Department of Fine Arts

The student prepares for FA96a, the first semester of the Honors Thesis project in the coming year, initiating discussions with the faculty member who will serve as the principal advisor for the thesis (if) when the student is accepted for the honors program.

A student must have an average of 3.0 in Fine Arts courses and Department approval before registering for FA96a. The Fine Arts Department faculty member, in consultation with the Chair, forms an honors committee of 3 faculty members. The student’s principal advisor will serve as the head of the committee. This committee will guide the student throughout the year.

Student submits a brief thesis proposal for department review and approval, which takes place during the first FA Dept meeting of the Fall semester.

Deadline for submission by the student to the thesis advisor of the final version of the honors proposal (written document). Copies of this proposal will be sent to the other members of the honors committee after approval by the chairperson.

Deadline for submission by the student to the thesis advisor of:

1. Bibliography

2. Detailed written outline of the thesis

3. A written draft of one chapter of the thesis.

The advisor will review, give feedback and may decide to circulate these documents to the other members of the committee. A grade will be sent to the registrar.

A meeting of the student and honors committee, convened by the thesis advisor, will take place. In this meeting, the thesis will be discussed and any problems connected with it shall be examined. The date for this meeting should be sent to the Dept. Chairperson, who may attend. A substantial amount of the thesis text should be in a rough draft form (1/3 to 1/2) by early March.

Student turns in the final rough draft of entire thesis to their primary advisor. The exact date will be set annually but will fall toward the end of April.

Oral defense of the thesis by the student before the honors committee, followed by the meeting of the honors committee to determine the recommendation for and level of honors (Honors, High, Highest) by majority vote. N.B. – due date for 2nd semester Honors Thesis (*FA 96b) letter grade to Registrar will be set annually, but will fall around mid-May.

Note: A student electing to complete their coursework before the second semester of their senior year should advance this schedule by one semester.