Departmental Honors

Requirements

The research honors track is designed to provide outstanding students with specialized advanced training in an approved area related to Near Eastern languages and cultures. Students are encouraged to enroll in this program in their junior or senior year. Working with primary sources in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish, honors students will conduct research and complete an honors thesis or project. Students must complete a minimum of two honor designated courses: NELC-N 399 Reading for Honors (3 cr.) and NELC-N 499 Honors Thesis (3 cr.). Students interested in enrolling in NELC-N 399 should consult the director of undergraduate studies. In N399 students do advanced readings in Arabic, Persian, or Turkish in preparation for work on a research project. NELC-N 499 involves a research project leading to the completion of the student's honors thesis. This course should be taken under the supervision of the faculty tutor who guided the student in NELC-N 399.

The Arabic language honors track allows honors students to demonstrate outstanding proficiency and fluency in Arabic through the completion of advanced language coursework that incorporates extended formal presentations and the completion of two papers written in Arabic. Fulfilling the Arabic language honors track requires students to complete all the standard assignments for A400 and A450, such as quizzes, homework assignments, conversation hour, weekly readings, writing portfolio, and cultural activities. Additionally, students must:

• Enroll in two credit hours of N399 Readings for Honors to complete the additional work required for the honors notation (one credit hour of N399 will be tied to A400 and one to A450);
• Complete two 7,000 word papers (for a total of 14, 000 words) of high quality on some aspect of Arabic culture; one each in A400 and A450;
• Give an in-class presentation on each paper at the end of the semester in A400 and A450;
• Earn at least an A- in NELC-A 400, NELC-A 450, and the NELC-N 399 hours.

Students interested in pursuing the Arabic language honors track should consult the director of undergraduate studies prior to enrollment in NELC-A 400 and NELC-N 399.

College of Arts and Sciences Requirements

• Students must have a College GPA of 3.300 or higher to qualify for admission to a Departmental Honors program and to receive Departmental Honors. Units may set a higher College GPA.
• Units establish additional criteria, including admissions procedures, academic performance standards, and whether there are required courses, papers, or projects.
• Students who wish to earn honors in two different units must complete a distinct body of work for each honors notation.