Capstone Honors Guidelines
Religious Studies Capstone/Thesis Guidelines for Latin Honors
Capstone
- RELS 4952 (4 credits)
- Students work independently with a faculty member (capstone advisor) of their choice on a paper involving original research on a topic related to their Area Concentration.
- Capstone projects usually take the form of an analytical research paper that is fully documented and includes a bibliography. For non-honors, these are usually around 25 pages in length. Honors papers are generally longer than this, involving more research, stronger theoretical framing, and deeper analyses. Forms other than a research paper for the capstone project may be negotiated with the faculty advisor.
Honors Papers
- Latin honors papers must be read by a thesis committee of at least three members, one of which is the thesis advisor. Committee members are identified in consultation with the capstone advisor.
Honor Levels
- For magna and summa, a penultimate draft of the project must be approved by all committee members. Upon this approval, the oral defense is scheduled.
- A public, oral defense is required for summa capstones. The defense is optional for magna and cum laude.
- Upon completion of the defense, the committee decides the appropriate honors level (magna or summa) of the final project.
- The final grade is assigned exclusively by the capstone advisor.
- A cum laude thesis is a paper of high quality in research, analysis, and presentation.
- A magna thesis is of particularly high quality as judged by the three-member committee and often involves two semesters of work, with the first semester being a course or directed study or learning abroad experience and the second focusing on the writing process.
- A summa thesis is of exceptional quality as judged by the three-member committee. Like the magna thesis, a summa thesis usually involves two semesters of work, with the first being in a course, directed study, or learning abroad experience and the second focused on the writing process.
Requirements
4 credits
Analytical research paper of high quality produced as an independent project advised by a Religious Studies core or affiliated faculty member.
The paper is read by a three-person committee, which includes the faculty advisor.
A public oral defense is optional.
Designation of Latin honors level is decided by the committee after the defense.
4 credits
Analytical research paper of exceptionally high quality produced as an independent project advised by a Religious Studies core or affiliated faculty member
The paper is read by a three-person committee, which includes the faculty advisor
A penultimate draft approved by all committee members
Public oral defense
Designation of Latin honors is decided by the committee after the defense
4 credits
Analytical research paper of high quality produced as an independent project advised by a Religious Studies core or affiliated faculty member
The paper is read by a three-person committee, which includes the faculty advisor
A penultimate draft should be approved by all committee members
Public oral defense (optional, but required if the paper is to be considered for summa honors)
Designation of Latin honors level is decided by the committee after the defense