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Senior Honors Thesis

In addition to the learning goals for all majors/minors, the Honors major asks students to:

  • extend their expertise in the major through additional language or cognate courses
  • acquire deep knowledge of a particular topic in the major
  • conduct independent original research that combines interpretation of primary sources and critical response to current scholarship on the topic, and present the findings in a written thesis of substantial argumentation, complexity, and length
  • contribute to the scholarly community in the Department by developing the research project in consultation with a faculty advisor, giving an oral defense of the thesis to the faculty advisor and a second reader, and presenting the findings to faculty and students at a research symposium

Students interested in writing a Senior Honors Thesis should meet with their Major Advisor and the Classical Studies Honors Advisor early in Winter term of their junior year to indicate their intention to write an Honors thesis.  By the time of this meeting, students should have developed concrete ideas about the topic they would like to pursue. The Advisors will then decide, in consultation with relevant faculty, whether a student is qualified to write a thesis.  For further information, please see the guidelines below.

In recognition of academic achievement

Virginia L. Voss Memorial Award

  • Source: Internal–LSA Honors Program
  • The Virginia L. Voss Memorial Awards for excellence in writing by senior Honors women were established in memory of the late Ms. Voss, an Honors graduate in the 1950s and college editor at Mademoiselle Magazine. These awards are given to graduating Honors women who display writing talent in one (or more) of the four categories listed below. Award amounts vary (~$1,000), and there is no set number of prizes. The four prize categories are: (1) academic writing, (2) journalism, (3) poetry, (4) creative prose.
  • Students are encouraged to self-nominate. If a student self-nominates, she may submit a thesis alone, or request a letter of endorsement from a departmental representative.
  • For more information, click here.