Honors in Art History

Art history majors who have a grade point average of 3.2 or above and wish to undertake a program of concentrated independent study may apply for admission to the Honors Program in Art History. This program enables senior art history majors to pursue substantial work resulting in an Honors Thesis which may qualify the student to graduate "with honors" or "with highest honors."

Procedures for Honors Enrollment

1. Students interested in applying for the Honors Program should meet with the Departmental Honors Advisor preferably during the second semester of the junior year, but no later than the first week of classes of the senior year. At that meeting, the Honors Advisor will clarify details of eligibility and program requirements.
2. Once accepted, the applicant should choose a Thesis Advisor with the advice and assistance of the Departmental Honors Advisor and then ask that professor to join the Thesis Committee. The applicant must have the same Thesis Advisor throughout both semesters of Thesis work.
3. The student will register for ART 691 during the first semester of Honors work and for ART 692 during the second semester. As mandated by the UNC-CH Honors Program office, the student will receive a letter grade for each of these courses at the end of the second semester.

Procedures for Completing the Honors Thesis

1. Once registered for ART 691, the student should confer with the Thesis Advisor to choose two additional members for a Thesis Committee of three, one of whom may be outside the Department of Art. The student notifies the Art History Honors Advisor of the constituency of the Thesis Committee.

2. During the first semester of Honors work, the student will conduct general reading in the chosen field of concentration, carefully define a Thesis project, and complete the bulk of the research on the project. In consultation with the Thesis Advisor, the student will prepare a Preliminary Prospectus (including bibliography) that defines the project as specifically as possible.

The members of the Committee will review the Prospectus and evaluate the topic based on methodology, bibliography, and plans for the final paper. They will provide feedback on which the student will base a final draft of the Proposal which s/he will submit to the members of the Committee. The approved version of the Proposal will be signed by each Committee member and filed with the Honors Program office no later than December 1 for students planning to graduate in May and no later than May 1 for students planning to graduate in December.

3. During the second semester of Honors work, the student will produce the Thesis, which should be an interpretive essay of a length appropriate to the project as outlined in the Prospectus.

4. The student will submit a complete draft of the Thesis to the members of the Committee on the date specified by the Department of Art. For a list of dates and deadlines for Department of Art students enrolled in the Honors Program, See the current schedule.
   
5. For questions of style and format, students should refer to one of the standard style manuals, such as MLA or the Chicago Manual of Style. The style should be consistent with professional research in the student's subject area and should be approved by the Thesis Advisor.

6. The student will defend the thesis in an oral examination. This examination must be completed no later than one week before the deadline set by the University Honors office for Departmental Honors recommendations.

7. Following the Oral Examination, the student will make any necessary changes to the Thesis and submit two copies of the final draft to the Art Department Honors Advisor by the date of graduation. One copy will be deposited in Wilson Library and must be on regulation bond paper (100% rag or cotton fiber, 16 or 20lb. weight), unstapled, and with a 1.25" left margin. The other copy will be deposited in the Sloane Art Library and should be on good quality paper and placed in some form of binding. Both copies must be of good enough print quality to allow for easy readability.

8. Occasionally, a student will elect to withdraw from the Honors Program, or a student's Thesis and/or Oral Examination may be judged inadequate by the members of the Thesis Committee. In such cases, the student will not graduate with honors, but will be assigned an appropriate letter grade by the Thesis Advisor for the work completed.

Last modified 09/12/2006 03:04pm.