Skip to main content

Departmental Honors

Main Content
Student presenting departmental Honors project
To earn Departmental Honors, you must complete a research or creative project in your major (or minor, with approval from the department chair or program director). This is a collaborative partnership between academic departments – and their associated colleges and schools –  and the John V. Roach Honors College. The principal duties of all partners in the Departmental Honors process are: 

 

First steps

  • Talk to your Honors advisor about your Upper-Division Honors options: Departmental Honors vs. University Honors
  • Declare your intent to pursue Departmental Honors (via the Honors College survey and by telling your Honors advisor)
  • Find a professor in your major who is willing to supervise your project; or, if you wish to pursue a project in your minor or area of emphasis, start by seeking permission from the unit head (department chair or program director), then, if permission is granted, find a professor in your minor or area of emphasis who is willing to supervise your project
  • Talk to your supervising professor about the course requirements for Departmental Honors in their department or program 

Phase 1 (typically during junior year or first semester of senior year)

  • Enroll in the first required Departmental Honors course
  • Work with your supervising professor to identify 1-2 committee members (the required number varies by unit)
  • Submit a Departmental Honors Registration Form to the Honors College
  • Complete the requirements for the first Departmental Honors course

Phase 2 (typically during second semester of senior year)

  • Complete the requirements for the second Departmental Honors course
  • Present your project in a public forum (in a venue and format determined by your college or school)
  • Two weeks before final exam week, submit a complete working draft of your project to the Honors College (via the Honors College online submission system)  [Please note: the purpose of this deadline is to guarantee that faculty committees and students have at least two weeks to complete a final round of feedback and revision; however, the Honors College strongly encourages supervising professors to set earlier deadlines, to better facilitate the feedback/revision process.]
  • On the Monday of final exam week, submit your final document to the Honors College (via the online submission system)