Departmental honors

The Honors Project in English

For general requirements regarding Departmental Honors, see the Registrar’s website: Department/Program Honors Requirements and Forms.

What is an Honors Project in English?

Sometimes referred to as a thesis, the Honors Project in English offers senior English majors the opportunity to graduate with departmental honors. An Honors Project typically takes the form of scholarship, creative writing, or a hybrid of the two.

Why do an honors English thesis?

Honors Projects in English typically emerge out of existing coursework. Therefore, they present an opportunity to engage in deeper exploration of a particular topic of interest, forward an answer to a complex (set of) question(s), practice and apply methods, techniques, and craft to an independent project, potentially prepare for graduate school, and/or develop a major project to submit for potential publication.

What are the expectations for completing an Honors Project?

An Honors Project in English addresses a particular issue, crafts a collection of original writing, and/or seeks to answer a specific set of questions in a substantial piece of written work beyond the scope of an individual course. The final version of the thesis typically ranges in length from 60 to 80 pages or its equivalent in the relevant genre. Senior English majors propose a topic of study and/or a set of questions that their project will address over the course of an intensive year-long (two semesters) course of study. Honors projects should exceed two 300-level English courses in the amount and rigor of work required; they provide two course credits toward graduation, one of which can be counted toward the English major.

There are multiple steps necessary to complete an Honors Project in English, including applying to conduct a project, preparing a prospectus, assembling a committee, composing the major project, and making an oral defense. Below, each of these steps are explained in more detail.

Step 1: Applying to conduct an Honors Project in English

Complete the Application to Conduct an Honors Thesis in English by May 1 of your third year. This involves contacting a potential thesis advisor to discuss your project ideas; this faculty member will be named on this application after they agree to direct your project. The application requires a 250-word project description that identifies the topic, questions, issues, authors, and/or texts you are interested in exploring in your English Honors Project. It also asks you for the names of three additional faculty members who can recommend you. Two of these recommenders should be from the English Department; the third can be from any department. These individuals should be familiar with your work habits and able to recommend you to complete an Honors Project in English.

Step 2: Preparing a prospectus for an Honors Project in English

Reading and researching for the project normally begins in the summer between your junior and senior years to compose a prospectus. A prospectus includes (a) a 250-word description of the topic and goal, (b) a preliminary bibliography or reading list, and (c) a schedule for completion. This should be revised in consultation with your thesis advisor and submitted to them by October 1. At this time, you and your adviser may also identify and invite the other readers to join your committee.

Step 3: Assembling a committee for an Honors Project in English

Your thesis committee consists of your advisor, at least one other department member, and one member of another department or another institution, the latter two invited by you in consultation with your adviser. The full committee should be assembled and confirmed by February 1.

Step 4: Composing the Honors Project in English

You and your thesis advisor should schedule regular meetings throughout the academic year, but for the most part you will work independently. You should be prepared to devote at least the amount of time taken by meetings and out-of-class work for a typical 300-level English course to your Honors Project: 10+ hours per week. Below is a sample breakdown of the project for each semester:
- In the fall of the fourth year, the candidate does most of the research and writes approximately a third of the draft (20-25 pages). If your advisor approves of the quality of the first semester’s work, they will nominate you as a candidate for departmental honors. If, however, your advisor believes after one semester that the project will not be completed on time or at a level appropriate for honors, the first semester’s work may be credited on your transcript as Independent Study, provided that this work meets the Department’s guidelines for Independent Study (described on the English Department website). In this event, your advisor will notify the Registrar and department head.
- In the spring of the fourth year, you complete a full draft of the thesis and schedule your oral defense for during the spring exam week. The completed draft is distributed to the adviser and, ideally, to other members of the thesis committee the Monday after spring break. Within two weeks, all members of the thesis committee inform your advisor of any suggestions for change/ revision. You have until two weeks before the beginning of spring final exams to submit a final draft of the project to the committee. By Friday of spring final exam week, you should defend your project before your committee.

Step 5: Preparing an Oral Defense of the Honors Project in English

The defense, which takes place no later than the last day of spring finals exam week, is a conversation lasting about an hour among the student and members of the committee regarding the thesis. The student may invite other people as well. At the end of this conversation, the student and any guests are asked to leave the room, and the committee members make a decision whether to pass your project for honors. As a general practice, committees will not allow the defense to take place if they have serious concerns about the viability of the project.
To prepare for the defense, the student should familiarize themself with their project and consult with the thesis advisor to develop potential questions and themes that may be addressed during the defense. It is recommended that the student think through and draft notes in response to those potential questions as one way of preparation. Another method of preparation would be to practice talking about your project and answering questions about it with others who are unfamiliar with your work.

Step 6: Evaluation and Assessment of the Honors Project in English

By College regulation, departmental honors that are awarded earn a grade of A on your transcript. Lower but passing grades are treated as Independent Study credit. Unanimous approval by committee members is required for honors to be awarded.

Step 7: Distribution of the Thesis

The English Department will pay for up to six soft-bound copies of the completed thesis, handled by Reprographic Services, 13 Marquis Hall. In addition, the English Department will also pay for copies of the thesis to be distributed to members of the honors thesis committee for use at the defense; this copying will be done by the English department secretary. The department will also arrange to give one copy of the completed thesis to the English Department and a second copy to Skillman Library. Additional copies should be given to the thesis supervisor and, if the student so desires, to individual committee members.

Important Deadlines for Those Pursuing Honors in English

April of the junior year	Attend the Department-sponsored meeting on pursuing honors in English and begin contacting potential thesis advisers. Students studying abroad spring semester junior year should check their Lafayette email accounts for information about pursuing honors.
By May 1 of the junior year	The student submits an honors application (PDF file) to the proposed thesis adviser, and the adviser, having approved the application, passes it to the Associate Department Head, who in turn registers the student for honors (ENG 495).
First week of classes in the fall	Deadline for registering for honors in English.
By early October	The student submits to the adviser a prospectus that includes a revised description of the project, a preliminary bibliography, and a schedule.
By early December	The student writes at least one-fourth of the thesis.
End of fall semester	The adviser lets the student and the associate head know whether the student will continue to pursue honors in the spring. If the thesis committee has been constituted, the adviser forwards to its members copies of the revised project description.
Shortly after spring break	The student submits a complete draft of the thesis to the adviser and ideally, to other members of the thesis committee. Shortly thereafter, all members of the thesis committee inform the adviser of any significant criticisms or suggestions for change.
2 weeks before spring final exams begin	The student distributes the completed thesis to the thesis committee.
By Friday of spring final exam week	The student defends the thesis before the committee.

February 2007, October 2010, April 2012