Graduating with Honors
All eligible students in Environmental Studies and Science are encouraged to participate in the Honors Program. Katie Lynch and Peg Boulay are the ENVS Honors Coordinators and can be contacted at klynch@uoregon.edu, in 140A Columbia Hall, 346-5070 or boulay@uoregon.edu in 242 ColumbiaHall, 346-5945.
Honors Program
Honors in Environmental Studies has two components; grade point average, and the completion of a comprehensive student project.
Program Requirements:
- Students must have a 3.3 overall GPA and a 3.5 GPA in classes required for the major.
- A research-based thesis or creative project conducted under the direction of a faculty advisor. The project must involve some degree of primary research subject to approval by the Honors Coordinator.
ENVS students not in the SIP (Student Initiated Project) program must complete 8 credits of Research (401) and/or Thesis (403) in ENVS or other appropriate department. These credits must be distributed over at least two terms and can substitute for one upper division natural science elective (Science majors) or one upper division social science/humanities (Studies majors).
ENVS students in the SIP program must have their project (particularly the written portion) reviewed by the student's SIP Supervisor to determine whether the SIP project meets the thesis or creative project standards. The SIP project can substitute for both upper division natural science electives (Science majors) or both upper division social science/humanities electives (Studies majors).
Honors theses written for the Honors College of another department may be used to fulfill ENVS honors requirements if they address environmental issues and meet the ENVS primary research criterion.
Timeline for honors thesis
End of Fall Quarter
- Establish an area of interest (you may build on past works or papers)Winter Quarter
- Identify faculty sponsors
- Contact your undergraduate advisor (Peg Boulay or Katie Lynch)
- Write Draft Prospectus (Outline idea for thesis paper)
- Turn in preliminary bibliography
- Secure faculty sponsorsSpring Quarter
- Register for 4 credits of research (401)
- Register for 4 credits of Thesis (403)
- Make arrangements for oral presentation
Graduating with honors
Writing a senior thesis is good preparation for future professional positions and graduate studies. It provides an opportunity to develop your research (especially primary research) and professional writing skills. Graduating with honors demonstrates a high level of initiative and ability to work independently. An honors thesis is a way to become an expert on a topic of interest and gain recognition for your outstanding academic work.