem, to sharpen a student’s methodological and analytical tool kit, and to publicly present the results in a way that is suitable and enriching.
Students interested in doing any kind of thesis project should speak with a potential advisor during their junior year. Together, they will agree upon the broad contours of the project including the main questions, methods, outputs, and timeframe. Students should submit a 2-3 page project proposal to the department by May 1st in order to get approval before the end of the academic year.
To be admitted to the honors program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100 level; the department may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5.