Format, Submission and Evaluation
Length and Format of the Thesis
There is no set page limit for a thesis, but a standard thesis in classics is 40-50 pages. Some thesis topics may require more than 50 pages. Archaeological theses are between 50 -100 pages. Students should work with their advisers to determine the appropriate length based on their topic.
Final Submission of the Thesis
After a successful defense, the student must submit three final copies of the senior thesis:
- One copy of the thesis should be in a three-ring binder and submitted to the Academic Administrator prior to the department's degree meeting in May. Please contact the Academic Administrator for the exact date.
- One copy of the thesis should be submitted to the library.
- One copy will be returned to the student after grading by the committee.
Evaluation of the Thesis
Evaluation of the senior honors thesis occurs at several points during the year.
Course Grade
There is a grade for the Independent Research course (GRK, LAT, or CLAS 99d), which may be taken for one or two semesters of the senior year.
Writing Evaluation (Ongoing)
One week after spring vacation or one week before the end of classes, whichever date is sooner, both faculty readers will return a draft with comments to the student for revision. The student may then revise the thesis before submitting three copies of the final draft to the department.
Honors Thesis Defense
The honors thesis defense is scheduled for the week prior to the annual May degree meeting. The defense committee is made up of the thesis adviser and a second reader from the Classical Studies Department. In some circumstances, a third reader from an adjacent department may be on the committee. During and after the defense, the thesis committee will offer their feedback and suggested revisions to the student. The defense lasts approximately 1-2 hours and is a scholarly discussion of the student's thesis. At the conclusion of the defense, the thesis committee's feedback will be made available to the student and to all members of the department.
Departmental Honors
The level of departmental honors is determined after taking into account the thesis committee's evaluation.