Honors Program

Students with a 3.3 grade point average overall and in the major may apply for admission to the honors program in their senior year. The awarding of honors is contingent upon submission of a thesis of high quality, based upon independent study with a member of the Cognitive Science faculty and marked by satisfactory completion of at least 3 units of course H195A, H195B or 199. Evaluation of the thesis is the responsibility of, first, the faculty supervisor and then of the second reader assigned by the Head of the program. It is the responsibility of the supervisor and the second reader to decide (1) whether the thesis is of honors quality and (2) if of honors quality, which level of honors is to be assigned: Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors.

Course
To complete the honors thesis, students have the option of enrolling in Cognitive Science H195A, H195B or 199. Cognitive Science H195A and B are offered for 1-3 units per semester on either a letter grade or P/NP basis. Cognitive Science 199 is offered on a P/NP basis only, 1-3 units.

Sponsor
The student should obtain an application for Cognitive Science H195A, H195B or 199 from the Student Affairs Officer in the Cognitive Science program office in Campbell Hall. On the application the student will outline the thesis proposal and submit it to one of the faculty of the program who will serve as sponsor. The signed application is to be returned to the program office where the course control number will be given to the student.

Students should maintain close contact with the sponsoring professor to insure clear communication on direction of the thesis project and expectations of the instructor. It would be wise for the student to submit a draft of the honors thesis to the instructor mid-semester of enrollment in H195B or 199 for criticism and comments before the final copy is produced.

Content
The honors thesis may be an original, empirical or theoretical study of topic in cognitive science or, alternatively, a critical analysis of the work of other researchers on a topic in cognitive science chosen by the student.

Students electing to do an empirical study using human subjects must submit a research protocol to the Campus Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects, the A&E Building, for approval. Copies of the Committee's guidelines for preparation of the protocol are available from the program advisor. Please allow plenty of time for this process as approval may delay the start of your project for a number of weeks.

Glushko Prizes

Students who successfully completed an honors thesis are eligible to receive the Robert J. Glushko Prize for Distinguished Undergraduate Research in Cognitive Science.  At least two (2) of these prizes, of $500 each, are awarded annually, at the Spring Commencement.  Both empirical and conceptual projects are eligible for the award.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Honors Program

What should I know about the Honors Thesis (H195)?

How do I know if I qualify to write an honors thesis?
In order to begin a thesis project, you will need to be a declared CogSci major with a minimum 3.3 GPA both overall and in your major coursework. You can easily determine your overall gpa through BearFacts. Check with Carol Snow, the Student Affairs Officer, to make sure you're using appropriate courses to calculate your major gpa.

What do I do if I'm in the 3.1/3.2 range?
If your gpa is slightly below the minimum in either category, you may want to discuss your situation with the program director.  S/he may ask you to wait until the beginning of your final semester to see if your grades improve, or may suggest you begin your work by enrolling in CogSci 199. If your grades improve you may then be allowed to enroll in H195 during your final semester. The director is not required to grant exceptions and cannot override College rules (see final question.)

How do I get started?
Some major programs have thesis courses for their students. CogSci does not. Students work independently under the sponsorship of a single faculty sponsor. Occasionally, students have worked with two faculty members, though one is usually the primary advisor.  You should plan to devote at least two semesters to your project.  Many projects will need to begin in the second semester of your junior year.

How do I find a faculty sponsor?
Ideally, you will have become excited by a particular area of research after taking courses from a number of CogSci professors. Don't hesitate to approach a faculty member and ask if he/she would be willing to mentor you. You should be able to formulate a topic of interest through your course work and discussions with that individual. In some cases, students have an idea they'd like to explore, but don't know who to approach. Usually this issue resolves itself by the time students are seniors, but there are a number of other ways to narrow your search. Faculty research interests are described briefly in the biographies listed on the Institute of Cognitive & Brain Studies web site and the program director is also a resource for referral on any topic. You can always drop by the office in Campbell to toss your ideas around.

Okay, I'm ready to go. Now what?
Once you've decided on a thesis topic and gotten a faculty sponsor, you will need to complete a departmental form. On it you will describe your thesis project and gather the signatures of your faculty sponsor and the program director. In addition to your primary contact, there will be a second reader. This individual will probably not be involved in your work other than to read your final paper. Selection of the second reader should be done in consultation with the program director. S/he will need to approve the selection of reader, and sign off on the project before you begin. After you've completed the form, return it to Carol Snow who will give you a course control number for enrollment.

How many units/semesters should it take?
You must complete a minimum of 3 units of thesis work but not necessarily in one semester. Some students prefer to spend a semester getting set up: gathering sources, doing library work, applying to work with human or animal subjects. Typically, this will result in a unit or two of credit in CogSci H195A. The bulk of the actual research and writing would then be done the following semester under H195B. (Both courses are offered for 1-3 units so your thesis will range between 3-6 units of credit by the time you have finished.) If your topic is very organized and you don't run into any problems, you could finish the 3 units in a single semester of H195A; if it is very complex or you need to budget your time and spread out the work you may need two semesters of several units a piece. Every student's research is different.

What do I need to know about working with human or animal subjects?
If you will be doing lab animal research or interviewing/surveying people, check with your faculty advisor before you begin. It may be that you will need to do nothing. In some cases, however, you will be required to complete paperwork which can take several weeks to process. Fitting this into a one semester project at the last minute can ruin your plans.

How can I get financial support for my project?

Most honors theses are done in individual faculty members' laboratories, and receive support through faculty research funds.  Occasionally, however, such support may not be available.  In such cases, the gift that supports the Glushko Prizes also makes available small grants (maximum $250) to support honors thesis research.  If your faculty sponsor cannot help support your research, contact the program director to apply for a small grant.  The application process is informal, although you and your advisor will need to provide justification and receipts for all purchases.

What happens when my thesis is done?
When you've completed your work you will submit it to your faculty sponsor. (Plan to do this no later than the beginning of finals. You may be asked to do revisions which could delay the grade and your graduation.) He/she will read and assign a letter grade to your work. You should also submit a copy to your second reader and one to the major office in Campbell. The two faculty members who read your thesis will deliberate on the level of honors to be awarded: honors, high honors, highest honors. In CogSci, honors levels are based on the quality of the thesis, not gpa.

How is honors awarded at the end?
Honors in the major, as explained above, is the result of faculty deliberation. However, if you fail to complete your degree with a 3.3 gpa overall, the College will not allow you to be awarded departmental honors, regardless of how well you do in your major or on your thesis.