Undergraduate Program

Honors Program in Theology

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The Department of Theology offers an Honors Program for particularly gifted undergraduate majors who seek a deeper, more sustained experience in the major. The Honors Program gives participants the opportunity to research a topic in depth, in close collaboration with a member of the faculty, and to undertake an extended writing project. The experience of writing a thesis can give students a fuller grasp of the nature of the scholarly life. For students seeking an advanced degree, the thesis will send a strong signal of achievement and accomplishment to graduate schools.

Structure

Participants in the Honors Program enroll in:

  • a 1-credit Directed Readings course in the fall semester of their senior year
  • a 1-credit Honors Colloquium in the fall semester of their senior year
  • a 3-credit Honors Thesis Writing course in the spring of their senior year.

Those who successfully complete the program and receive an A- or higher grade for their thesis will receive departmental honors, to be recognized officially on their transcript.

Eligibility

All junior majors are invited to consider applying to the Honors Program, but participants in the Honors Program will be expected to have a G.P.A. of 3.7 or higher within the theology major and will need to be able to take 36 credits in theology rather than the usual 31 credits required for a primary major.

How are participants selected?

Applicants must submit the following application materials in the spring of their junior year (a specific date for Spring will be announced):

  • a brief prospectus (2-3 pages) identifying a potential topic for a thesis project, discussing the background you possess in this area, and stating why you wish to take part in the Honors Program (topics may change after this point)
  • the names of 2-3 faculty members in Theology who could speak to your suitability for the program
  • a cv or resume, including a list of relevant courses you have taken, the names of the faculty who taught these courses, and grades received
  • names of 2-3 faculty with whom you would be interested in writing a thesis

Decisions will be based on the following criteria:

  • faculty recommendations (based on oral consultation)
  • quality of the prospectus
  • overall GPA and GPA in the major

Applicants will be informed of the results of their application in early April, and participants will be assigned to a suitable thesis director (please note that it may not always be possible to match participants with the faculty members they have requested).