Honors in Major

The completion of the Honors-in-Major program in the Department of Art and Art History enables you to graduate with honors in your chosen major. You do not have to be enrolled in the University Honors Program (a 32-credit program) to undertake the honors-in-major program (a 16-credit program). 

The requirements for the Honors-in-Major are a minimum 3.4 GPA overall, a minimum 3.5 GPA within the major, and the completion of 16 credits with a minimum grade of B- in the following: three 600-level or above courses in the major designated for honors (4 credits each) and Arts 700 Honors Seminar (4 credits).  Fine Arts majors would take Arts 798 Honors Senior Seminar (4 credits) in place of Arts 700.

To have a 600-level or above course designated "honors" a student must meet with the course instructor, get permission from the instructor to designate the course as an honors course, and agree to do the additional course work required to meet the honors designation.  The student then needs to complete and submit a "Change of Honors Designation" form (available online or at the Registrar's Office) during the first three weeks of the semester.

The Arts 700 Honors Seminar (or Arts 798 for Fine Arts majors) is a separate thesis course supervised by a faculty mentor.  The art history written thesis will involve substantial research in an original problem in art history.  The studio art thesis will include a significant independent body of work and a written statement about the completed thesis project.  For the student to pursue either thesis, a written proposal, 1-2 pages in length, needs to be endorsed by a faculty mentor and approved by the department Honors-in-Major Committee.   The proposal should clearly identify the specific goals, methodology, anticipated outcome, and a general timeline of the project.  The proposal must be submitted the semester prior to the start of the thesis project.  Upon completion, the student and the faculty mentor will present the thesis project to the Honors-in-Major Committee for review.  The Honors-in-Major Committee includes the department chair, the studio program coordinator, and a member of the art history faculty.

Students can start taking the 600-level or above honors designated courses at any time as long as the pre-requisites for the courses have been met.  The Arts 700 Honors Seminar or Arts 798 Honors Senior Seminar is generally taken during the student's senior year. 

For more information contact Professor Julee Holcombe, Honors-in-Major liaison, or your potential faculty mentor.