Honors in the Major
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Information Session for Honors in the Major
Thursday, 3 April 2025
[Advisement day for Juniors & Seniors; all classes cancelled]
10:00-10:30 am via Zoom
Email Prof. Bell (abell@mmm.edu) for hyperlink
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Honors in the Major provides students with exciting opportunities to explore their major discipline in depth, beyond their capstone work, by completing a substantial research or creative project. As their project goes through several stages—from preliminary idea to multiple drafts and onto the final result—they develop as thoughtful, steadfast scholars and artists. They demonstrate their capacity to think and work independently on an advanced level. Moreover, they benefit from a close, working relationship with their faculty mentor, from whom they can gain an even deeper understanding of their field. For all of these reasons, Honors in the Major advances a student’s preparation for exciting careers and graduate work.
Qualifying for Honors in the Major
To qualify for Honors in the Major, a student must have completed at least 75 credits at MMC. The student must also have received an A or A- in their capstone course and a GPA of at least 3.5 in the major.
When to pursue Honors in the Major: As the capstone course is generally taken in the Fall semester of the Senior year, Honors in the Major is therefore generally pursued in the Spring semester of the Senior year.
Honors in the Major is entirely independent of the College Honors Program (CHP). CHP sections are coded -HP01, -OLH01, or -BLH01. It is also distinct from Latin Honors, which are awarded at graduation on the basis of a student’s overall GPA: cum laude (GPA 3.50-3.69), magna cum laude (GPA 3.70-3.89), or summa cum laude (GPA 3.90-4.0).
How to Pursue Honors in the Major
Procedures: To pursue Honors in the Major, the student creates an Independent Study Project (ISP). They work under the mentorship of a full-time faculty member in the major and, in consultation with that mentor, complete the Independent Study Certification and Contract. The student is advised to contact Prof. Bell while constructing their syllabus. If the student wishes to pursue a topic on which she worked during the Senior Seminar, the work she does for Honors in the Major must be substantially different and must go substantially beyond the work of the earlier course. In this regard, the sponsoring faculty member must ensure that the work of Honors in the Major is not duplicative and truly warrants honors. Once the syllabus is complete, the student completes the online Independent Study Certification and Contract, and attaches the syllabus. This form is then electronically submitted to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for approval. CSS then registers the student for the Independent Study. Please see below for how each ISP is coded. The course does not indicate on the student’s schedule that it is being done for Honors in the Major; it simply lists the course as it would any other 400-level Independent Study Project.
Credits: Honors in the Major Independent Study Projects must be done for three (3) credits.
Nature of the Honors in the Major Project: An Honors in the Major project in the liberal arts is generally a substantial essay that entails original research. A literature review generally precedes the essay, which then goes through several drafts. Honors in the Major can also involve the making of a creative project. In the Art concentrations, it primarily takes the form of a body of artwork and exhibition, as well as writing requirements. The exact nature of the HIM project is determined by the sponsoring faculty member, in consultation with the student. HIM students in all majors give an oral presentation, open to the public, on their work at the end of the semester.
Recognition at Graduation: If the student completes or exceeds the terms of the HIM ISP contract, Honors in the Major will be awarded. The receipt of Honors in the Major is noted on the student’s transcript and in the Commencement Bulletin.
Honors in the Major is an option for any major at the College, with the permission of the faculty of that Department. For information on this subject, please consult Prof. Bell, Coordinator of Honors in the Major.
Art or Art History:
Students majoring in Art or Art History who have achieved an A or A- in their capstone course (ART 451) and who have maintained a 3.5+ GPA in the major are invited to pursue Honors in the Major in the Spring semester of their Senior year. This option is generally designed for students who wish to pursue graduate work in the field. Students who earn an A or A- in this HIM ISP will graduate with Honors in Art or Art History. The HIM ISP is coded ART 49X-01.
Biology and Biomedical Sciences:
Students in Biology and Biomedical Sciences may elect to pursue a Thesis Track, which involves three consecutive semesters of Natural Sciences research. Learn more here.
History:
History majors who have maintained a 3.5+ GPA overall and a 3.5+ GPA in the major are invited to apply for an Honors Independent Study, to be conducted in their final year. Students who earn an A or A- in their History Capstone and an A or A- in this HIM ISP will graduate with Honors in the HIST major. The HIM is coded HIST 49X-01.
International Studies:
Students may elect to pursue Honors in the IS major. Please consult with faculty in the Department for more information.
Politics and Human Rights:
Students may elect to pursue Honors in the PHR major. Please consult with faculty in the Department for more information.
Psychology:
Advanced Psychology majors who have obtained a 3.5+ GPA overall and a 3.5+ GPA in Psychology may pursue a Senior Honors Thesis (PSYCH 492-01) in place of a capstone course. This option is designed for students intending to pursue graduate school. These students will complete an honors project, an advanced-level paper that is either a sophisticated, original empirical research project or a comprehensive, in-depth literature review. If the project meets the requirements of the program, the student will graduate with Honors in Psychology. Students who wish to participate in this option must meet with the Chair of the Psychology Department Honors Committee at least one semester in advance of the planned participation.
Writing, Literature, and Language:
Writing, Literature, and Language majors who have maintained a GPA in the major of 3.5+ are invited to apply for an Honors Independent Study (EWL 49X-01), which they would conduct in their final semester. Students who earn an A or A- in this HIM ISP will graduate with Honors in the WLL Major.
Read more about WLL Honors in the Major Students
Example of an Honors in the Major Project
In Spring 2019, Psychology major Amanda Anzovino, ’19, worked on an Honors project that compared female police officer representation in U.S. municipal police departments in 1998 versus 2018. A Jeanette K. Watson Fellow, Amanda did original research for her project while completing a Watson-sponsored internship at the National Center for Women and Policing in Washington, DC. She later spoke about her research at the 31 st Annual Greater New York Conference on Behavioral Research, winning an award for best presentation on forensic/applied psychology. She also presented a poster of her research at the Eastern Psychological Association Convention in June 2020.
Spring 2024 - Honors in the Major Recipients
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Liam Gallagher, ’24, Honors in Art History: “The Political and Climatic Forces Behind the Rise and Fall of the Breakfast Piece During the Dutch Golden Age,” sponsored by Dr. Adrienne Baxter Bell
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Francesca Giovannetti, ’24, Honors in Art History: “American Women Artists of the Fauve Movement,” sponsored by Dr. Adrienne Baxter Bell
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Maya Glover-Castro, ’24, Honors in Politics & Human Rights: “Intertwining Rhythms: Urban Bush Women and the Inquiry of the Black Female Body in Concert Dance,” sponsored by Dr. Erin O’Connor
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Roisin Regan, ’24, Honors in Art History: “The Shape-Shifting Styles of Joseph Stella,” sponsored by Dr. Jason Rosenfeld
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Kylee Simpson, ’24, Honors in Politics & Human Rights: “The Constraints of Culture: The Blending of Transpropriation, Transculturation, and Transculturality,” sponsored by Dr. Erin O’Connor
LEFT (left to right): Liam Gallagher, Francesca Giovannetti, and Roisin Regan
Spring 2023 - Honors in the Major Recipients
- Kassidy Rose Aubrecht, Honors in English and World Literatures, sponsored by Dr. Martha Sledge
- Jacquelyn Ann Crandall, Honors in English and World Literatures, sponsored by Dr. Martha Sledge
- Emerson I. Crowley, Honors in Art, with a Concentration in Studio Practices, sponsored by Prof. Hallie Cohen
- Hannah Jane Decker, Honors in English and World Literatures, sponsored by Dr. Martha Sledge
- Genevieve Patricia Edgerton, Honors in Art, with a Concentration in Studio Practices, sponsored by Prof. Beth Shipley
- Shaun Anthony Karle, Honors in English and World Literatures, sponsored by Dr. Jennifer Brown
- Alice Nina Moye-Honeyman, Honors in Art, with a Concentration in Illustration and Animation, sponsored by Prof. Beth Shipley
- Melissa Ortiz, Honors in Art, with a Concentration in Photography, sponsored by Prof. Julia Gran
- Iris Winifred Haun Parke, Honors in Biomedical Sciences, sponsored by Dr. Alessandra Leri