Residential College students interested in graduating with honors or pursuing an Honors thesis in LSA have several academic paths to consider. This page outlines the key differences between LSA Distinction, the LSA Honors Program, and departmental Honors theses.
LSA Distinction (Based on GPA and Class Rank)
Graduation with distinction is automatically awarded based on your GPA relative to your graduating class. No application is required.
Eligibility:
- Completion of at least 45 graded in-residence LSA credits
- Approved for graduation
Distinction Levels (based on class rank):
- Highest Distinction: Top 3% of the class
- High Distinction: Top 10% of the class (excluding the top 3%)
- Distinction: Top 25% of the class (excluding the top 10%)
GPA Thresholds (for May, August, December 2024 graduates)*:
- Highest Distinction: 3.995 – 4.000
- High Distinction: 3.955 – 3.994
- Distinction: 3.867 – 3.954
*These thresholds are recalculated annually based on GPA distributions from the previous year. Distinction levels are posted on both your transcript and diploma.
Pursuing an Honors Thesis
LSA students can choose to pursue advanced, independent research in their major through an Honors thesis. This process is separate from Distinction and is open to students whether or not they participated in the LSA Honors Program as first-years. There are no Honors minors - only majors.
RC students who are in both the RC and the LSA Honors Program from year one are advised by the RC until they declare an Honors major. RC students are eligible to pursue an Honors Thesis in RC majors (e.g., Social Theory & Practice, Linguistics, Physics) or in any other LSA major they are completing.
All RC majors incorporate the opportunity to pursue an Honors Thesis.
Basic Requirements:
- Minimum cumulative GPA: 3.400 (some departments may require higher)
Completion of an approved Honors thesis or participation in the Honors Independent Mentored Project (HIMP)
What to Expect:
- Original research in your chosen field, typically completed during senior year
- Supervision by a faculty mentor within your major
- Format and length vary by department
- Often includes enrollment in departmental research or thesis courses
Final Evaluation:
Your department submits one of the following recommendations to the Honors Program:
- No Honors
- Honors
- High Honors
- Highest Honors
Students must meet both the academic and research standards set by their department. Students below the 3.4 GPA minimum may petition for an exception with departmental support and strong justification.
Thesis and the Upper-Level Writing Requirement (ULWR):
Students may use their Honors thesis to fulfill the ULWR if they complete an Honors Thesis Intent Form by the third week of the term in which the thesis will be completed. This form must be approved by both the thesis advisor and the Honors Program.
