English Honors Thesis

English majors with at least 60 credits and a GPA of at least 3.70 in the major who have both the aptitude and the motivation to carry out advanced independent work may ask to be considered for English honors, a distinction which will appear on a student's academic transcript. Applicants must submit a letter to the department chair explaining their interest in pursuing English honors of intent outlining a proposed English honors project, and must also provide two letters of recommendation from ECSU English faculty.

English honors students will normally begin their senior capstone coursework in their junior year (though other arrangements are possible for transfer students who began their careers at Eastern as juniors). Following completion of the capstone, English honors students will enroll in ENG 485 and write an honors thesis, under the direction of a faculty advisor, in which they either expand their capstone project or pursue a new advanced topic of their own devising. An important final component of the process is a presentation during which the student will be expected to discuss his or her research with an English class or with a committee of faculty.

A student who has been accepted into the University Honors Program and who writes an acceptable English thesis for that program may use the same thesis to meet the requirement for English honors. However, he or she must then present that paper to an English class or an English honors committee. Around March 15, the English Department notifies the Registrar of all students graduating with English honors (pending completion of thesis).