Honors

Entry criteria for the honors program in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures (MLC) are:

  • Overall GPA of 3.3
  • A major GPA of 3.5 (B+)
  • Substantial completion of required coursework
  • Consent of all the faculty in the section

For students majoring in comparative literature there will be an advisory committee in charge of reviewing candidates’ applications for the honors program.

Participation in a study abroad program will be considered a positive factor for the student's admission. Students interested in being considered for the honors program should complete an application (DOC).

The entire program may be completed in the senior year, or students may elect to take the section/advanced course for honors credit in the spring of the junior year if they have been admitted to the honors program.

The program consists of the following three components, each of which is a four-credit unit:

  • CLTR 393H: Research Seminar (students are strongly encouraged to enroll in this course in their junior year if possible)
  • One seminar or upper-level course within the student's area of concentration and approved by the faculty
  • An honors thesis

Honors Thesis

The thesis must be written under the guidance of a professor in a 393H course.

The thesis should be in one of the following formats:

  • A 40-50 page (double-spaced) essay in English and a 2-3 page abstract in the language of the student's major
  • A 25-35 page essay in the foreign language and a 2-3 page abstract in English

The honors thesis will be evaluated by the advisor and a second professor in the department. The grade on the thesis will determine the student’s level of honors:

  • A: Highest Honors
  • A-: High Honors
  • B+: Honors

Students who receive a passing grade lower than B+ on the honors thesis will receive credit for the 393H course, but will not graduate with honors.

Honors students will present a portion of their research at the annual MLC undergraduate research conference in the spring. The aim of the honors thesis is to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their potential for in-depth study.