Graduating With Departmental Honors in Psychology
The eligibility requirements, thesis guidelines, and application procedure for consideration of Graduating with Departmental Honors in Psychology have been updated for Spring 2022, Summer 2022, Fall 2022, and Spring 2023.
The temporary COVID reduction and Interim Changes to Guidelines for Honors Thesis remain in effect for Spring 2022, Summer 2022, and Fall 2022. As of Spring 2023, the pre-COVID standard eligibility requirements and thesis guidelines will be reinstated. Scroll down for details.
Application instructions including submission Due Dates are detailed below. In general, the online submission portal will be open approximately two-weeks before each submission due date. Students are advised to submit the Initial Application no earlier than the beginning of the final semester leading up to the expected graduation date. For example: Students expecting to graduate in Fall 2022, please submit your Initial Application by October 1, 2022 (and not before mid-September, 2022).
Students interested in being considered for Graduating with Departmental Honors in Psychology are encouraged to begin making plans for an appropriate course of study late in their sophomore year or early in their junior year. As part of this process, students are encouraged to become familiar with Department faculty research areas (see website), contact faculty member(s) of interest (to explore potential honors thesis advisors), and talk with a faculty member in the Psychology Department about the process.
Interim Eligibility Requirements for Graduating with Departmental Honors in Psychology for Spring 2022, Summer 2022, and Fall 2022
- Declared major in psychology
- GPA of at least 3.70** in all advanced psychology courses (numbered 3000 and above, including transfer courses)
- **COVID-19 Reduction: If any advanced psychology course was taken during the COVID-19 pandemic (Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Summer 2022, Fall 2022), then the GPA requirement is reduced to 3.55.
- Completion of at least two* PSYC 500X/501X series courses, or an equivalent thesis course outside the Psychology Department (e.g., SPCM 3185), but under the supervision of a Psychology Department faculty member, resulting in a written two-semester honors thesis**.
- *COVID-19 Reduction: Students may complete at least one PSYC 500X/501X series courses resulting in a one-semester written report**.
- **See the Honors and Psychology webpage for expectations and guidelines for both written reports (two-semester honors thesis, or one semester report)
- Interim Changes to Guidelines for Honors Thesis for Spring 2022, Summer 2022, and Fall 2022: If a complete honors thesis (in line with existing departmental guidelines) is not feasible, alternatives will be accepted including an (1) experimental thesis using a truncated sample size (due to mid-project suspension of in-person data collection owed to the pandemic), and (2) options that do not involve data collection, including a comprehensive, well-written research proposal or a comprehensive literature review. In the case of a research proposal, the thesis should include Introduction through Methods sections, a summary or description of potential results, discussion of meaning and implications of potential results with respect to previous studies and theories, possible limitations, and future directions. Honors theses are expected to adhere as closely as possible to all other established department guidelines.
- A letter of recommendation from the faculty member who served as adviser in the PSYC 500X/ 501X series course(s).
- A submitted Graduating with Departmental Honors in Psychology Application (scroll down).
Standard Eligibility Requirements for Graduating with Departmental Honors in Psychology for Spring 2023
- Declared major in psychology
- GPA of at least 3.70 in all advanced psychology courses (numbered 3000 and above, including transfer courses)
- Completion of at least two PSYC 500X/501X series courses, or an equivalent thesis course outside the Psychology Department (e.g., SPCM 3185), but under the supervision of a Psychology Department faculty member, resulting in a written two-semester honors thesis**.
- **See the Honors and Psychology webpage for expectations and guidelines for both written reports (two-semester honors thesis, or one semester report)
- A letter of recommendation from the faculty member who served as adviser in the PSYC 500X/ 501X series course(s).
- A submitted Graduating with Departmental Honors in Psychology Application (see next).
Note: Students can apply for an exemption from the standard requirements (e.g., # of 500X/501X semesters completed; GPA in advanced psychology coursework) with a letter from their Thesis Advisor, in coordination with the Honors & Awards Committee.
Application and Submission Due Dates
Graduating in Spring 2022
March 15, 2022
Submit electronic copy of application. This link should take you to WebCentral, where you will sign in with your WebCentral credentials.
By submitting preliminary application information on March 15, 2022, students are alerting the Honors and Awards Committee that they will be submitting a complete application by May 1, 2022 (that also includes a written report and letter of recommendation), which gives the committee enough time to obtain and evaluate student transcripts.
May 1, 2022
Students will use the same link above to submit electronic copies of the following documents:
- A draft of written report (approved by student's adviser). The draft must be sufficiently complete for the Honors and Awards Committee to determine whether the anticipated final version will meet standards for graduating with departmental honor. Advisers can use their judgment in approving whether drafts are sufficiently complete. If drafts have partial or in-progress elements (that are expected to be completed), then the adviser can inform the committee about planned revisions for the final thesis in their letter of recommendation. The final thesis (e.g., with minor tweaks, copyediting) may be submitted later by e-mailing a copy to Professor Deborah Walder and Associate Professor Natalie Kacinik.
- Letter of recommendation from student's adviser
Upon submission of the honors thesis, students are encouraged to send a reminder to faculty advisers (using the Reminder Link within the online application system) to complete the letter of recommendation. Letters should be signed by the advisor on department letterhead and addressed to Psychology Department Honors and Awards Committee.
The Honors and Awards Committee would like to review in progress written reports beginning May 1, 2022. If the committee determines that the anticipated final version of the written report will not meet standards for graduating with departmental honors, then they will provide feedback to the student about changes that would be necessary to meet the standard, with enough time for the student to make the changes before the end of the semester. The committee will also review any draft at any time for purposes of student feedback.
Graduating in Summer 2022
June 14, 2022
Submit electronic copy of application. This link should take you to WebCentral, where you will sign in with your WebCentral credentials.
By submitting preliminary application information on June 14, 2022, students are alerting the Honors and Awards Committee that they will be submitting a complete application by August 11, 2022 (that also includes a written report and letter of recommendation), which gives the committee enough time to obtain and evaluate student transcripts.
August 11, 2022
Students will use the same link above to submit electronic copies of the following documents:
- A draft of written report (approved by student's adviser). The draft must be sufficiently complete for the Honors and Awards Committee to determine whether the anticipated final version will meet standards for graduating with departmental honor. Advisers can use their judgment in approving whether drafts are sufficiently complete. If drafts have partial or in-progress elements (that are expected to be completed), then the adviser can inform the committee about planned revisions for the final thesis in their letter of recommendation. The final thesis (e.g., with minor tweaks, copyediting) may be submitted later by e-mailing a copy to Professor Deborah Walder and Associate Professor Natalie Kacinik.
- Letter of recommendation from student's adviser
Upon submission of the honors thesis, students are encouraged to send a reminder to faculty advisers (using the Reminder Link within the online application system) to complete the letter of recommendation. Letters should be signed by the advisor on department letterhead and addressed to Psychology Department Honors and Awards Committee.
The Honors and Awards Committee would like to review in progress written reports beginning August 11, 2022. If the committee determines that the anticipated final version of the written report will not meet standards for graduating with departmental honors, then they will provide feedback to the student about changes that would be necessary to meet the standard, with enough time for the student to make the changes before the end of the semester. The committee will also review any draft at any time for purposes of student feedback.
Graduating in Fall 2022
October 1, 2022
Submit electronic copy of application. This link should take you to WebCentral, where you will sign in with your WebCentral credentials.
By submitting preliminary application information on October 1, 2022, students are alerting the Honors and Awards Committee that they will be submitting a complete application by December 1, 2021 (that also includes a written report and letter of recommendation), which gives the committee enough time to obtain and evaluate student transcripts.
December 1, 2022
Students will use the same link above to submit electronic copies of the following documents:
- A draft of written report (approved by student's adviser). The draft must be sufficiently complete for the Honors and Awards Committee to determine whether the anticipated final version will meet standards for graduating with departmental honor. Advisers can use their judgment in approving whether drafts are sufficiently complete. If drafts have partial or in-progress elements (that are expected to be completed), then the adviser can inform the committee about planned revisions for the final thesis in their letter of recommendation. The final thesis (e.g., with minor tweaks, copyediting) may be submitted later by e-mailing a copy to Professor Deborah Walder and Associate Professor Natalie Kacinik.
- Letter of recommendation from student's adviser
Upon submission of the honors thesis, students are encouraged to send a reminder to faculty advisers (using the Reminder Link within the online application system) to complete the letter of recommendation. Letters should be signed by the adviser on department letterhead and addressed to Psychology Department Honors and Awards Committee.
The Honors and Awards Committee would like to review in progress written reports beginning December 1, 2021. If the committee determines that the anticipated final version of the written report will not meet standards for graduating with departmental honors, then they will provide feedback to the student about changes that would be necessary to meet the standard, with enough time for the student to make the changes before the end of the semester. The committee will also review any draft at any time for purposes of student feedback.
Graduating in Spring 2023
March 15, 2023
Submit electronic copy of application. This link should take you to WebCentral, where you will sign in with your WebCentral credentials.
By submitting preliminary application information on March 15, 2023, students are alerting the Honors and Awards Committee that they will be submitting a complete application by May 1, 2023 (that also includes a written report and letter of recommendation), which gives the committee enough time to obtain and evaluate student transcripts.
May 1, 2023
Students will use the same link above to submit electronic copies of the following documents:
- A draft of written report (approved by student's adviser). The draft must be sufficiently complete for the Honors and Awards Committee to determine whether the anticipated final version will meet standards for graduating with departmental honor. Advisers can use their judgment in approving whether drafts are sufficiently complete. If drafts have partial or in-progress elements (that are expected to be completed), then the adviser can inform the committee about planned revisions for the final thesis in their letter of recommendation. The final thesis (e.g., with minor tweaks, copyediting) may be submitted later by e-mailing a copy to Professor Deborah Walder and Associate Professor Natalie Kacinik.
- Letter of recommendation from student's adviser
Upon submission of the honors thesis, students are encouraged to send a reminder to faculty advisers (using the Reminder Link within the online application system) to complete the letter of recommendation. Letters should be signed by the advisor on department letterhead and addressed to Psychology Department Honors and Awards Committee.
The Honors and Awards Committee would like to review in progress written reports beginning May 1, 2023. If the committee determines that the anticipated final version of the written report will not meet standards for graduating with departmental honors, then they will provide feedback to the student about changes that would be necessary to meet the standard, with enough time for the student to make the changes before the end of the semester. The committee will also review any draft at any time for purposes of student feedback.
Application Submission and Processing
Students must complete and submit the above online Graduating with Departmental Honors in Psychology Application through WebCentral. The application will be reviewed by the Psychology Department's Honors and Awards Committee, which will make recommendations to the Department Chairperson regarding award of a degree with “Departmental Honors” in Psychology.
The Honors and Awards Committee will make every attempt to provide feedback to applicants in a timely manner. For example, if a student submits his or her draft written report and the committee determines it does not meet a standard for departmental honors, the committee will advise the student of necessary changes that may be incorporated before final grades are due. Thus, as a general rule, the more lead time that students give the committee to review their materials, the easier it is for the committee to give feedback to students about the status of their application, which could then be used to improve application materials.
All students will be notified of the final outcome. Students deemed eligible will receive the graduating with departmental honors notation, "Departmental Honors in Psychology" in the notes section of the transcript, not on the diploma.
Questions may be e-mailed to Professor Deborah Walder.
