Undergraduate students majoring in WGSS or Human Sexuality can earn departmental honors by producing an honors thesis that is pertinent to the field of Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies. 

What is an Honors Thesis?

An honors thesis is a piece of original research or creative project that is supervised by a WGSS faculty member over two semesters and approved by a by a three-member thesis committee. In most cases, the thesis will be a written document of some length. Some students also incorporate creative, educational, or advocacy materials. Browse previous honors theses for ideas.

Who is eligible to pursue Honors in WGSS?

To pursue departmental honors in WGSS, students must be registered as a major in WGSS or Human Sexuality. Minors and certificate students are not allowed to pursue departmental honors in WGSS. 

Students must also have at least a 3.5 GPA in their WGSS or Human Sexuality major (calculated at the time of graduation).

There is no minimum requirement for a student's overall GPA.

What classes are required for Honors in WGSS? 

To produce the honors thesis, students must take 6 credit hours of honors thesis work (3 hours per semester for 2 semesters) with their honors thesis advisor. They must earn an A or B in the first semester and an A the second.

To complete these hours, students typically enroll in:

• WGSS 498: Independent Study in WGSS
• WGSS 499: Honors in WGSS 

Students may also enroll in other WGSS credit hours or credit hours of another department. This option often appeals to double majors who would like to complete one thesis for honors in both departments. Students should work with their honors thesis advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies to decide which course credits are most appropriate for their project.

Does the Honors Thesis count for the major capstone requirement? 

WGSS 499: Honors in WGSS automatically fulfills the capstone requirement for WGSS and Human Sexuality majors. 

Because WGSS 499 fulfills this major requirement, students who complete their honors thesis credits within the WGSS department do not have to take WGSS 601 to complete the capstone requirement for their WGSS or Human Sexuality major.

Generally, double majors who complete their honors thesis credits in another department for do have to take WGSS 601 to complete the capstone requirement for their WGSS or Human Sexuality major.

Sounds good! What do I do next? 

Talk with your academic advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies to make your honors plan. You can also check out the typical timeline for ideas to get started.