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Eligibility
Qualified students (those with a B average overall in all courses through the end of the junior year, and a A- average in all courses counted toward the major) should apply to the Program Committee in the spring of the junior year; applications must be completed and approved by the SWG Program committee within the first 10 days of the fall semester (or December 1 for ‘J grads) of the senior year, at the latest, in order to have their programs approved by the College honors committee. Students will receive 8 credit hours for a 2-semester honors course (WST 430D). The honors thesis must be completed in additiontothe 10 required courses for the major.
Topics
Suitable topics for the honors thesis would involve an interdisciplinary analysis of some question related to the experience of women, or to the operation of gender.
Adviser
In consultation with the Director of the Program for the Study of Women and Gender, a student will choose a thesis adviser from among the members of the SWG Program Committee. A second reader for her thesis will be chosen by the Program Committee.
Calendar
Ideally by April 30 of the spring semester of her junior year, the student should have submitted the completed application forms from SHIP (Subcommittee on Honors and Independent Programs) available in the Class Deans Office, a brief description of her honors thesis topic, (her topic, organizing questions, and methods of analysis, preliminary bibliography and the approval of the major adviser and thesis adviser). The SWG committee votes on proposals and forwards a recommendation to SHIP.
A final draft of the honors thesis is submitted on the first day of the second semester. The grade (S/U) for the first semester of SWG 430D will reflect the quality of her research and of this draft.
She will receive detailed written reports on the draft from her adviser and from a second reader in early February; these reports will normally lead to a conference with both readers to discuss important concerns and to set priorities for revisions. THE FINAL REVISED THESIS IS DUE IMMEDIATELY AFTER SPRING BREAK.
A presentation of the honors project will take place in the spring semester, no later than April 30. The student’s thesis adviser, second reader, other interested faculty and students will have an opportunity to discuss the findings of the honors project and to ask questions.
Evaluation
In calculating the honors designation (Highest Honors, High Honors, or Honors), the honors thesis counts 60%, the honors presentation 10%, and the average of all courses completed for the major counts 30%.
The honors designation for the thesis portion is an evaluation by both the adviser and the second reader of the revised thesis submitted in the spring. Because SWG 430D is a year-long course, the spring grade for the course will be retroactive for both semesters. Readers might add a paragraph or two to their initial reports or comment on the revised thesis in whatever way seems appropriate, before the honors thesis report is forwarded to SHIP in May.