Skip to content Skip to navigation

Honors Program

Honors Program

The honors program in Anthropology provides eligible Anthropology majors with an opportunity to conduct original ethnographic, field, laboratory, or library-based research under the guidance of an Anthropology faculty member. All Anthropology majors are urged to consider applying to the departmental honors program in Anthropology. Interested Anthropology majors of junior standing may apply for admission to the honors program by applying first in Axess, submitting an honors application form, including a research topic/title of the proposed honors project, a two page abstract/proposal, a transcript, and a letter of reference from their faculty or honors adviser to the undergraduate student services officer on or by February 15th in the junior year.

Department majors are eligible to apply for honors candidacy with a 3.4 GPA in the department major, a 3.0 GPA in overall course work, and with no more than one incomplete listed on the transcript at the time of application*. Students must submit the final draft of their Honors Thesis to their Honors Advisor (1st Reader), 2nd reader, and the Undergraduate Student Services Officer electronically, or printed, no later than May 13th, 2018. Honors Advisors must complete a Certificate of Honors Eligibility Form, provided by the Student Services Officer, to confirm a student’s Honors status no later than May 20, 2018. If ineligible, students must withdraw their application to the Honors Program. Students interested in the Honors Program are encouraged to apply for summer research funding through the Department of Anthropology, Undergraduate Advising and Research, and area studies centers. This process requires planning as the Spring Quarter research deadline falls before the honors application due date. In most case, honors students apply for such funding early in the junior year.

* Students who do not meet this requirement may pursue the Senior Paper option.

How to Apply – Application Deadline is February 15th

  • Honors or Senior Paper Application form (application can be found HERE)
  • Two-page abstract/proposal
  • Relevant transcripts (for Honors Program applicants only)
  • Letter of recommendation from faculty advisor

Courses

  1. Required Courses--
    1. The theory and methods course appropriate to the student's chosen emphasis of study.
    2. ANTHRO 95B. Directed Study in Honors and Senior Papers is required in the final quarter of the student's B.A. degree program. Senior papers with a letter grade of 'A-' may be awarded departmental honors. Honors students must enroll for a minimum of 5 units and up to a maximum of 10 units. Please note, there is a 10 unit maximum for Independent/Direct Study Courses.
  2. Optional Courses--
    1. ANTHRO 92. Undergraduate Research Proposal Writing Workshop
    2. ANTHRO 93. Prefield Research Seminar
    3. ANTHRO 94. Postfield Research Seminar is given in Autumn Quarter only. Student researchers may choose to enroll in ANTHRO 94 and/or attend Bing Honors College in the summer following their junior year.
    4. ANTHRO 95. Research in Anthropology is recommended during Autumn and Winter quarters of the senior year.
    5. ANTHRO 199: Senior and Master's Paper Writing Workshop (ANTHRO 299)

Honors Research Paper Guidelines

Format

Grading

  • Grading average between two readers must be a letter grade of “A” or “A-”

Readers

  • First Reader: Honors Advisor (usually your Faculty Advisor)
  • Second Reader: Suggested by Faculty Advisor, may be outside of Department

Content

  • Depth
  • Guidelines
  • Qualitative Assessment

Outline

  • Table of Contents Introduction Literature Review
  • Contextualization of the question
  • Discussion on Methodology
  • Report on Fieldwork
  • Discussion of Results
  • Conclusion
  • Appendices