Overview

Departmental Honors are awarded at graduation, by a vote of the departmental faculty, to students whose activities and achievements in Geosciences are deserving of this highest recognition.

A student in Geosciences may work toward Departmental Honors by satisfying the University guidelines for Departmental Honors including the minimum 3.33 cumulative grade point average and 3.33 grade point average or better in the major.

In addition, the Department of Geosciences has the following requirements:

Application and Procedures

• Students planning to write a thesis in geosciences must discuss research plans with at least two department faculty members and secure the support of a thesis director and second reader by the end of the Junior year.
• Normally the student will initiate research during the Junior year or the summer following the Junior year.

Requirements

• Six hours of Thesis credit, GEOS 4395 and 4396, must be completed over two semesters.
• Students may enroll for thesis credit only with the permission of the thesis director.
• A formal written thesis proposal must be submitted to the geosciences faculty before the end of the fourth week of classes during the first semester of enrollment for thesis credit.
• Achievement of Department Honors will be determined by the quality of the thesis research, the written and oral presentations, and satisfaction of University requirements.