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Honors in Classics or Ancient Studies

The departmental honors program is open to Classics and Ancient Studies majors with a strong academic record and is particularly recommended for those planning to pursue graduate work. The centerpiece of the program is a substantial research paper on a topic of the student’s own choosing, written in the senior year under the direction of a faculty member of the Classics department.

The honors thesis is an exciting and deeply satisfying way to complete your undergraduate major. The project allows you to delve deeply into a subject that interests you, to work closely with a faculty member, and to produce a substantial piece of research. Recent theses in the department (shelved in the Classics study room) have ranged in length from 40 to 100 pages, not counting bibliography and illustrations. Successful completion of the thesis brings with it six academic credits.

Eligibility

To apply for honors, a student should have the following: 

  • Junior standing
  • A cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher
  • An average of A- or better in advanced courses (300-level or higher) in Greek and/or Latin (for Classics majors) or in Classics (for Ancient Studies majors)
  • Agreement of a Classics faculty member to act as advisor of the thesis
  • Permission of the Chair of the Department

Application to the program

The following items must be included in the application:

  • Completed application form, with the signature of the faculty member who will supervise the thesis  
  • Transcript, with cumulative GPA clearly indicated
  • A 1-2 page description of the project, with a preliminary bibliography

Timetable

Spring semester of the Junior year
In the early part of the semester, students should begin to develop a topic and should identify a faculty member who is willing to advise the thesis.
April 21: application to the honors program due.
May 10: decisions on applications announced.

Fall semester of the Senior year
Honors students enroll in Study for Honors (Greek 499, Latin 497, or Classics 497 as appropriate).
First week of classes: meet with thesis advisor to develop a schedule for the timely completion of the thesis. In the course of the semester, the advisor and the student should identify two additional faculty members who will serve as readers.
First day of exams: all written work assigned for fall semester due to advisor. The advisor either: records a grade for Study for Honors and approves continuation of the project into the Spring semester; or, in consultation with other committee members, terminates the honors project. The student will then enroll in Classics 493 and complete the work as a Senior Project, for three credits. Reasons for termination might be insufficient progress during the fall semester, or a drop in the GPA below the threshold of 3.5.
Spring semester of the Senior year
Student enrolls in Greek 499, Latin 498, or Classics 498.
February 1: complete draft of the thesis to be submitted to the thesis supervisor.
Friday before March Break: final draft of the thesis, complete with all documentation, bibliography, and illustrations, to be submitted to the full committee. The draft should be prepared in three copies (for the advisor and the two committee members). The thesis must be double-spaced and printed on one side of the page only. All three copies must be comb- or spirally bound.
Thesis defense: an oral presentation, followed by discussion with the thesis committee, normally within two weeks of submission of thesis. After the defense, the members of the committee discuss the thesis, assigning a grade and a level of honors; the candidate is informed of this decision immediately.
The committee members return copies of the thesis, marked with corrections and revisions. The student will then prepare the final version of the thesis.
Ca. March 25 (date varies slightly from year to year): deadline for submission of honors grade to the Registrar.
First week of April: final version of the thesis to be submitted for binding. This official copy of the thesis must be typed double-spaced on white paper.

Grading

The level of honors awarded will be determined by the quality of the thesis and the GPA. The guidelines of the college suggest the following GPA thresholds: 3.5 for cum laude; 3.65 for magna cum laude; 3.8 for summa cum laude. These honors will be printed in the graduation program.