Environmental Studies Honors Program
Outstanding students majoring in environmental studies are encouraged to participate in our honors program. The program requires the completion of an honors thesis, which includes the preparation of a proposal, data collection, a written analysis, and an oral defense. Successful completion of the program results in graduation with "Honors in Environmental Studies."
Requirements for environmental studies majors to participate in the honors program:
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Grade Point Average (GPA): A student must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 for all courses that count towards the major requirements and 3.2 for all courses overall.
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Identification of faculty advisor: A student will need to identify a faculty member in environmental studies who will advise and guide the student through the preparation and completion of the honors thesis. It is recommended that students identify their faculty advisor for their honors thesis by the end of their junior year.
- Course requirements: A student must register for, and satisfactorily complete ENVI 498 Honors Thesis I and ENVI 499 Honors Thesis II with their identified faculty advisor during the two semesters of their senior year of study.
- Formation of Honors Committee: In addition to their faculty advisor in environmental studies, a student will need to identify an additional faculty member to serve on the student's Honors Committee. This person will provide additional guidance on the student's thesis topic and serve as a second reader for the final thesis. The Honors Committee should be formed while the student is enrolled in ENVI 498 and it should be done under the guidance of the faculty advisor.
- Defense of the thesis: The student will need to schedule an oral defense of their thesis no later than the Friday prior to the last week of classes. One week prior to their scheduled defense, the student will need to submit their written thesis to their Honors Committee. Oral defenses will consist of a presentation of their work (open to the public and/or interested parties) followed by a closed defense with the student and the Honors Committee.
- Procedures for final certification: The student's faculty advisor will need to inform the Environmental Studies Academic Advisor on the fulfillment of the Honors Thesis requirements so that timely notification of the award can be transmitted to the dean's office and to the registrar. A copy of the final thesis (in PDF format) must be emailed to the Undergraduate Program Director with each of the Honors Committee members copied to certify completion of the honors thesis and the oral defense.
Please fill out the Honors Thesis Registration Request form if you meet these requirements and plan to work on an Honors Thesis.
Interested in receiving research funding?
Environmental Studies students completing an honors thesis can apply for the Schumann Environmental Research Award via this Google Form. Students will need to apply when they are enrolled in ENVI 498 in order to receive funding the following semester. Students should apply in consultation with their faculty advisor.
