Honors Program

Departmental Honors Requirements

Departmental Honors:

University Honors students must complete the Departmental Honors requirements in their major academic discipline in order to complete the final requirement for University Honors – the 499 Honors Thesis. In addition to departmental honors requirements, University Honors students will also complete the Honors seminars/contracts required by the University Honors Program. Because the departmental honors process is integral to the University Honors process, University Honors students should consult with their major advisor to determine how/when to meet the departmental honors requirements soon after declaring their major.  A student may graduate with departmental honors if they are not members of the University Honors Program or do not complete the additional University Honors requirements but a student cannot graduate with University Honors without also completing the departmental honors requirements in their major area of study.

From the Faculty Manual:

Departmental Honors are aimed at those students who could benefit from an in-depth exposure to the methodology of a field to an extent greater than would be appropriate for most other students. Departmental Honors offers the student the opportunity to engage in a unified, scholarly project. The project includes a written component and an oral examination. A student does not have to be a member of the Wittenberg University Honors Program to receive Departmental Honors. In general, the student applies for Departmental Honors at the end of the junior year. The student should have a record of demonstrated high academic ability and self-discipline. In particular, the student needs a 3.50 cumulative GPA to be considered for Departmental Honors. In addition, the student should have demonstrated an advanced level of competence in the department of interest, which should include having completed half of the credits required for a major in the department. After appropriate departmental evaluation of the proposal, a three-person committee, chosen by the department, evaluates the completed project and conducts the oral examination. Ordinarily, one member of the committee serves as project supervisor. The student may undertake a project without enrolling for credit hours or may enroll in the project for up to 10 semester hours, which will be granted for a satisfactory project, whether or not the Departmental honors are awarded. Upon the recommendation of the project committee, the student is awarded Departmental Honors at graduation.

Links to Departmental Honors requirements/processes:

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