Graduating with Distinction
The Department of Religion has an honors program for "Graduation with Distinction" (see the Bulletin of Undergraduate Instruction).
This program is intended for the outstanding Religion major whose grade point average is at least 3.5 (both overall and in Religion) and who has demonstrated the desire and talent to pursue independent research. The student, under supervision by an advisor, will produce an honors thesis of exceptional quality.
1. Selection Procedure:
Religion majors with GPA (both overall and in Religion) of at least 3.5 may apply for the "Graduation with Distinction" program. The required GPA must be maintained to graduation. Normally it is expected that the student will be in the top third of his or her class by the end of the junior year. Before the end of the junior year (i.e., before pre-registration for the first semester of the senior year) the prospective candidate is to complete the application form available in the Religion Department office. The completed form, along with a one-page summary of the proposed project signed by the professor who has agreed to serve as the advisor, two letters from professors in the Department with whom the student has studied (one of whom should be the project director), and a current transcript, are to be returned to the Department office. The Director of Undergraduate Studies will review the application. If it is approved, the normal procedure is for the student to enroll in Religion 197-198 for the senior year. This is "Honors Research," under the guidance of the faculty advisor. Upon successful completion of the courses, the student receives two course credits. Continuance in the program beyond the first term is contingent upon satisfactory progress assessed by the student's committee (usually consisting of the advisor, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and one other professor agreed upon by the DUS, the advisor, and the student) at the end of the first semester.
2. Expected Product:
An honors thesis is to be completed by March 31. The thesis should constitute an original research paper investigating a significant subject in religious studies, usually 40- 70 pages in length.
3. Evaluation Procedure:
Three copies of the thesis are to be turned over to the advisor for the members of the committee. Before April 10, the student defends the thesis in an hour-long oral defense before the committee.
An honors thesis must be outstanding in each of the following aspects: (a) conception of a "research problem"; (b) thoroughness of research, effective use of appropriate sources; (c) originality and interest; (d) organization of the paper, clarity of expression, and prose style. The student's work is the result of a full semester of research in a course devoted entirely to the writing of the paper, so high expectations in all four of these areas are justified. We do not expect journal articles of publishable quality, but an honors paper in Religion may be as close to the level of a journal article of publishable quality as it is distant from a term paper in an undergraduate course. It should be at the level of a graduate student seminar paper.
The three readers offer assessments as to whether the paper merits "distinction," and the majority decides. The committee may then recommend to the Religion faculty that the student be approved for "Graduation with Distinction in Religion," or the committee may recommend that the student be granted passing grades for the honors courses but without honors distinction.
4. Special Courses:
Though not absolutely required, it is generally expected that students applying for "Graduation with Distinction" will have taken at least one course analyzing different methods for the study of religion, such as ReI. 212: "Theories of Religion." This course may also be taken during the course of the student's senior year.
5. Application Forms
