Honors Program Descriptions by Division and Department

Humanities Honors Programs 2015-16, Compiled by Grace Ledbetter

Art (Tomoko Sakomura, Chair)Honors Major in Art History: three 2-credit seminars or two 2-credit seminars + 2-credit thesis. Course + attachment may be substituted for one seminar. Must fulfill requirements for 9-credit course major. Honors Minor: one 2-credit seminar + at least two other courses in art history. Only one may be a transfer credit.

Honors Major in Studio Art: must fulfill course major requirements. Three double-credit preparations consisting of: one 2-credit seminar in art history + one 2-credit preparation consisting of Senior Workshop I and II + two related courses which must be approved by departmentSHS: culminating exhibition of the student's studio work + accompanying artist essay of 3,750 to 5,000 words sent to both examiners of studio preparations. A revision of a paper written previously for the art history preparation will be sent to the art history examiner.

Classics (Grace Ledbetter, Chair)Honors Major in Greek or Latin: three 2-credit seminars.SHS: revision of one paper (max 4,000 words) from each seminar to be sent to examiner.

Honors Major in Ancient History: two 2-credit seminars + 1 course + attachment. Course + attachment may be substituted for the second seminar. SHS: revision of paper from seminar(s); no paper required for course + attachments.

Honors Major in Classical Studies: three 2-credit units of study, at least one of which must be a Classical Studies Capstone Seminar. SHS: revision of one paper from each seminar to be sent to examiner.

Honors Minors: Greek and Latin: one 2-credit seminar;Classical Studies: 5 credits including 2-credit Capstone Seminar. Ancient History: Course + attachment as honors prep + 2 additional courses.

Music and Dance (Tom Whitman, Chair)

Honors Major in Music: Three Honors Preparations:1. Required Honors Preparation: Senior Research Project. This consists of MUSI 094 (Senior Research Topics) in combination with one course in Music History and Literature, in Music Theory, or in Ethnomusicology.

2., 3. Elective Honors Preparations, normally one of the following:

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Music Theory. A 2-credit honors preparation in Music Theory is normally based on MUSI 115 in combination with one lower-level Music Theory course.Music History. A 2-credit honors preparation in Music History may be based on any music seminar numbered 100 or higher or on any other Music History course when augmented by concurrent or subsequent additional research, directed reading, or tutorial, with faculty approval.Composition. At least two semesters of MUSI 019 (Composition)Senior Honors Recital. A Senior Honors Recital preparation is available only to students who have distinguished themselves as performers. It is normally limited to those who have won full scholarships through MUSI 048. Students who wish to pursue this option must follow all of the steps listed in the departmental guidelines for senior recitals (see department website) and obtain approval of their program from the music faculty during the semester preceding the proposed recital. They should register for MUSI 099: Senior Honors Recital. This full credit, together with at least another full credit of relevant coursework in music, will constitute the 2-credit honors preparation. One faculty member will act as head adviser on all aspects of the honors recital. As part of the honors recital, the student will write incisive program notes on all of the works to be performed. This work will be based on substantive research -- including analytical as well as historical work -- and will be overseen by one or more members of the music faculty.Senior Thesis.

Students are encouraged to propose honors preparations in any areas that are of particular interest, whether or not formal seminars are offered in those areas. The music faculty will assist in planning the most appropriate format for these interests.

Oral examinations are given for all honors preparations in music. Written examinations, in addition to oral examinations, are given for those preparations based on courses or seminars, not for theses, performances, and composition portfolios.

Honors Minor in Music:

A. Required. Two courses in Music Theory plus Musicianship sections (MUSI 040). MUSI 040 may be taken for 0.0 or 0.5 credit at the student's option.MUSI 011 and 040AMUSI 012 and 040B

B. Required. At least two courses in Music History and Literature, and/or in Ethnomusicology, from among the following:MUSI/DANC 010 (The Fieldwork of Music and Dance)MUSI 020 (Medieval and Renaissance)MUSI 021 (Baroque and Classical)MUSI 022-W (19th-Century Europe)MUSI 023-W (20th Century)

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Any other Music History course numbered above 023

C. Required. 1 elective.This may be an additional course --- at any level, introductory or advanced --- in Music History and Literature; in Ethnomusicology or World Traditions; or in Music Theory. Alternatively, with permission of the music faculty, it could be an academic course in Theater or Dance if relevant to the student’s interests.

D. One honors preparation.See Honors Major for descriptions of possible Honors Preparations.

E. Additional Requirements.Keyboard Skills ExamDepartment ensemble for at least two semesters

Honors Major in Dance: 3 preparations: 1) Literature review –combination of two History/Theory courses; 2) composition video review – analysis of various choreographic techniques; 3) senior project of thesis.

Honors Minor in Dance: 2 preparations determined in consultation with advisor - either composition or history and theory.

English Literature (Nora Johnson, Chair)Honors Major: three double credit seminars. With approval a thesis or creative writing project (one-credit Directed Creative Writing project + one-credit Advanced Workshop) may be substituted for one seminar. Program must include seminars from at least two of the specified historical periods. Students submit an honors essay for each seminar.

Honors Minor: one 2-credit seminar, or, in special cases, a creative writing portfolio. 5 units of work in English with some requirements.

Film and Media Studies (Bob Rehak, Chair)Honors Major: Limited number of seminars, so honors major approved only in exceptional cases.

Honors Minor: 2-credit seminar or FMST 090 +attachment or 1 or 2 credit thesis or project or other approved course or seminar work. SHS: revised short essay or short film.

Religion (Tariq al-Jamil, chair)Honors Major: requirements for course program + three 2-credit seminars or 2-credit thesis or 1-credit thesis+course combination. 2 of the 3 preparations must be seminars. SHS: 3 honors essays, which are normally revised final seminar papers.

Honors Minor: one 2-credit preparation

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SHS: one honors essay (revised final seminar paper)

Theatre (Allen Kuharski, chair)Honors Major: required courses + one 2-credit seminar + two thesisprojects or second 2-credit seminar + thesis project.

Honors Minor: seven credits of work including specific courses + one2-credit seminar.

Honors Minor/Course Major: 10-credit course major in which either a 2-credit seminar (required for all majors whether as an honors prep or not) or an additional thesis project is submitted for honors.  This opens the option of a thesis as the prep for an honors minor as long as it is combined with a full course major.

French (Jean-Vincent Blanchard, section head)Honors Major: complete course major requirements including Senior Colloquium + 3 preparations, 2 of which must be 2-credit seminars. The third may be a seminar, 2-credit thesis, approved course combination, or course + attachment.

Honors Minor: requirements for course minor, including senior colloquium + 2-credit seminar preparation.

Spanish (Maria Luisa Guardiola, chair)Honors Major: three 2-credit preparations either seminars or two course combination that form a logical pairing.No SHSHonors Minor: one 2-credit unit of preparation.

Philosophy (Allen Baker, acting chair)Honors Major: three 2-credit seminarsSHS: 3 essays written during the spring semester on topics assigned by external examiners.

Honors Minor: one 2-credit seminar.SHS: one essay written in spring semester on topic assigned by external examiner.

Russian (Sibelan Forrester, section head)Honors Major: Three 2-credit preparations which are either 1) a 2-credit seminar; 2) a designated pair of courses; or 3) a course + attachment.SHS: arranged on an individual basis for up to one credit.

Honors Minor:One 2-credit seminar, designated course pair, or course + attachmentSHS: arranged on an individual basis with the option of receiving .5 credits.

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German Studies (Hansjakob Werlen, coordinator)Honors Major: Three 2-credit seminars. Two advanced courses in German Studies +a special topics course may be substituted for one seminar, with approval of the chair. SHS: annotated bibliography concerning five texts in each seminar offered for external examination. Becomes part of honors portfolio. Carries no credit.

Honors Minor:One 2-credit seminar.SHS: annotated bibliography concerning five texts in the seminar offered for external examination. Becomes part of honors portfolio. Carries no credit.

Japanese (Joanna Sturiano, acting section head)Students must construct a special honors major or minor in consultation with the Japanese section head.

Chinese (Haili Kong, section head)Honors Major: Three 2-credit preparations which are either 1) a 2-credit seminar; 2) a designated pair of courses; or 3) a course + attachment.SHS: arranged on an individual basis for up to one credit.

Honors Minor:One 2-credit seminar, designated course pair, or course + attachmentSHS: arranged on an individual basis with the option of receiving .5 credits.

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Natural Science & Engineering Honors Programs 2015-16, Compiled by Amy Cheng Vollmer

These are notes compiled from a discussion about honors at the 3 November meeting of NSE department chairs, convened by Jaye Talvacchia. The final version of this document has input from each NSE chair. We did not discuss SHS at our meeting, but I asked each chair to comment on their SHS, which is not required in some departments. Departments are listed alphabetically. It should be noted that there are no honors-only seminars in NSE, but preference can be given to honors students during pre-enrollment. However, some students know this and ‘game’ the system by saying they are ‘honors’ but dropping it.

Biology (Amy Vollmer, Chair)Biology honors major: 3 preps = 2 100 level (2-credit) seminars + 1 research thesis (summer + 1 semester, minimum; occasionally 2 summers, away). Research can be done elsewhere, with careful mentoring by on-campus department liaison, who begins communicating with PI of lab before start of summer research. All 100-level seminars in Biology are 2-credit, with the second credit being a laboratory project – sometimes that project is an on-ramp for an independent thesis project. With the transition to 4-course load, seminars have allowed more different intermediate course pre-requisites, thus expanding the pathways for entrance into the seminars. Neuroscience special major (offered in conjunction with Psychology): 4 preps = 3 seminars (in either department) + 1 research thesis (in either department; can also be done elsewhere with Bio faculty liaison) Senior Honors Study – required for all Bio honors majors and any Bioehcm or Neuroscience honors majors who did research with Biology faculty. 1 credit, graded CR/NC, spring of senior year. Faculty who mentored thesis and senior honors majors meet weekly – giving students practice in oral presentation and fielding questions from the group. Poster session during the week after spring break allows student to get more feedback about results and how they are displayed; juniors who have expressed interested in honors in Biology are specifically invited to attend the poster session.

Chemistry and Biochemistry (Kathleen Howard, Chair)Chemistry honors major: 3 preps = 2 100-level seminars (1 credit each and ‘bundled’ with an intermediate pre-req) + 1 research thesis. Exams are based on the 100-level seminars and not the intermediate courses. Chemistry faculty discussed the option of 3 seminar preps and no thesis (all majors participate in attending and preparing for colloquium speakers), as a way to attract more students, but so far no takers. Biochemistry special major (offered in conjunction with Biology): 4 preps = 3 seminars (in either department) + 1 research thesis (in either department; can also be done elsewhere with Bio faculty liaison) SHS - no formal SHS program. They gather the Honors students in the Spring to give talks on their projects for the whole department.

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Computer Science (Tia Newhall, Chair)CS honors major: 3 preps = Two 2-course pairings (each pairing consists of a focus course and a breadth course selected from a group a related upper-level courses, written and oral exams are on the focus course in a pairing, the breadth course provides additional related background to the focus course) + 1 research thesis (based on summer research and 1 credit during the academic year); CS can’t project courses more than one year in advance and cannot offer seminars. The new grouping of courses should allow for more flexibility in creating meaningful 2-course preparations, making it easier for students to satisfy this part of the honors requirement, and also facilitating finding examiners more easily. SHS – not required

Engineering (Carr Everbach, Chair)Engineering honors major: 3 preps = 2 pairs of upper-level courses + one upper- level course paired with Senior Engineering Project (E90). The E90 project is equivalent of a research thesis, but required of all Engineering majors, and is usually paired with an upper-level course upon which it is based. SHS - Senior Honors Study is usually a lab report or course-based project report from one or more preparations that is sent to the appropriate examiner for background. SHS is not required, but is negotiated with each student.

Mathematics and Statistics (Phil Everson, Chair)Mathematics honors major: 3 preps = 3 paired course + seminar: examined on both course and seminar; 2 required seminars: real or complex analysis and modern algebra; the third may be topology, geometry or statistics. Our honors exams all cover material both from the core course and from the seminar. A great way to get students prepared for graduate study. SHS – not required

Physics and Astronomy (Michael Brown, Chair)Physics honors major: 3 preps = 3 seminars (paired with intermediate courses): [choice of Phys 112, 113, 114]; or 2 seminars + 1 research thesis (done during summer and 1 credit during academic year). Dropping requirement for thesis – some faculty regret it – but because fewer students are opting for research, wanted to still have a viable honors program. Some students have the opportunity to write short papers for publication with faculty and opt to do that instead of thesis. SHS – not required; we have one faculty member to coordinate honors exam review and another thesis coordinator to act as a second reader.

Psychology (Jane Gillham, Chair)Psychology honors major: 3 preps = 2 seminars (intermediate course + seminar paired) + 1 research thesis. The honors exams focus primarily on the seminars but also cover material from the intermediate course. There is no SHS.

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Social Sciences Honors Programs 2015-16 Compiled by Jennifer Peck

These honors program descriptions are compiled from a Social Sciences division meeting of department chairs and representatives on November 17th as well as departmental materials in the college catalog. Each entry describes the general structure of the honors program in the department as well as thesis and non-seminar preparation options. Prerequisites for entry into the honors major are noted as well.

Economics (Philip Jefferson, Chair)Prerequisites: Applicants for an honors major should have satisfied all of the requirements for an Economics course major and, in addition, should have a straight B or better grade average in Economics courses. This condition includes the grade equivalent(s) for any course(s) taken Credit/No Credit.

Applicants for an honors minor should have satisfied all of the requirements for acceptance as an Economics course major and, in addition, should have a straight B or better grade average in Economics courses.  This condition includes the grade equivalent(s) for any course(s) taken Credit/No Credit.   While minors are not required to complete a specific number of Economics courses, they must satisfy all the prerequisites for their honors preparation.

Economics Honors Major and Minor: Honors majors in Economics must take 3 preparations, and honors minors must take 1 preparation. All preparations in Economics consist of 2 credits. Most preparations involve taking a 2-credit seminar, but some preparations may combine a course and a 1-credit seminar. Currently there is one such preparation formed with a single-credit honors seminar (Econ 135: Advanced Econometrics) that pairs with an upper level prerequisite course (Econ 35: Econometrics) to form one preparation.Examiners will determine a student's Honors performance in an individual preparation based on a 3 hour written exam, the seminar paper that they receive, and an oral exam.

Thesis: There is no thesis option offered in the honors or course programSeminar Admission: Honors seminars are open to course students, with honors students given priority.Educational Studies (Ann Renninger, Chair)Prerequisite for the honors major: EDUC 14 and two additional EDUC courses; for the honors minor, EDUC 14. In either case the student must have at least an average of B+ in all EDUC courses. Honors majors and minors may also pursue teacher certification.Students may pursue an honors special major in educational studies and another department or interdisciplinary program. The major requires 10-12-credits at least 5 of which must be in Educational Studies (EDUC). The four honors preparations must be distributed a follows: 3 two-credit honors preparations, one or two of which must be in EDUC, and one or two in the other discipline. Normally the preparations are 2-credit seminars, but it is also possible to compete a 1-credit EDUC course with a 1-credit attachment. The 4th preparation must be a 2-credit thesis that integrates the fields of the

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honors major (ECUC and the second field). Students are expected to maintain at least a B+ average in their EDUC courses.

The honors minor requires 5 credits in Educational Studies, including EDUC 14 and an EDUC seminar. Honors written examinations: Students doing written honors exams in Educational Studies may have up to 5 hours to complete their exams. Intellectual Autobiography: All honors students (majors and minors) must submit an intellectual autobiography to the examiner and may also choose to send a paper from an honors seminar. The autobiography and paper are not formally evaluated by the examiner; they are intended to familiarize the examiner with the student’s experience and background in educational studies.

History (Tim Burke, Chair)Prerequisites: Majors in the Honors Program will complete at least nine total credits, one of which will be the Senior Research Seminar (HIST 091) in which students write a research paper based on primary sources.

History Honors Major and Minor: History Honors majors will complete three two-credit seminars. Honors majors must also have a pre-1750 course and a non-USA/Europe course. Honors Majors will revise one paper per seminar for their portfolio submitted to external examiners. Revised papers will not be graded but will be included in the portfolio to provide examiners a context for the evaluation of the written examination taken in the spring of the senior year.

Minors in the Honors Program will complete one double-credit seminar in addition to three History credits taken at Swarthmore.

The department does not allow non-Honors courses to count as History honors preparations, but individual faculty occasionally allow courses to form part of a preparation in an interdisciplinary Honors major or as a preparation in another department.

Thesis: A two-credit thesis option is available to replace one of the seminars.

Seminar Admission: Course students are encouraged to take seminars.

Linguistics (Ted Fernald, Chair)Prerequisites: Honors majors in Linguistics must complete a total of 8 credits in Linguistics and must complete all of the requirements for the course major. Honors minors must either complete all of the requirements of the course major or one of the course minors in Linguistics. These consist of five credits in Linguistics that form a coherent minor.

Linguistics Honors Major and Minor: The honors major consists of three preparations in Linguistics, including the thesis and two pairs of related single-credit courses taken in

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Linguistics. Honors majors must complete two linguistics research papers synthesizing the concepts and material in these courses in LING 199.

Examiners are recruited in the Fall semester and provide 3 research questions for the students to answer in 4000 words or less. Students can discuss this work with faculty in general terms but may not receive explicit guidance on these responses.

Linguistics honors minors who complete the requirements for a course minor must also write a single honors research paper synthesizing the work in two single-credit courses, taking LING 199 for 0.5 credits. If the honors minor completes the course major, the thesis counts as the honors preparation.

Thesis: A two-credit thesis is one of the three required honors preparations.

Special Major in Linguistics and Language: Honors special majors in linguistics and language must complete a total of 6 credits in Linguistics and at least 3 credits in each of 2 languages. For a modern language, these consist of 1 course numbered 4 or above and 2 courses numbered 11 or above or a seminar. For classical languages, these consist of 1 course numbered 11-14 and 1 seminar.

Special majors must also complete two linguistics research papers synthesizing the concepts and material in two pairs of courses in LING 199.

The honors minor is not available in Linguistics and Language.

Political Science (Keith Reeves, Chair)Prerequisites: To be accepted into the Honors Program students should normally have at least an average of 3.5 inside and 3.2 outside the department, and should have given evidence to the departmental faculty of their ability to work independently and constructively in a seminar.

Political Science Honors majors must meet all current distributional requirements for majors, including the political theory requirement, preferably with the Honors versions of Ancient or Modern Political Theory. They must have a minimum of ten credits inside the Political Science Department.

Honors minors in political science will be required to have at least five credits in political science.  Among these credits there must be one introductory course (POLS 001, 002, 003 or 004; a first year seminar does not count), one course in political theory, and one course in one other subfield.

Honors minors may count POLS. 001(Introduction to Political Theory) as fulfillment of the political theory requirement. Only honors minors and special majors are allowed to count POLS 001 for fulfillment of their theory requirement. 

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Political Science Honors Major and Minor: Honors majors in Political Science must take 3 preparations, and honors minors must take 1 preparation. These two-unit preparations will normally be either a two-credit Honors seminar or a “course-plus” option, in which a one-credit honors attachment is added to an upper-level course to form a two-credit honors preparation. Students may arrange these course plus options with a specific faculty member and have the preparation approved by the Chair. No more than one of the preparations can be a course-plus option.

Honors majors fulfill the Senior Honors Study requirement by revising a paper written for one of their department seminars. This paper will be submitted to the appropriate external examiner as part of the honors evaluation process.

Minors are required to take one of the two-unit Honors preparations offered by the Department.

Seminar Admission: Honors seminars are only open to honors students, with preference given to seniors, then juniors, including special majors.

Thesis: There is no thesis option offered in the honors program.

Psychology (Jane Gillham, Chair)Prerequisites: Honors majors in psychology are required to take PSYC 001, Introduction to Psychology (or equivalent) and at least two core courses in addition to those included in their honors programs (thus meeting the core requirement in the major). They are also required to take a course in statistics, STAT 011, and PSYC 025 (Research).

In addition to their courses or seminar for honors preparation, minors are required to include Introduction to Psychology or Nature and Nurture and two other courses, at least one of which is a core course, in their programs, for a minimum of 5 credits in psychology.

Psychology Honors Major and Minor: The program for students majoring in psychology consists of three preparations for examination. Two of these are sequences of a course and a one-credit seminar.

The honors minor consists of one two-credit preparation for external examination consisting of a one-credit seminar and corresponding core course.

The work done in the honors program must be carried out at Swarthmore except in unusual cases.

Seminar Admission: Honors seminars are open to course students who have done very well in the corresponding intermediate course.

Thesis: A two-credit thesis is one of the three required honors preparations. The work for the thesis is carried out over two semesters, normally in the senior year. The thesis is

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open to but not required of course students, and is open to course students with a high GPA in Psychology.

Special Major in Honors: It is possible for a student to construct a special major in Honors involving psychology and another department or program. Special majors will consist of four preparations, one of which will constitute a two-credit thesis. Students should consult their advisors for guidance in devising an acceptable course of study.

Sociology and Anthropology (Sarah Willie-LeBreton, chair)

Prerequisites: Students seeking to do an honors major are required to complete at least nine SOAN credits, including "Introduction to Anthropology and Sociology," at least one designated theory course, and at least one designated methods course.

Sociology and Anthropology Honors Major and Minor: The Honors major consists of three two-credit preparations in Sociology and Anthropology. Two of these two-credit preparations may be seminars and one must be the thesis. Students may form an honors preparation with two one-credit upper-level courses, a course plus attachment, or off campus student with permission of the department, but this is unusual.

Thesis: A two-credit thesis is one of the three required honors preparations.

Seminar Admission: Honors seminars are open to course students.

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Interdisciplinary Honors Programs 2015-16, Compiled by Craig Williamson

The following summary is based on a meeting of interdisciplinary program chairs (or representatives) with the honors coordinator, Craig Williamson, on Dec. 10, and on each program’s honors materials in the college catalogue. The draft of this document was then checked and revised by each interdisciplinary chair. The programs are listed in alphabetical order. Three programs offer both an honors major and minor (Asian Studies, Comparative Literature, and Medieval Studies). The rest offer only an honors minor, although students sometimes pursue an independent honors major in these programs, and the Gender and Sexuality Studies program and the Environmental Studies program have their own well-defined Special honors majors. Since the interdisciplinary programs primarily use honors preparations in various departments, the SHS requirement normally follows that of the individual department and preparation. In all cases the honors minor preparation must be in a department that is not the student’s major. In the case of an interdisciplinary minor thesis, the majority of the thesis must be in the student’s non-major department, and the student must be examined by an examiner not in the student’s major department.

The programs are listed below in alphabetical order.

Asian Studies (Steven Hopkins, Chair)To be admitted to the major or minor, students must have completed at least 2

Asian Studies courses in different departments with a grade of B+ or above. They must earn a grade of B+ or better in all preparations completed for the honors major or minor.            Honors Major: Students must complete 10 credits, including 4 preparations (normally 2-credit seminars, and often a thesis) drawn from at least two different disciplines. They must also fulfill the distribution requirements required of all majors in geographic breadth, disciplinary breadth, temporal breadth, and Asian language study. All four preparations must be in Asian Study fields, but one of the fields may count toward an honors minor in a department.            Honors Minor: Students must complete 5 credits, distributed as follows: Geographic breadth (two tracks: in either comparative Asian cultures or by focusing on a single country or region), disciplinary breadth, temporal breadth, and an honors preparation (normally a 2-credit seminar, though this could be a two-credit thesis), and the Senior Honors Study (SHS) for minors required by the department offering the Honors preparation.

Black Studies (Sydney Carpenter, Chair)To be admitted, students must have completed BLST 15 and have earned a GPA

of 3.0 or better in BLST courses.Honors minors must meet all the requirements of the course minor (at least 5

credits) and complete a 2-credit preparation for their honors portfolio to be submitted to the examiner. Options for the honors preparation include a 2-credit seminar, a 2-credit honors thesis, a 1-credit thesis paired with a BLST course, and a pairing of two 1-credit courses.

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The honors portfolio may be an essay on the work of two or more courses, a revised and enriched seminar paper or term paper from a BLST course, a video or audio tape of a creative performance in dance or music, or other approved creative work.

Cognitive Science (Frank Durgin, Chair)Honors minors must meet all the requirements of the course minor, including

COGS 1 and complete an additional 5 credits in the program distributed in at least 3 of the 6 participating disciplines. The honors preparation for the minor will normally be a 2-credit unit approved by the relevant department from courses listed for the CS minor.

Comparative Literature (Sibelan Forrester, Chair)            Prerequisites: successful completion of an advanced literature course in each of the literatures of the student’s program with at least a grade of B.            The honors major consists of 4 two-credit preparations—3 seminars and a 2-credit thesis. The work must be done in at least two literatures in the original language.The thesis is written in English unless the faculty advisors approve use of another language. One of the preparations may also be used as an independent minor if the minor’s departmental requirements have been met.            The honor minor consists of 5 credits in two literatures in the original language, with a minimum of 2 courses in each of the literatures. The minor preparation is a 2-credit thesis of 50-60 pages, integrating the preparations that have been done in two literatures in the original language.

Environmental Studies (Elizabeth Bolton, Chair)The honors minor includes an integrated program of the introductory course,

ENVS 1, 4 courses, and the capstone seminar. The 4 courses normally include at least 2 from specific disciplines in environmental social science/technology (one of which must be a lab course) and 2 in environmental social science/humanities. In consultation with the coordinator, up to two courses toward the ENVS minor may come from the list of cognate and interdisciplinary courses or courses taken at other institutions. The honors preparation will consist of a combination of 2 courses that are related in some way that is suitable for a single honors examination. Both of the courses must be outside the student’s honors major. A minor thesis is not allowed.

Honors special majors must complete 10 credits, normally including ENVS 001 and 091 Capstone and the 4 honors preparations to be examined at the end of the senor year, including the capstone. With the approval of the ENVS director, special majors may elect to write a thesis or pursue an independent study. Only 2 credits may overlap with the student’s other major or minor. Honors orals may take the form of separate examinations or a panel examination.

The SHS paper will consist of a small paper that explores the connections between the two courses used for the honors preparation.

Gender and Sexuality Studies (Gwynn Kessler, Chair)

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Prerequisite: Students must have at least a B average to be accepted into honors. Honors special majors must complete 10 credits, including GSST 1, 20 and 91

and the 4 honors preparations to be examined at the end of the senior year, including the GSST 91 preparation. With the approval of the GSST coordinator, special majors may elect to write a 1-credit thesis (GSST 092) or pursue an independent study. Only 2 credits may overlap with the student’s other major or minor.

Honors minors must complete 6 credits, including GSST 1, 20, and 91; they should consult with the GSST coordinator in the spring of their junior year regarding their honors preparations. The honors preparation will consist of the GSST 91 seminar and an SHS portfolio which may included materials such as independent essays, seminar papers, additionally reading lists, research projects, etc.

Interpretation Theory (Richard Eldridge, Chair)Prerequisite: B average by the junior and senior year.The honors minor consists of 6 credits, including the 1-credit capstone seminar

which MUST be taken in the spring term of the senior year, even if a student has taken another INTP capstone seminar already. Students must complete a 2-credit preparation for external examination. This may be any 2 credit seminar that is listed among the INTP offerings (and is outside themajor) that follows the examination system of the offering department, the 1-credit capstone seminar plus a reading or thesis attachment, a combination of two courses in different departments, a 2-credit thesis, or a combination of a thesis and a course. Any thesis must be multidisciplinary.

Islamic Studies (Tariq al-Jamil, Chair)Prerequisites: Students must have taken at least two Islamic studies courses at

Swarthmore in different departments with grades of B or better.Honors minors must take at least 5 Islamic Studies courses in at least 3

departments. They must successfully complete Arabic 4 (and its prerequisites) or the equivalent (this is waived for native speakers and those who pass an equivalency exam). They may also fulfill this language requirement by demonstrating competence in another language that is relevant to the study of a Muslim society and is directly related to the student’s academic program. For the honors preparation, students are required to complete a 2-credit thesis under program supervision or to take a 2-credit Islamic Studies honors seminar.

Latin American and Latino Studies (Milton Machuca-Galvez, Chair)For the honors minor, the student must complete at least 5 credits, including

SPAN 4 or its equivalent (the requirement is waived for native speakers or students who demonstrate competence in the language); courses in both the humanities and social sciences; one of the following—LALS 5, HIST 4, or SPAN 10 by their sophomore year; and an honors seminar outside their major department .

Medieval Studies (Craig Williamson, Chair)

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Distribution Requirement: All students, whether majors or minors, must take a certain number of courses (see below) in each of the five distribution areas (art history, history, literature, music, and religion or philosophy).

Honors Majors must take at least 8 credits in medieval subjects. The honors program consists of 4 related preparations in medieval subjects and includes work in at least 3 of the distribution areas, including history. The preparations may be seminars, pre-approved 2 course combinations, courses with attachments, a 2-credit thesis, or a 1-credit thesis with a course attachment (which may be a directed reading or independent study).Honors majors will be examined in a panel oral with all their examiners present. Honors minors do not have a separate unrelated minor but they may apply one of their four honors preparations toward an honors minor if they fulfill all the requirements set by the relevant department or program for that honors minor.

Honors minors must take 5 credits in medieval subjects in at least two distribution areas, including history. The honors preparation may be a seminar, a pre-approved 2 course combination, a course with an attachment, or in special cases a 2-credit thesis, or a 1-credit thesis with a course attachment (which may be a directed reading or independent study).

Peace and Conflict Studies (Andrew Ward, Chair)Prerequisite: Students should ideally have taken 2 courses, including PEAC 15

before applying to the program.The honors minor consists of 6 credits, including PEAC 15. A standard two-credit

preparation can consist of a seminar, a combination of two courses in different departments, a two-credit thesis, or a combination of a thesis and a course. Any thesis must be multidisciplinary.

Other points of discussion or concern

Other points that came up at the meeting included the need for full-position staffing in a number of the interdisciplinary programs, a concern that the move to a four-course load might mean fewer courses that faculty would be able to contribute to the programs, and the sense that in a period of declining honors numbers, some of the smaller programs had trouble filling up seminars and capstones that were felt to be crucial to their honors programs. There was a general interest in sharing models across programs in order to find new ways of attracting potential honors students and developing new pedogogical pathways for them.

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