Students majoring in Environmental Studies (ENVS) and Environmental Science (ESCI) are encouraged to participate in the Environmental Studies Program Honors Program. Writing a senior thesis is good preparation for future professional positions and graduate studies. It provides an opportunity to develop your research and 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.

To graduate with departmental honors, a student must:

1. Have a 3.3 overall GPA and a 3.5 GPA in classes required for the major.
2. Complete a research-based thesis or creative project conducted under the direction of a faculty adviser. Due to the breadth of potential research topics, students can do original laboratory or field-based research, library-based research, or a terminal or creative project.

In summary, our requirements are:

1. Meet with your academic adviser
2. Complete your prospectus
3. Take ENVS 401: Research (4 credits) (not required for Clark Honors College students)
4. Take ENVS 403: Thesis (4 credits)
5. Give a public presentation
6. Submit your approved thesis to Scholar’s Bank

For more details, read our Honors Overview and Frequently Asked Questions.

Required: ENVS Honors Cover-Approval Pages

Timeline
Most students complete their research and writing during their senior year. However, the timeline is flexible if you are conducting research during the summer. Here is a typical schedule:

Fall Quarter
a. Determine your topic or area of interest
b. Meet with your academic advisor
c. Identify and secure your faculty adviser

Winter Quarter
a. Register for 4 credits of research (ENVS 401)
b. Submit prospectus to your faculty adviser
c. Complete research

Spring Quarter
a. Register for 4 credits of thesis (ENVS 403)
b. Make arrangements for oral presentation
c. Finalize and submit approved thesis to Scholar’s Bank