Honors Program

To earn honors in English, a major must complete English 498, Honors Seminar (1/2 unit). The student also must complete one unit of thesis writing (English 499, Honors Thesis). Credits earned for English 498 and 499 are in addition to the 10 units required in the English major. 

Honors students also designate two of the courses from their major program as honors courses.  In each case, the instructor, in consultation with the student and the honors coordinator, determines an appropriate honors component for the course.  Students must have attained a departmental GPA of 3.50 by the beginning of the fall semester of the senior year.  They also must maintain that GPA through the completion of the program and an overall GPA of no less than 3.30 while in the program.

The thesis must be submitted to a faculty committee in the spring of the student’s senior year. Honors will be granted only to those students whose theses meet departmental standards.

Students should declare their intention to seek honors and meet with the honors coordinator in their sophomore year. Students who have not declared by the second semester of their junior year are disqualified from further honors consideration. Those who have declared that they are seeking honors will be considered candidates until they fail to meet one of the program’s requirements.

For further information and advice on standards and curriculum, see the honors coordinator.