Requirements for English Honors: Thesis (402-3):
Fourteen courses are required for honors: the twelve required of all majors plus a two-term honors thesis seminar, EGL 402 - 403.* The two-term thesis supplements the required senior seminar. Other qualifications for honors thesis applicants include: a 3.3 GPA; successful completion of EGL 302 during the winter of students’ junior year; acceptance of a topic proposal, submitted during the Spring Term of students’ junior year. Participation in the thesis workshop presupposes that students will be in residence during the fall and winter of their senior year. See the English Department website for a more complete description.
In this two-term honors thesis workshop, students learn research methods, discuss their ideas and theoretical approaches, and workshop their creative and critical writing as they complete their individual theses under the direction of the seminar instructor with the aid of special field readers. Prospective Honors thesis students all must take EGL 302, whether they plan to write creative or analytical theses. Creative writing thesis students should have already had at least one workshop in their proposed creative writing genre. Students should discuss possible thesis subjects with their advisor and other departmental members in order to develop an innovative, sustained yet appropriately-sized thesis topic. Candidates submit a two-to three-page thesis proposal accompanied by a writing sample for departmental review.
*Note: Double major honors students who are writing one thesis that combines both fields of study should register for IDM 487-488 (with signatures from a director in each department) yet attend EGL 402-403. DO NOT REGISTER FOR BOTH IDM and EGL 402-3. The option of a combined double major thesis is not available in conjunction with all departments, and, of course, relies on a research topic that is acceptable to both departments.