honors thesis uc berkeley

• Current Students

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

In their senior year, students majoring in Public Health may undertake an Honors Thesis. The Honors Thesis project is a two semester commitment, starting in the fall semester and concluding in spring. Successfully completing the thesis will earn the student Honors in Public Health on their UC Berkeley transcript if they meet department and campus guidelines. *

Honors Thesis Eligibility and Prerequisites

For the 2023–2024 academic year and onwards, students interested in completing an Honors Thesis in Public Health must meet the following prerequisites:

• An overall GPA of 3.5† or above at the end of their Junior year
• An Upper Division in the Major GPA of 3.5 or above at the end of their Junior year
• Successful completion of PB HLTH 142: Introduction to Probability and Statistics in Public Health (offered Fall, Spring, Summer) by the end of their Junior year
• Successful completion ofPB HLTH 150A: Introduction to Epidemiology (offered Spring only) by the end of their Junior year, and Identify a research mentor (see MOU requirements below)

Download the Guide to Writing your Honors Thesis (.pdf).

† Please note that students must maintain an Upper Division in the major GPA of 3.5 and an overall GPA of 3.3 to graduate with Honors. Your major GPA can be found on your Academic Progress Report (APR) on Calcentral. Go to the Public Health BA and click on the “Upper Division in the Major GPA” section.

Mentor and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Students must identify a research mentor who is affiliated with Berkeley as a faculty member (in any department, must have doctoral degree, i.e., PhD, MD, ScD) and who will guide your research. The research mentor, who must have a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, ScD), has the ultimate responsibility for guiding the student towards the successful completion of the research, thesis, and potential publications. From what we have found, students who were the most successful were those who had a mentor solidified before summer.

Mentors must sign an MOU (provided below) stating that they will:

• Support the student’s research
• Read and provide feedback on the thesis
• Meet with the student at least bi-monthly
• Confirm that the dataset the student is analyzing will be complete by fall

Download the Mentor MOU – Public Health Honors Thesis Program (.pdf)

Honors Thesis Research Project

Honors Thesis projects can be quantitative or qualitative in design and can involve the analysis of a research mentor’s data or data from an existing publicly available database (e.g., NHANES). Mentors must have appropriate expertise, given the student’s research question and study design. Systematic reviews are NOT allowed for an Honors Thesis.

Required Honors Thesis Courses

The Honors Thesis courses cannot be used to fulfill the Public Health Elective Units requirement.

Fall Semester

• PB HLTH 155A – Senior Research Seminar ( 3 units, letter grade ) This applied course will help you understand how to conduct and interpret research in human health and disease, building on your knowledge of epidemiology and biostatistics. The course will provide skills in: critically reading the literature related to public-health-related research; developing a research question and a testable hypothesis; and creating an analysis plan. All students will have a hands-on guided experience analyzing data using R. This 3-unit course, taken for a letter grade, is offered in the fall and is required for students completing an Honors Thesis.
• PB HLTH H195A – Honors Thesis Sequence ( 3 units, letter grade ) An honors degree in Public Health requires the completion of PH H195A. In the fall, students will meet with peers and the professor 1-2 times in the semester. Other time is dedicated to meeting with the mentor, research, thesis prep and writing. A permission code will be provided to students during the adjustment period.

Spring Semester

• PB HLTH H195B – Honors Thesis Sequence ( 3 units, letter grade ) An honors degree in Public Health requires the completion of PH H195B. In the spring, students will meet with peers and the professor 3-4 times in the semester. Other time is dedicated to meeting with the mentor, research, thesis prep and writing. A permission code will be provided to students during the adjustment period.

Expectations of the Student

In the Fall semester, students develop a research question and hypothesis and describe the aims for the research. They conduct a literature search and write a literature review to ensure the student understands the foundations for their research. The literature review will serve as the background section of their Honors Thesis. In the Spring, students will analyze their data and write their Thesis with support from their research mentor and the Spring Honors Thesis seminar course.

Students will submit a written thesis and will present their project in the Honors Thesis Symposium at the end of the year.

Application Process for Honors Thesis

Please complete the application and email your mentor Memorandum of Understanding to [email protected] by the end of Spring semester’s finals week. This is a rolling deadline. You will need to complete both steps before you can be considered for acceptance into the Honors Thesis program.

The mentor Memorandum of Understanding can be found in the email from the advisors ( [email protected] ) or here: Mentor Memorandum of Understanding .

Public Health Honors Thesis Application

Example Titles of Prior Undergraduate Honors Theses

• Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetes in Rural Tanzania
• Rural vs. Urban risk and protective factors for the development of early childhood caries (ECC) in developing countries
• The Biological Effects of Condom Lubricants and Public Health Policy
• Implications: Focus on College Culture
• The Role of CIITA fusion protein in Lymphoma cancer
• Biofilm Formation and the MCE operons in Mycobacterium smegmatis
• Environmental Associations for Onchocerciasis Prevalence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Example Prior Undergraduate Honors Theses Papers

• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Pediatric Epilepsy: Validation of a Noninvasive, Presurgical Motor Mapping Technique
• Experiences of Women with Bacterial Vaginosis and Expectations for a Lactobacillus Product
• Population Health: San Francisco Excess Deaths and 911-Medically related calls During the 2017 Labor Day Heat Wave Event
• DNA Sensing in Myeloid Cells
• Time and Degree of Saturation and Recovery from Chronic 0.1% and 0.05% Atropine Treatment in the Guinea Pig Model
• The Development of Social Capital through Micro Interactions in “Safe Spaces” Clubs for Adolescent Girls in Northern Nigeria
• Determinants of Organophosphorus Pesticide Urinary Metabolite Levels in 42-Month-Old Children Participating in the CHAMACOS Birth Cohort Study

Honors Thesis grading policy per guidance from the UC Berkeley campus

* All students who complete a Public Health honors thesis with an overall GPA of 3.3 or above ( GPA requirements from UC Berkeley campus ) and a Public Health Upper Division in the Major GPA of a 3.5 or higher will receive the distinction of Honors. Public Health does not issue High Honors or Highest Honors.

Honors courses must be completed before graduation in order for a student to receive honors on their diploma. In exceptional cases, due to unforeseen obstacles such as illness or limitations on access for research, instructors may consider issuing an I (incomplete) grade to individual students. This means that if the student is issued an I grade, they must also agree to postpone their graduation (i.e. change their Expected Graduation Term (EGT) to summer or fall with their College Advisor). The major program should work with the instructor of record and the student to create a written contract before issuing an incomplete grade. The student’s final grade (replacing the I grade) must be entered in CalCentral by the deadline to submit grades for summer or fall ; therefore, the instructor should arrange for their student to submit their completed work with the grading deadline in mind.

Fall 2024 admitted students are not eligible to make appointments with L&S advisers until after July 19, 2024. New students will be advised during Golden Bear Advising .

Dean's List/Honors

The Honors notation on students’ transcripts is the University's way to denote the highest level of academic achievement. To maintain this standard, no exceptions can be made to any honors policy.

Distinction in General Scholarship at Graduation

Honors for overall achievement at Berkeley are noted on the transcript and diploma as Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction (roughly equivalent to cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude).

To graduate with distinction, you must meet the following criteria:

Complete at least 50 units at UC Berkeley (this may include UCB Extension XB or XBW units and units from UCDC or EAP).

A minimum of 43 of those 50 units must be letter graded and a minimum of 30 of the 50 units must be completed in residence at UC Berkeley.

• Meet the cumulative UC GPA requirement (click your graduation term below to find the cumulative GPA required for each distinction level). GPAs for each school year are released in mid to late October. 

Fall 2023, Spring 2024, or Summer 2024

Fall 2022, Spring 2023, or Summer 2023

Spring 2020 grades: For students graduating Fall 2020 and later, your total letter graded units for Distinction at Graduation will include any Spring 2020 courses that were enrolled in as letter graded when the Senate Default P/NP policy went into effect. 

Honors in the Major

Some majors offer departmental honors. Students may enroll in their major's honors program provided they earn the major’s required GPA standards and the approval of the major department. Students participating in the honors program in their major may enroll in fewer than 13 units in order to work on a thesis. Honors in the major is noted on the transcript and diploma. Visit your Undergraduate Major Adviser (UMA) for more information.

Honors to Date

An Honors to Date notation on the transcript indicates completion of at least 12 letter-graded units and a cumulative GPA equivalent to that required for Distinction in General Scholarship.

L&S did not award honors-to-date in Spring 2020. 

Dean's Honors List

The Dean's Honors List recognizes outstanding academic achievement each fall and spring semester. To earn Dean's Honors for a semester, the criteria are:

13 or more letter-graded units in that semester

Semester GPA in the top 10% of L&S undergraduates

No disqualifying grades that semester (I, NR, or NP grades or courses for which no grades have been submitted).

Beginning Spring 2013, after each term, "Dean's honors" is noted on the student's transcript automatically by the Registrar for students who meet the above criteria.

There was no Dean's Honors List in Spring 2020. 

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Related Pages

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Unit Minimum and Maximum (Reduced course loads available if working on honors thesis)

Legal Studies Honors Program

Overview of the honors program.

The Legal Studies Honors Program offers outstanding seniors the opportunity to conduct original scholarly research on a topic of interest, to learn how to integrate theoretical and empirical perspectives, to work independently under the supervision of a Legal Studies or Berkeley Law faculty member, to write an honors thesis, and ultimately to graduate with departmental honors. For students seriously considering the Legal Studies Honors program please plan to attend the annual Honors Information Session in April.

In addition to writing a thesis, Legal Studies Honors Program participants also present their work at the annual Legal Studies Undergraduate Research Conference at the end of April. Prospective Honors students are encouraged to attend.

More information about the conference can be found  here .

Testimonials from recent Honors students can be found  here.

Course Requirements for the Honors Program

Students must enroll in the Legal Studies H195A Honors Seminar in the fall semester of their senior year prior to writing their thesis. Legal Studies H195A is a rigorous five unit letter-graded seminar designed to refine a student’s knowledge about how to conduct research in Legal Studies. The course covers: developing and motivating research questions, grounding research in theory, reviewing the literature, developing a research design, and writing a research proposal.

***UPDATED INFO FOR FALL 2020, SPRING 2021 and Fall 2022***

Honors/legal studies gpa :.

Legal Studies upper div courses must be taken for a letter grade Fall 2020, Spring 2021 and Fall 2022. Students must indicate in their application whether or not they would like their Sp20 grades to be used towards the Honors application GPA.

***UPDATED INFO FOR SPRING 2020***

Legal Studies will use student grades through Fall 2019 , or, if the student elects, include grade information (either in the comments field or as an elected letter grade) for Sp 20 to determine whether or not the student meets the 3.5 Honors/Legal Studies GPA requirement for participation in the Honors Program. Applicant must indicate in their application that they would like to use grades from Sp20, otherwise Legal Studies will use grades through Fall 2019 only.

Overall UCB GPA :

Legal Studies will use overall UCB GPA through Fall 2019, unless a student has opted for any letter grades for Spring 2020, in which case, we will use whatever the overall UCB GPA is at the end of Spring 2020. 

Eligibility to Apply for the Honors Program

To apply for the Legal Studies Honors Program, students must have an overall UCB GPA of at least 3.5 and a GPA in the Legal Studies Major of at least 3.5. In addition, all applicants must have completed at least half of the Legal Studies course requirements and have no remaining incompletes.

Application Process

All interested students must apply for admission to the Honors Program. To apply, students must submit the following documents as attachments via e-mail to Lauri La Pointe ( [email protected] ) by June 15 of the summer prior to the senior year.

• An unofficial transcript showing grades through Spring of the year.
• A writing sample, such as a paper completed for a Legal Studies course.
• A statement (about 1 page) that outlines why the student is interested in the Honors Program and specifies the student’s general interests within the broad field of Legal Studies. The statement might also discuss any ideas about thesis topic (although students need not have chosen a thesis topic at this point) and, if relevant, how the student’s interests and/or background might contribute to the diversity of the LS Honors program.
• Two or three one-paragraph descriptions of possible thesis topics that interest you. 
• Resume (if you have one)
• Include your e-mail address and phone number. Applicants for the honors program may be contacted for a short interview, which would take place by zoom and last for 10-15 minutes at most.

Selection Process

Students will be selected on the basis of the following criteria: overall UCB GPA, GPA in upper division courses for the Legal Studies Major, quality of the writing sample, quality of the statement of interest, and contribution of student’s interests and/or experience to the diversity of the LS Honors Program. About 15 students will be selected to participate in the Legal Studies Honors Program.

Applicants for the honors program may be contacted for a short interview, which would take place by zoom and last for 10-15 minutes at most.

Decisions on admission will be made by the faculty member serving as the Legal Studies Honors Coordinator and the Legal Studies Teaching Fellow in consultation with the Director of Legal Studies. A list will be sent to Lauri. Lauri will then enroll those students into H195A, so leave a space for it in your Fall schedule now, so there will be no conflicting courses.

Decision Date

All applicants will be notified before the middle of August of the decision. Students who are admitted to the Honors Program must confirm their interest within one week after receiving notification. Students who accept will be added to the fall Honors Seminar by Lauri La Pointe.

LS H195B and LS H195C

In order to enroll in Legal Studies H195B, students must earn a grade of B+ or higher in H195A and must have an approved faculty supervisor, typically from the Legal Studies Program or Berkeley Law Faculty although a faculty supervisor from another campus department may be approved in exceptional cases. In addition, students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.5 and a GPA of 3.5 in the Legal Studies Major as demonstrated by fall semester grades posted to a student’s official transcript. Students who qualify must submit the H195B form signed by the student, the student’s faculty supervisor , and the faculty coordinator of the Honors Program. The faculty supervisor and honors coordinator may send an email notification to Lauri La Pointe  [email protected]  in lieu of a signature on the form. Lauri La Pointe will then enroll each student into LS H195B and LS H195C.

Legal Studies H195B is an independent study course (no lecture involved) for 3 units/ letter-graded, under the supervision of their faculty supervisor, in which students conduct the majority of the research and complete the writing of their thesis.

Honors thesis students will also take a two unit P/NP, one hour seminar that meets once per week and is numbered LS H195C. The purpose of the seminar is to guide students through the research and writing process as they complete their Senior Honors Theses.

Please note that while the Legal Studies H195B form can be turned in prior to the end of the Fall semester, a student will not be able to formally enroll in LS H195B and LS H195C until his or her Fall semester grades have been posted to his or her official transcript.

Requirements to Graduate with Departmental Honors in Legal Studies

To graduate with departmental honors, students must:

• Enroll in LS H195A (5 units, letter-graded) Honors Seminar in the fall semester before writing the thesis;
• Enroll in LS H195B (3 units, letter-graded) and LS H195C (2 units, P/NP) in the spring semester following successful completion of the LS H195A Honors Seminar with at least a B+ grade while continuing to meet the GPA requirements;
• Meet periodically throughout the semester with the faculty supervisor during the spring;
• Complete an honors thesis, of at least 40 written pages, and have the thesis approved by their faculty advisor; and
• Finish their final semester with at least a 3.5 UCB GPA and at least a 3.5 major GPA.
• Students must earn at least a B+ grade in H195B and earn a Pass in H195C.

The thesis is read by the faculty supervisor who will assign a letter grade. To graduate with departmental honors, students must achieve a grade of B+ or higher. Students who satisfy all the above requirements will be assigned one of three levels of departmental honors: Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors. The level of honors is determined both by the quality of the thesis as determined by the student’s thesis supervisor, in consultation with the Director of Legal Studies, and by the final upper division GPA in the major. The following factors may be used as a guide by faculty in determining the level of departmental honors.

***UPDATED HONORS GPA INFO FOR SPRING 2020***

50% on GPA at end of Fall 19 combined with your grade in H195B (if P/NP then the grade in the comment)

50% on the recommendation of level of honors from your faculty supervisor

This means that: a) other than your grade in H195B (thesis), none of your other Spring 20 grades matter, and b) in effect, your thesis advisor has a large role in determining your level of honors.

Level of Honors               Quality of Thesis (50%)                   Upper Division GPA in LS (50%) Honors                           Meets Honors Standard                 3.50 – 3.65 High Honors                  Exceeds Honors Standard             3.66 – 3.79 Highest Honors             Far Exceeds Honors Standard      3.80 or above

Note:  The three units from H195B can count towards one of the two courses taken in the same Area for the Distribution requirements. The five units of H195A can count towards the 30 upper division units required for the major, but not towards a distribution requirement.

Note:  For purposes of determining the level of honors, if a student has taken more than 30 upper division units of Legal Studies requirements, the Honors GPA will be calculated using the best 30 upper division units that fulfill the major requirements. However, for purposes of admission to the Honors Program, all Legal Studies courses will be used to calculate the GPA in the major. (The change from 32 to 30 upper div units required is effective Su22.)

Note:  Both the H195A and H195B letter grades are used in the final upper division major/Honors GPA calculation.

Note:  A safe due date for the final thesis is the last day of class. However, a different due date can be decided upon by the faculty supervisor and student as long as the grade can be submitted by the last day of e-grades. The e-grades deadline varies each semester.

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Honors Program

Departmental honors.

• RESEARCH REQUIREMENT
• THESIS EXAMPLES

Honors Criteria

In addition to completing the major requirements for graduation, the minimum requirements to receive honors in the Economics department are:

• Have a 3.5 GPA in all upper division economics major coursework
• Have a 3.3 GPA overall
• Complete ECON H195B (W rite an approved senior honors thesis)
• Effective for students graduating Summer 2021 and later: To be eligible for honors in the major, a maximum of  two  P graded upper division courses* earned in Fall 2020, Spring 2021, or Summer 2021 may count towards the upper division Economics major requirements . Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.  *excludes ECON H195A, ECON 197, ECON 198, and ECON 199.

Students who qualify for department honors can also check the College of Letters Science  website to see if they meet the criteria for a level of Distinction in General Scholarship at Graduation (Distinction, High Distinction, Highest Distinction). This is determined by the GPA in the upper division Economics core and elective courses, using the same distinction level as the College.

Honors Research Requirement 

There is a prerequisite research requirement for students who wish to write an honors thesis. The research requirement  must be completed before enrolling in Econ H195B. Students may complete the honors research requirement in one of the following ways:

• Complete ECON H195A (2 units, P/NP, Fall only course. See below for details)  or
• Complete ECON 191 (4 units, offered every semester. May count as elective towards major when taken for a letter grade)  or
• Complete an upper-division undergraduate research seminar (Econ 122, 124, 132, 153, 154, 164, 173, and 183), or, with approval, an upper-division Economics elective that requires a research paper. (NOTE: Research seminars offered on a limited basis).

If you would like to have an additional course reviewed for approval, please contact [email protected].

ECON H195A (Option for Research Requirement)

The goal of H195A is to help students choose a thesis topic, get data, write a prospectus, get an advisor, and start working on the thesis. Independent research is very different from taking a lecture class. In lecture classes, students can be passive. To do research, students must take the initiative.  Most students love research, some students hate research, but almost none are indifferent.  Writing a thesis is a lot of fun, and a lot of work!

ECON H195A is a fall semester only, two-unit course that can only be taken with the P/NP grading option. It cannot be used as an elective for the economics degree. 

H195A is for Economic Majors who:

• meet the GPA requirements of 3.3 overall, and 3.5 in the upper-division Economics courses (GPA requirements are lowered by 0.05 grade points for students with Expected Graduation Terms of Spring 2020-Spring 2021)
• have not taken ECON 191 or an undergraduate research seminar
• plan to write an honors thesis
• completed econometrics or is concurrently enrolled in econometrics.  ​ Econometrics is a must.  

ECON H195B - Senior Honors Thesis Course

Econ H195B is the writing of the thesis. There is no class. Students meet with their individual thesis advisor periodically throughout the term and receive independent study units. Before enrolling in Econ H195B, students must:

• have a 3.5 GPA in all upper division economics major coursework, and have a 3.3 GPA overall  (GPA requirements are lowered by 0.05 grade points for students with Expected Graduation Terms of Spring 2020 through Spring 2021)
• have completed macroeconomics, microeconomics, and econometrics
• have completed at least one additional upper-division course for the major
• have completed a course in which a research paper is required:  Econ H195A, Econ 191, an upper-division undergraduate research seminar (Econ 122, 124, 132, 153, 154, 164, 173, and 183), or, with approval, an upper-division Economics elective that requires a research paper.  If you would like to have a course other than those enumerated above reviewed for approval, please see an,  undergraduate advisor.  Work in Economics through the Haas Scholars Program can also be used to meet the research requirement for Economics.

Econ H195B must be taken for a letter grade and 3 units.  Econ H195B must count as an elective when taken and will always be included when calculating the major GPA for level of honors.

Students are encouraged to choose an Economics faculty member to supervise their thesis. Supervision by a faculty member outside the Economics Department is subject to approval by the Undergraduate Chair.

There are copies of prior semesters theses available online at the undergraduate thesis website.   Some submissions have been omitted because they contain proprietary data, or because we do not have permission from the author to post the work. This is not a reflection on the quality of their work. All work is © 2009-2024 by the individual authors. All rights reserved.

TO APPLY: Please submit  your completed application  signed by your faculty advisor here . Faculty may send their approval via email in lieu of a form signature. Students must include this emailed approval in their application submission.

The Fall 2024 ECON H195B application is due by 4PM May 3rd, 2024.

Thesis Deadline

Honors students are required to turn in a copy of their thesis to their thesis advisor. Theses are typically due on the last day of instruction, but faculty sponsors can require an earlier deadline. Students must also email a .pdf of their thesis to the undergraduate advising office ([email protected]). This thesis will not be posted on the web without permission.

For more information about when/how to submit your thesis, please see our honors timeline .

Honors Notations

All honors students who have written a thesis by the time of the commencement ceremony are listed in the Commencement program, with the title of their thesis shown. The honors designation also appears on all transcripts and the UC diploma. Please note: if a student is walking prior to writing the honors theses, they will not be listed with the honors candidates in the Commencement program.

Senior Honor Thesis

Anthropology

What is a senior honors thesis.

The Anthropology Honors Thesis program provides outstanding seniors the opportunity to conduct original scholarly research under the mentorship of an anthropology faculty member, to write an honors thesis, and ultimately to graduate with departmental honors.

The senior thesis requires two semesters that may begin in either fall or spring semester when the student has senior status. Normally, it is completed in a fall-spring sequence of semesters.

Registration in the two semester course Anthro H195 with the thesis advisor is required; a final grade for the course is awarded after the completion of Anthro H195B. The first semester is spent in the formulation of the topic, theoretical/literary exploration and research, methodological development, primary data collection/research/analysis, and beginning to write; the second semester is spent writing the thesis, submitting drafts to two readers for critical comments and suggestions in a timely manner, and polishing the final thesis.

Although there is no specific length requirement, a typical undergraduate Honors Thesis contains 50-100 pages of text, along with a bibliography, and often includes illustrations and tables.

Applying for the Senior Honors Program

Students apply in the semester before they want to begin the senior honors program by taking the following steps:

• The departmental decision on admission to the senior thesis program will include consultation with the faculty instructor for this course.
• Overall UC GPA 3.5 or higher at the time of application and when beginning the thesis.
•  Major GPA 3.6 or higher at the time of application and when beginning the thesis.

  NOTE: The major GPA is based solely on courses completed at Berkeley.

Requirements:

(1) complete prerequisites:

• complete at least 8 units of Anthropology courses and be enrolled in at least 8 more units successfully (for a total of at least 16 units in Anthropology at UC Berkeley)
• complete a section of Anth 196. Students interested in the honors thesis program should plan to take a section of Anthropology 196, an  upper-division Undergraduate Seminar, the semester before they intend to begin the two-semester senior thesis program. 
• complete Anth 114 and the Methods requirement or be enrolled in them when applying

No incompletes should be on record at the time of application or when beginning the thesis. All incomplete grades must be resolved before a student can submit an application for the thesis program.

(2) assemble a thesis committee:

• identify a faculty advisor who agrees to supervise Anth H195A and H195B
• present a thesis proposal, in writing, to the proposed faculty advisor for approval
• identify a second faculty reader, in consultation with the primary faculty advisor. The second reader may be a professor from another department, if approved by the primary Anthropology faculty thesis advisor.

The faculty advisor  confirms the proposal is acceptable by sending email to the Undergraduate Major  Advisor approving enrollment in Anth H195A for the following semester.   This step is required.

The Undergraduate Major Advisor confirms that course requirements have been met, and if they have, enrolls the student in the first semester of the two semester course Anthro H195. The student must request enrollment in H195B by the Undergraduate Major Advisor at the start of the second semester of the program.

Getting Started when you have met the requirements:

Your first priority is settling on a general topic and a particular faculty advisor. If you are unsure which faculty member in the Anthropology Department might best help you, consult with the undergraduate advisor in 215 Anthropology and Art Practice Building (Formerly Known As Kroeber Hall), and with the Anthropology Faculty Undergraduate Advisors.  Prepare a brief thesis proposal--a statement of the research question and your plan of action including a discussion of the research methods you will employ. Visit your prospective thesis advisor with your proposal in hand and ask if they are able to sponsor you. If the response is "yes," then the subsequent process is largely up to you and your thesis advisor. If the answer is "no" (the faculty member may be on leave the coming year, unable to commit the time that you and your project merit, etc.), meet with additional faculty until you find sponsorship.

In addition to the sponsorship of an Anthropology professor as thesis advisor, the honors program requires you to have a second faculty sponsor, commonly referred to as the second reader. The second reader is only required to read and comment on a near-final version of the thesis, but may choose to play a greater role. In unique circumstances, the second reader may be a professor from another department, if approved by the Anthropology thesis advisor. Discuss with your thesis advisor who would make a good reader for your project, and arrange to meet with a prospective reader(s). If they agree to work with you as your Thesis Advisor, you are ready to complete the thesis process. Ask your main Faculty Advisor to email the Anthropology Undergrad Advisor, (me :), to request your enrollment into the Prof's H195A, during the enrollment phase. Although it is helpful to secure both thesis readers at the start of the process, the second reader is sometimes identified within the first or beginning of the second semester of the Thesis program. But remember to always consult with your Main Faculty Advisor on the who to approach for the Second Reader position.

NOTE: It is recommended that the student find out early that both readers agree on the same research methodology and range of required readings, that the project is not too large to be completed in two semesters, and that both readers be available (not on sabbatical or leave) for both semesters.

Once you obtain sponsorship from an Anthropology faculty member and second reader, have your main Advisor email the Undergrad Advisor to request enrollment. And please remember to request enrollment from the undergraduate advisor at the start of the second semester for enrollment into H195B, the second semester of the Thesis program. The honor coursework, (H195A & H195B) may count as 2 of the 5 Anthropology elective requirements for the major.

NOTE: Anthropology H195A and H195B are independent study courses; there is no instruction or class time involved. All the work for the thesis and these 2 courses is done independently.

Application Timeline

• Best timing is February of Junior Year (Fall/Spring thesis); September of Junior/Senior Year (Spring/Fall thesis): Prepare a brief thesis proposal and meet with the prospective thesis advisor(s). Get the consent of a faculty member of the Anthropology Department to serve as your sponsor.  Discuss the project, appropriate methodology and research methods, and preparation of sample bibliography with the faculty sponsor.

• A request from your Faculty Advisor to the Undergraduate Advisor (by email) confirming they will serve as your Faculty Advisor initiates the enrollment process to begin the Thesis.

Level of Honors and grade for the honors course sequence

Anth H195A is the first half of a single, two semester course. It is graded IP (in progress). A final grade for the two semesters, which count as 2 of the elective courses for the major, is assigned at the end of Anth H195B.

Level of honors is assessed separately from the grade for the two semester honors course sequence. Level of honors is based on the review of the final written thesis by the two readers. The Honors categories are Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors.

If the thesis is not of the quality required for honors, a student may receive course credit with a letter grade only.

Declared Psychology major students who are on track to earn a 3.5 GPA in their major and 3.3 GPA overall by graduation may apply for admission to the Honors program. Students interested in the honors program should participate in the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP) or departmental research during their junior year. This will prepare them for experimental research and design necessary for completing their own project.

The award of departmental Honors or Highest Honors is contingent upon several factors including:

• Submission of a high quality thesis, based upon independent study under the supervision of a Psychology Department faculty
• Satisfactory completion of the required courses with letter grades
• Attaining the requisite GPAs at the time of graduation (3.5 in the Psychology major and 3.3 overall)

Departmental Honors designations will be included in the student's permanent UC Berkeley record. The Student Services Office maintains a file of completed Honors theses, which are available for review. The Spring 2023 honors panel can be viewed here . 

Students are required to enroll in all of the courses listed below. Please keep in mind that NONE of these courses counts toward the major requirements.

UGIS 192 or Psych 199 As a prerequisite to the Honors program, students are required to have already been a research apprentice in a lab prior to their application. A minimum of 2 units of UGIS 192 or Psych 199 are required before applications are approved. It is not required for students to earn Psych 199 or UGIS 192 in the laboratory of their intended Honors faculty sponsor.

Psychology 102 Statistics for Psychological Research is a 3 unit upper-division course that is designed to introduce students to the data analysis techniques researchers using the field of psychology. This course is only offered in Fall and may be taken as early as the junior year.

Psychology H195A-B Psychology H195A-B is offered for 1-3 units per semester and is mandatory in order to receive Honors in the major. The course is sequential with a grade of In Progress or “IP” for the "A" portion and the final letter grade assigned for both semesters at the end of the "B" portion.

Psychology H194A-B Honors students are also required to concurrently enroll in Psychology H194A-B (2 units per semester), the Honors Seminar, in their senior year. This course provides excellent supplemental background for preparing the thesis. During the fall semester, the seminar will concentrate on issues of research design, ethics, and data analysis using statistical packages. In the spring semester, the seminar will focus on oral and written presentations of the thesis projects and feedback on thesis drafts.

Prior to your senior year: Attend a Psychology Honors info session. Set a thesis topic, conduct literary review. Participate in URAP (UGIS 192) or Psych 199 for a minimum of 2 units. Take Psych 101 (if not already completed). CPHS paperwork (if applicable more information below). Work on the design of the project.

Senior Year:

Application Students must complete the application to enroll in Psych H195A-B units and Psych H194A-B. Students must submit the application and an outline of the research proposal for approval to their Psychology faculty sponsor. The application should outline a specific plan for the research and the writing of the thesis and give a tentative timeline for its completion. Signed applications are due in the Psychology Student Services Office at least two days prior to the add deadline for the semester. Applications can be submitted by email to [email protected] .  Upon approval, a class number will be given to the student to enroll via CalCentral. If you are not officially enrolled in the classes prior to the first week of instruction, you are encouraged to attend class as if you are.

Fall 2024 Cohort Application Deadlines

A completed honors application packet is due to [email protected] two days before the add/drop deadline.

- Wednesday, September 11, 2024 (two days before the add w/out a fee deadline)

- Monday, September 16, 2024 (two days before the final add/drop deadline with a fee)

Faculty Sponsor and/or Mentor Students should maintain close contact with their faculty sponsor to ensure clear communication on direction of the thesis project and expectations of the professor. Students are encouraged to submit a draft of the honors thesis to the instructor mid-semester of enrollment in H195B for comments before the final copy is produced.

A student's faculty sponsor, must be a psych faculty or affiliated faculty. Students have the option of having a sponsor and a mentor which can be two people. The faculty will be the sponsor and the mentor can be either a grad student, post doc or lab manager

Deadline Completed theses are due on the last Friday of November for Fall review and on the last Friday of April for Spring review. Deadlines are subject to change. Instructions on how to submit your thesis electronically will be emailed to you by the major advisor. If the student is not able to meet the above noted deadline date for submission of the thesis, they should confer with the Undergraduate Major Advisor.

Content The honors thesis must be an original or empirical study of a topic in psychology.

Style The thesis should be organized and written according to APA style, found in the APA Publication Manual. The thesis must include an abstract that is within one page double spaced.  The title page should take the following format: Sample Title Page .

Students who are planning to use human subjects for the Honors thesis must apply for approval from the Committee for Protection of Human Subjects at the end of the junior year. This process can take up to six months. Faculty should be consulted for help in making the request.

Why do you require Psych 199/URAP before beginning the Honors program? In the Psychology department, the Honors project is a year-long independent empirical research project.  We want students to have worked as a research assistant so that they know whether or not this kind of project is suitable for them.  The best way to know whether or not you are ready to undertake your own empirical research is to have participated in research already.

Do I have to attend an information session in order to be accepted into the program?  We strongly urge you to attend the information session so  you can gain the necessary information to successfully join and complete the program. We'll talk about how to find a lab to sponsor you, what types of projects are suitable for the program, who is eligible for Psych honors, how to enroll in Honors classes and much more. Moreover, all students who attend the information session will be granted priority enrollment for Psychology 102 for the upcoming Fall semester. That being said, it is not mandatory for students to be accepted into the program. 

Do the classes I take for Honors also satisfy Psychology major requirements? Tier II and Tier III Psychology major requirement classes are all numbered between 104 and 182.   So, the classes you take for the Honors program will not satisfy any of the Tier II or Tier III Psychology major requirements.

If I’m graduating in December, can I start my Honors project in the Spring? It is not specifically required that students start Honors in a Fall semester and complete it in the Spring, but that is the most common timeframe. If you are graduating in a Fall semester, you would be able to complete the two semester Honors project by beginning the previous Spring.  Keep in mind that you must take the Honors seminar and that is oriented towards a Fall start.  So your seminar class will be taken H194B then H194A, which is a bit out of sync.  The instructor will do their best to accommodate your needs, but doing Honors with a Spring start will require that you be a bit more independent and seek help as needed.

How and when do I enroll in Honors courses? If you have not completed Psych 102 before beginning your Honors project, you should enroll in it during Phase 1 to assure you get a seat. If you attend the information session, you will have priority enrollment in this course. Once you submit the Honors application, the student services office will email you with the class number and permission code to enroll in Psych H194A/B and Psych H195A/B.  You will then use these numbers to enroll in the classes directly on CalCentral. Enrollment in H194A/B and H195A/B is guaranteed upon successful review of your application, so you do not need to prioritize enrolling in those during Phase 1. 

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Department of Film & Media UC Berkeley

Honors thesis.

The Honors Thesis is typically a written manuscript that presents a piece of original scholarship conducted under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The thesis may also take the form of a hybrid project incorporating written scholarship as well as creative elements, including film and media. You should regard your thesis as the culmination of your course of undergraduate study, in which you bring to bear the scholarly and creative skills you have developed during your time at UC Berkeley.  

The Honors Thesis will be expected to demonstrate critical thinking, a mastery of disciplinary material, and the communication of complex ideas. The normal length of a thesis is 40-60 double-spaced pages .  It should consist of two or more chapters, with a table of contents and a comprehensive bibliography. The supervisor of the thesis must be a ladder faculty member, normally chosen from among the faculty of Film & Media.

The process for writing the Honors Thesis begins in the second semester of your third year or the first semester of your fourth year, during which you should develop a detailed proposal and a bibliography. Students are expected to take one of three upper-level writing courses in Film & Media: FILM 194: Advanced Film Writing: Words and the Moving Image or FILM 190: Capstone Seminar or FILM 193: Intermediate Film Writing .  (An equivalent course from another department can substitute with approval of the faculty undergraduate advisor.)  In one of these courses you will develop your creative or research project, write a thesis proposal, and secure a thesis advisor who will approve your project.  

The Film & Media Dept will also consider applications for a production-based Honors Thesis that has both a creative media element and a substantial written element addressing the historical and theoretical context for your project and/or your creative process. Students are encouraged to take the Intermediate Moving Image Production (FILM 185) and Advanced Production (FILM 186 ) sequence for developing a production-based thesis.  FILM 186 can be taken concurrently with FILM H-195 Honors Thesis in the student’s final semester. The length and the form of a production-based thesis will be developed in consultation with the student’s faculty supervisor.

Applications and Proposals for the Honors Thesis: 

Eligibility : You must have achieved fourth-year status with at least a 3.3 GPA in all UC Berkeley coursework and a 3.5 GPA in the major. Your course load for the thesis semester will be limited to four courses, including your H-195 course, in order to ensure completion of the project.

Proposals : Your proposal will consist of a 5-to-12-page prospectus detailing your research for the thesis and the scope of your project. It should include a thesis statement, a statement of your methodology, a chapter-by-chapter breakdown, a bibliography, and a timeline for completion. For a production-based thesis, you will submit a synopsis or script or detailed outline for the project with your production plan and your timeline for completion. The proposal must be approved by your faculty supervisor and the Film & Media Faculty Undergraduate Advisor by the final day of your penultimate semester.

Enrollment : After securing these necessary approvals, you must enroll in FILM H-195 Honors Thesis Independent Study , in which you will complete your project.  You are required to meet with your faculty supervisor a minimum of 3-4 times during the semester. A draft of the thesis will be expected by early April, to allow time for editing and revision. The completed thesis will be submitted to your faculty supervisor by early May at the latest. The thesis should be of sufficient depth and quality to merit an “A” range grade.

Molecular and Cell Biology

MCB Honors Program

For COVID-19 related MCB honors updates, please see our FAQ . 

The MCB Honors program offers outstanding seniors the opportunity for recognition of their research through presentation and a thesis. H196 students usually work in an MCB laboratory. However, a student may work in an appropriate lab, on campus or off campus, and receive H196 academic credit for the research, with sponsorship from an MCB faculty member. A student is regarded as participating in the MCB departmental honors program once he/she has been accepted into a laboratory and has enrolled in MCB H196 (independent study). We strongly encourage students who are interested in pursuing departmental honors to look for a research spot during the first semester of their junior year. Students who fulfill all MCB Honors criteria receive a notation on their transcript and diploma which reads "Department Honors in Molecular and Cell Biology." The Honors Research Program consists of up to 4-8 units of independent research (MCB H196A, H196B), a thesis, and a presentation. Please be aware of relevant deadlines and feel free to ask questions along the way.

• MCB H196A/H196B Honors Program Application
• Timeline for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024

Requirements to Participate/Begin the Honors Program

Requirements to graduate with mcb honors, mcb honors and academic misconduct.

• GPA Calculation Policy

Poster Session vs. Symposium Presentation

To participate in the honors program, seniors must:

• work in a lab and have an MCB faculty research sponsor,
• currently have a 3.3* cumulative UCB grade point average,
• currently have a 3.5* grade point average in EITHER all courses required for the major OR all upper division MCB courses, 
• enroll in MCB H196A/B by submitting a completed honors application each semester, and have completed at least two MCB requirements for the major:
• BMB - MCB c100A and one additional upper-division major requirement
• CDB - MCB 102 and one additional upper-division major requirement
• GG&D - Track 1: MCB C100A and one additional upper-division major requirement
• GG&D - Track 2: MCB 102 and one additional upper-division major requirement
• Immuno - Track 1: MCB C100A and one additional upper-division major requirement
• Immuno - Track 2: MCB 102 and one additional upper-division major requirement
• Neuro - Two upper-division courses, at least one of which is an MCB course

* Exceptions 

For seniors who are graduating in Fall 2020,   Spring 2021 , or Summer 2021 , due to the changed Spring 2020 COVID-19 grading policies, we will accept these seniors into the honors program with:

• a current 3.3 grade point average in EITHER all courses required for the major OR all upper division MCB courses,
• AND the mathematical possibility of achieving an MCB major or upper-division GPA of 3.5 or higher by graduation. 
• a current 3.3 cumulative UCB grade point average is still required 

For students who matriculated as freshmen in Fall 2015 or junior transfers in Fall 2017, we will accept these seniors into the honors program with:

• a current 3.0 cumulative UCB grade point average (and the mathematical possibility of a cumulative UCB grade point average of at least 3.3 or higher by graduation)
• AND a current 3.3 grade point average in EITHER all courses required for the major OR all upper division MCB courses (and the mathematical possibility of achieving an MCB major or upper-division GPA of 3.5 or higher by graduation). 

To Register for MCB H196A/B Credit for Research

• Discuss your proposed project with your lab group's faculty principle investigator (PI). If the lab is outside of the MCB department, find an MCB faculty member to sponsor your research.
• Submit the  MCB Research Application  online form by the Friday of the third week of the semester (must be logged in to Berkeley email). This form requires student information from CalCentral, lab information (PI/sponsor name and email, lab department, lab location), project title, and project proposal (up to one page). The online form replaces the paper form starting in Fall 2020.
• If the proposal is eligible for the units requested, the PI is sent an email with a copy of the student's application. If approved, the MCB faculty sponsor, if applicable is also asked for approval.
• Once approved, the advising office will send students their class numbers to enroll in research units on a daily basis. Students must enroll themselves by the campus add/drop deadline: Wednesday of the fourth week of instruction.

To graduate with honors in the major, students must:

• write an honors thesis approved by their MCB faculty sponsor due by the last day of instruction. An H196 Honors Approval form must be submitted to the UAO on the last weekday of final exams of their graduating semester,
• present their research in an approved forum, such as an MCB symposium or poster session, or other scientific meeting,
• COVID-19 Exception: Seniors graduating in Spring & Summer 2021 may enroll in MCB H196B in their graduating term without the prerequisite of a previous semester of research units (e.g. MCB H196A, MCB 199 etc). Instead, their Principal Investigator must provide written confirmation that the student has been in their lab for a minimum of one semester before MCB H196B . Students may elect to take MCB H196B for letter grade or P/NP, but the GPA cutoffs will not be adjusted for honors eligibility.  
• have a cumulative UCB grade point average of at least 3.3 or higher in all work completed at UCB, and
• have an MCB major or upper-division GPA of 3.5 or higher. MCB H196B cannot be used to calculate their MCB upper-division GPA.
• (COVID-19 update) must receive a letter grade for a minimum of 3 upper division major course requirements. A letter grade in MCB H196B cannot be used to fulfill this requirement . MCB Honors students who are approved for lab substitutions cannot use letter graded research (e.g. MCB H196B, MCB 191, Chem 196 etc) to fulfill this minimum. 

Any student who has been found responsible for academic misconduct in their coursework or laboratory research will not be allowed to enroll in the MCB honors program or graduate with MCB departmental honors (with rare exceptions; see “Appeal Process” section below). 

This includes first-time offenses. Although first offenses are “non-reportable” by the Center for Student Conduct (CSC), this applies only to entities outside of  UC Berkeley (e.g., graduate schools, employers, etc.). Academic  advisors at Berkeley have access to all records of misconduct at UCB and will use them to  verify honors eligibility. Please refer to this website for more information on privacy and records. 

Also, note that if you accept responsibility or if you are found responsible for academic misconduct, the policy of the  College of Letters & Sciences is that you may not drop the course or  change your grading option. . If a late drop or grading option change request is processed and you are later found responsible for academic misconduct, the course or original grading option will be reinstated on your record. 

If you have been reported for academic misconduct but do not believe you are responsible, , you should  not admit responsibility. You may contest the accusation and request a hearing by the CSC. They will review the evidence and render a decision, which is then binding.  Review this website for an overview of the conduct appeal process. You can also seek advice from the Student Advocate Office . 

For more information about academic misconduct, please refer to the Center For Student Conduct website . 

MCB Honors Conduct Appeal Process

If a student has been found responsible for a single instance of academic misconduct in a lower division course prior to their junior year or 5th semester, but is otherwise eligible for honors in MCB, they may appeal to participate in the MCB honors program. 

To appeal, please submit the following documents by email to [email protected] . 

Personal Statement (1 page) - Please answer the following prompt:

The MCB department expects honors students to meet high standards of academic integrity as well as academic performance. How have you grown, and what have you learned since the academic misconduct occurred about academic integrity? Mention  any context and circumstances surrounding the incident of  academic misconduct that are relevant to your appeal. . 

Provide any other  documentation, including any materials submitted to the CSC to satisfy their sanctions related to the misconduct adjudication process. 

These materials will be considered by the MCB Undergraduate Affairs Committee and the Head Faculty Advisor will make a decision, which will be communicated within one month of the appeal. Note that the committee will not re-adjudicate the misconduct charge, but will only evaluate whether a student may merit departmental Honors despite the misconduct.

Calculating the GPA 

• Your GPA calculation will be based upon the grades in the courses you have taken to date, including electives. We will not disregard a grade in an elective already taken until you have taken and received a grade in a class to replace it. An example would be that you take MCB 165 toward your Neurobiology major and earn a C in it. You decide that you want to use MCB 167 as your elective instead. We will not exclude the C in MCB 165 until you have taken and earned a grade in MCB 167.
• We will round the GPA to the hundredths place, for example, 3.494=3.49 and 3.495=3.50. In the first case, a student would not be able to participate in the honors program. In the second case, a student would.
• We will include grades of all courses you have taken for the major at UCB, even if you have earned AP credit that would have waived you from those requirements, e.g. if you received a 5 on the AP biology exam, then took Bio 1B here and earned a C, we will include the C in your GPA calculation.

You can calculate your major GPA here.

The presentation of your research in an approved forum is a required component of the MCB Honors program.  Students who are completing their honors work in fall will present at an Honors Poster Session. The MCB department offers two types of events to present your research during the spring semester: the divisional symposia or the poster session.  All H196B students must present at either event or be approved to present at another scientific meeting by the head faculty advisor of your emphasis.

• The symposium presentation requires that you present your research in a 10-12 minute PowerPoint-style talk, followed by a 2-minute question & answer session from the audience. You may apply only for the symposium for your major emphasis, regardless of your research lab affiliation/field. Faculty select presenters based upon a review of your abstract and your GPA. If your application for the symposium is not selected, you are then expected to present at the poster session.
• The poster session is a department-wide event open to all undergraduate MCB majors in which participants present research in poster format. Over the course of two hours, you will discuss your project, often one-on-one, with attendees and answer their questions. You are expected to be able to present a clear and concise 2-3 minute summary of your research for your audience so that they are able to get a snapshot of your endeavors. Poster Guidelines

Also, see " Writing or presenting a research talk or poster " by Dr. Bob Zucker (updated 2/29/16)

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Rausser College Honors Program

The Rausser College of Natural Resources Honors Program is designed to support undergraduate students interested in developing, executing, and evaluating a year-long independent research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

Students who successfully complete the Honors Program will earn recognition at graduation and will also receive a notation of Honors in their major on their diploma. The Honors Symposium, held once each semester, gives all Honors students the opportunity to present their research to fellow students, faculty, Deans, friends, and family.

Students are responsible for creating their research within the limitations that may exist due to public health guidelines. As is the case with any research project, the student should work with the faculty to determine the possibility for remote, lab, or field research as they apply to the specific project.

Plant and microbial biology student Mary Ahern. Photo: Jim Block

Important Dates:

• Cohort Application opens: 1/8/2024
• Deadline to enroll: 6/21/2024 by 11:59 PM ​
• Application opens: 8/28/2024
• Deadline to enroll: 9/13/2024 by 11:59 PM

Eligibility

• Students who were  enrolled at UCB in Spring 2020 may apply to the Honors Program, and complete the program, with a 3.55 GPA or higher
• Have completed a minimum of 60-semester units (attained junior or senior status).
• Junior transfer students must have completed at least one semester at UC Berkeley with a 3.6 GPA.
• Have no more than 2 incomplete grades on your academic record.
• Must be on campus for two semesters of consecutive research.
• Must be declared in their RCNR major by the semester in which they wish to begin their first semester of Honors research.
• Research format and structure will vary greatly by subject area. Research in the biological sciences may be more likely to take place in the lab or the field, research in the social sciences may be more likely to be focused on qualitative data or literature analysis. These are generalizations, but all forms of research are eligible! Work with your faculty mentor to determine the best research format for your project

Program Requirements

• Complete 8 units of letter-graded departmental honors courses with your faculty mentor and earn a grade of B or better each semester. Students enroll in a four-unit H196 course for two consecutive semesters. Environmental Sciences students will follow the enrollment steps outlined in their Senior Research Seminar and then will be enrolled directly into ESPM H175A and H175L in the Fall, and ESPM H175B and H175L if they meet the GPA threshold to qualify for Honors.
• Maintain a minimum overall UC GPA of 3.6 or better through graduation (3.55 for those attending in Spring 2020). This will be strictly enforced with the exception of approved petitions for health or similar circumstances in situations where the GPA is close but below the threshold. 
• Give an oral presentation at the Rausser College Honors Symposium. Up to 10 slides in a PowerPoint presentation must be sent ahead of time to the honors coordinator. 
• Write an honors research thesis and submit copies to your Faculty Sponsor/Research Mentor. The thesis format will conform to the expectations for submission of a "publishable" paper to the relevant research discipline.

How to Apply

• Environmental Sciences students do not apply directly through the Honors Research Program. You will work with the Senior Research Seminar in Environmental Sciences instructor to complete the requirements to either enroll in ESPM 175A and 175L in the Fall and ESPM 175B and 175L in the spring or the Honors versions of the courses (H175A, H175B, H175L) depending on your cumulative GPA. ES Honors students will present at their own Research Symposium and submit their thesis document to their ESPM H175B instructor accordingly. ES students do not need to apply to the Honors Program separately from their Senior Thesis enrollment process
• Submit your research proposal (300 words minimum) and Rausser College Honors Program Enrollment Form . For resources for writing your proposal, follow the suggestions from the Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarships and VCResearch.  
• Identify a faculty mentor to serve as your research mentor. If you choose to work with a faculty member outside of Rausser College, you must also identify a faculty sponsor in your home department at Rausser. If your research mentor is a Rausser faculty member, you do not need to find an additional sponsor. Environmental Sciences students are required to obtain the signature of an ESPM 175 instructor in addition to their research mentor (if they are different).
• Submit your Honors Program Enrollment form to the Rausser College Honors Program at [email protected] by the end of the third week of instruction of the semester in which you plan to enroll in the Honors Program. The Honors Program Coordinator will enroll students directly in the course after eligibility has been verified.
• Email  [email protected] if you have any additional questions. 

Honors Info Session

See the honors info session below for more information about the program and applying. Recorded on Wed. January 17th, 2024.

SPUR and the Honors Program

Rausser College encourages students applying to the Honors Program to also apply for funding through the Sponsored Projects for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) program. Honors students may submit a Student-Initiated Proposal and request up to $2,000 in funding through SPUR.  The deadline to submit a Student-Initiated Proposal is typically a month earlier than the Honors Program enrollment deadline, so please plan accordingly. 

Double Majors

If you wish to participate in the Honors Program in one major, the guidelines described above are exactly the same.

If you wish to pursue Honors in both majors, you must meet the full requirements of the program for both majors. You will need two research projects with two research mentors, and a faculty sponsor in each department. You must take 8 units of H196 with each sponsor and write two publishable papers. This kind of endeavor will almost certainly take two years to accomplish, so careful planning is a must.

Simultaneous Degree Students

Simultaneous degree students are welcome to pursue Honors in their Rausser College major, with all the same requirements and opportunities.

Archive of Past Participants Projects  & Fall and Spring Symposia

Interested in seeing what research projects previous participants have completed? You may review a list of past participants and their project titles by clicking the link above. To see sample Honors Proposals and Theses, view our new digital library of examples here.  

Since the start of the Rausser College Honors Program in 1996, a total of 1,087 students have graduated with HONORS from Rausser as of Spring 2023.

A playlist of student research is available here.  The Fall 2020 recorded symposium is available here.  At the following links, you can see Day 1 and Day 2 of the Spring 2021 symposium. The Fall 2021 recorded symposium is available here.  

The Honors Melis Medal

All honors students present their thesis during the Honors symposium in the Social Sciences and in the Biological Sciences and are eligible to be considered for receiving a medal named in the honor of the Honors Program founder Professor Tasios Melis.  In his name, Rausser CNR awards the Melis Medal to the best student presentation delivered during each day of the culminating event.

In Fall 2023  the Melis Medalists are

Honors Program

Please note that the requirements for graduating with honors in Math and Applied Math are as follows:

In addition to completing the requirements for the major in mathematics or applied mathematics, students in the Honors Program must:

(a) earn a GPA of at least 3.5 in upper division and graduate courses in the major and at least 3.3 in all courses taken at the University (As a COVID-term policy modification please note that up to 3 of the 8 upper-division major requirements can be satisfied with P grades as long as those P grades were from a COVID-affected term: Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021.)

(b) complete one of the following:

• Math 196 (senior honors thesis)
• At least 2 graduate classes with grades of A- or higher in each
• At least 1 graduate class with an A- or higher plus 1 graduate class with a Pass grade if that "P" grade is earned in one of the COVID-affected terms of Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021 or Summer 2021.  This modification applies to students graduating in the Spring 2020 and in subsequent terms (including 2020-21 and the 2021-22 academic years)

(c) receive the recommendation of the Head Major Advisor [ Note: This is not required in most cases and is only needed if there is some ambiguity in the completion of requirements (a) through (b). ] 

If you have additional questions about the honors requirements and designation, please consult with a  Math Staff Advisor .

Related Resources:

• Petition to Enroll in Math 196 (Honors Thesis)
• Make an appointment with a Math Staff Advisor

Honors Program

Requirements , minimum cogsci major and uc gpa.

CogSci majors must be on track to realistically achieve a 3.5 CogSci major GPA, which is calculated by averaging all courses used to fulfill the Distribution Group and Upper Division Elective requirements. Additionally, honors students must be on track to realistically achieve an overall UC GPA or 3.3 before graduation.

Pre-Honors Research

Students applying to the Honors Program are required to have experience as a research assistant or apprentice in a laboratory run by their Honors Program first reader, or in a laboratory engaged in research that is relevant to the proposed honors project. The most important consideration when selecting your Pre-Honors Research Experience is whether the experience has provided the skills and knowledge needed to do advanced research in pursuit of an Honors project in CogSci.

Students will ideally complete their Pre-Honors Research Experience during their junior year.

The Pre-Honors research experience may come via enrollment in UGIS 192 (URAP uses this course number), CogSci 199, or possibly even a 199 from another department. Enrollment information: The URAP office will provide the student's enrollment information for UGIS 192 (course control number and class entry code) to register via CalCentral and the Cognitive Science advising office will provide enrollment information for CogSci 199 (directions for applying here). Units earned in another department should be facilitated by the advisers in that department.

Methods Course

Students who wish to participate in the honors program must complete a Research Methods Course relevant to their intended focus of research during their junior or senior year. Students should consult with their anticipated Honors Program First Reader to determine which methods course is appropriate for them. The First Reader will review and approve the Methods course on the Honor's Application Form.

Possible Methods Courses

Some examples of acceptable methods courses include, but are not limited to:

• Anthro 169A-C: Research Theory and Methods in Computational Methods, Socio-Cultural Anthropology, or Linguistic Anthropology
• Cognitive Science C140/Linguistics C160: Quantitative Methods in Linguistics
• Computer Science/Statistics C100: Principles and Techniques of Data Science
• Data 144: Data Mining and Analytics
• Education 150: Advanced Studies in Education
• Education 153: Research in Education: Studying Educational Inequality and Possibility
• Linguistics 140: Field Methods
• Linguistics 158: Computational Methods
• MCB 160L: Neurobiology Laboratory
• Philosophy 100: Philosophical Methods
• Psych 101: Research & Data Analysis in Psychology
• Psych 102: Statistics for Psych Research
• Psych 115: Introduction to Brain Imaging Analysis Methods
• Psych 147: Methods in Cognitive Development
• Stat 102: Data, Inference, and Decisions

Cognitive Science H195

Cognitive Science H195 is offered for 1-3 units per semester and students must complete at least 3 and no more than 6 units of these independent study units in order to receive Honors in the major. To enroll in H195 for a second semester, students should submit a second signed application form. Student must submit a separate application form for every term they wish to enroll in CogSci H195 units.   Students will not be enrolled in H195 until after their pre-honors research and Methods requirements have been completed and/or approved and their application is complete and their form is signed and approved 

Application Procedure

Before submitting an application, students should meet the GPA requirements, have completed their Pre-Honors Research, and have completed or planned their methods requirement as outlined above. Students should reach out to their First and Second Readers and complete the Honors Program Faculty Verification Form before they submit the form below for acceptance into the Honors program and for  enrollment in the required H195. For questions, students and faculty can contact Catherine Byrne at [email protected] . An advisor will then review it and email you the next steps or enroll you in H195 units.

Assessment of the Completed Thesis

Honors theses need to be turned in to the readers early enough for the thesis committee to review, consult amongst themselves, and send the Cognitive Science advisors an appropriate honors designation (Honors or Highest Honors) no later than the last day of finals of the student's graduation term . Students and committee members should fashion a completion timeline that can meet this deadline. 

Honors Level Designations

• Honors: The thesis meets the minimum requirements of the honor's thesis and contributed something novel, or a novel approach, to the research question. Well-written. Excellent advanced undergraduate work.
• Highest Honors: Unequivocally excellent. With little work, would be ready for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. This is a rare thesis.  

Awarding of the Glushko Prize

Glushko Prizes will be awarded to all students who are designated as Highest Honors by their thesis committees (all Highest Honors theses will receive a Glushko Prize).

• California Cognitive Science Conference

We strongly encourage all Honors students to submit their research to the poster session held each year at the California Cognitive Science Conference, hosted by the Cognitive Science Student Association.

First and Second Readers

All Honor's students must secure  two faculty members to serve as readers.

The first reader must be selected from the list of eligible Cognitive Science affiliates . The first reader will serve as the instructor and grader for the CogSci H195 honor's-specific independent study units.

The second reader must be a faculty member (NOT a post-doctoral researcher or graduate student) from a four-year college or university with expertise in the field. The second reader should not be a member of the same laboratory team as the first reader.

 U pon final submission of the thesis, b oth readers will confer together to determine the honors level designation.

It is the student's responsibility to maintain open communication with both their first and second reader regarding logistics, deadlines, and expectations for the thesis itself. 

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Useful links.

• CogSci First Reader Faculty
• How to enroll in CogSci 199 units
• Glushko Prize
• Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program
• Research Resources
• CSSA Research Resources
• Honors Program Application Form
• Form to submit completed thesis to CogSci program
• Honor's Designation Form (for Faculty)

Get help with Honors

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The Data Science Honors Program consists of a year-long research and thesis project, conducted over 2 consecutive semesters. Students will complete 2 courses as part of the honors program:

• DATA H195A (Fall semester, 2 units) assists students with writing their research proposal, beginning to collect data, and with finding a thesis mentor.
• DATA H195B (Spring semester, 2 units) provides a regular meeting time for students to receive feedback on their thesis drafts and prepare for written and oral presentation of their final thesis.

Student Eligibility to Apply

All eligibility requirements must be satisfied before the start of the Fall semester when you are applying:

• Must be declared in Data Science.
• Must have completed Data C100 (CompSci/Stat C100).
• Must have a minimum overall 3.5 GPA and a minimum 3.5 GPA in the major.

Requirements to Enroll in Data H195B

• Must obtain a commitment from a faculty advisor to serve as thesis mentor.
• Must meet all deadlines in Data H195A to be on track for thesis completion in Spring.

Requirements to Graduate with Honors

All requirements must be satisfied by the end of your final term at UC Berkeley:

• Must complete all requirements for the BA in Data Science.
• Must maintain a minimum overall 3.5 GPA and a minimum 3.5 GPA in the major.
• Must successfully pass DATA H195A and H195B.
• Must submit a thesis of passing quality by Friday of RRR week of the final semester before graduation.
• Must participate in the end-of-year Data Science Honors Research Symposium.

Application Timeline

Download the 2024-25 Data Science Honors Program Application .

• Application Deadline:   Sunday, July 21, 2024 at 11:59pm.
• Please refer any questions to [email protected].
• Students will be notified with final decisions by mid-August.

Submit application here

Frequently Asked Questions

How will i find a faculty mentor to work with.

• Prior to applying, research which faculty members at UC Berkeley teach classes or conduct research in areas you are interested in. You may want to explore UC Berkeley’s faculty expertise database
• Consider talking with faculty affiliated with the Data Science  Degree Programs Governance Committee or Divisional Faculty Advisory Committee .
• See these suggestions from the Office of Undergraduate Research about how to identify a faculty mentor.
• If accepted to the Data Science honors program, program staff will provide further guidance about this process during the Fall semester.

Do I need to have a research proposal ready in order to apply?

No. However, you should have some ideas about specific research areas that you are interested in exploring.

We recommend talking with professors, GSIs or others working on topics you are considering in order to ensure that your research interests are reasonable for your field, doable within the time frame of the Data Science honors program, and appropriate for your academic background.

How will my application be evaluated?

Applicants will be considered based on the following:

• demonstrated potential for success in academic research, through coursework or other experience
• ability to clearly describe research interests
• interest in conducting original research on a data science topic that will expand existing knowledge in the field
• academic performance, with an emphasis on courses related to data science and your research interests

Can I use summer classes to qualify for the program or improve my GPA?

Yes, you can apply to the honors program with summer classes in progress, and your acceptance to the program will be conditional until summer grades are released.

Can I do the honors program in a single semester, or in the summer?

Our faculty feel that the research and thesis-writing process requires two semesters to complete an effective project.

The required courses for the honors program are expected to be offered only in Fall and Spring, so students must be able to enroll in consecutive Fall and Spring semesters to participate.

How much time should I plan to spend on the honors program?

We recommend taking no more than 2 other academic courses while pursuing the honors program, especially if they are rigorous, upper-division courses. You can also consider talking with an L&S College Advisor about a reduced course load (minimum of 6 units).

How many students will be accepted to the honors program?

The size of the program will depend largely on the number of applications received. While we do not have a maximum capacity for the program, we anticipate that the program will remain small.

Do I have to apply to do the honors program in my senior year?

While we expect that most qualified candidates will be seniors, you do not necessarily have to have senior standing or be graduating in the semester you will complete the honors program.

Can I extend my graduation date to participate in the honors program?

If necessary, you should consult with an L&S College Advisor about the possibility of changing your Expected Graduation Term, especially if you will exceed the L&S unit ceiling .

Archive of Symposium Programs

2024 Data Science Honors Symposium Program

2023 Data Science Honors Symposium Program  

2022 Data Science Honors Symposium Program

2021 Data Science Honors Symposium Program

Honors Program

The department's honors program affords students the opportunity to learn how to put together a major research paper. It is necessary to have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 , both overall and in the upper-division requirements for the major, to apply for admission to the honors program.

The program consists of enrolling in 2-4 units in the Linguistics Honors (H195) course for 2 continuous semesters , normally in the student's final year. Under the direction of a faculty member , students carry out research and submit a thesis critically summarizing the material that has been covered. The deadline for submitting theses is the Monday of the 13th week of classes of the semester in which the thesis is submitted. Students who finish in the Spring semester will have an opportunity to present their research at a department colloquium at the end of the semester.

Petition to Enroll in the Honors Thesis Course :  Ling H195A / Ling H195B

Archive of linguistics undergraduate honors theses.

• Honors Theses - Examples

1.   A Carne e a Navalha :  Self-Reflective Representation of Marginalized Characters in Brazilian Narrative by Clarice Lispector, Eduardo Coutinho, and Racionias MCs by Corina Ahlswede, 2018

2.   The Travel of Clear Waters: A Case Study on the Afterlife of a Poem by Kaiyu Xu, 2019

3.   Examining Blurring: An Anti-anthropocentric Comparative Study of European Vampirism and Shuten Dōji by Yisheng Tang, 2018

4.  The Revolutionary Potential of Mythology  by Zachary Morgan, 2017

5.  “Use your authority!”: Pedagogy in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest by Wesley Boyko, 2018

6.  Train of Thought by Yana Zlochistaya, 2017

7.   “Between here and there”:  Assertion of the Poetic Voice in the Poetry of Rita Bouvier and Marilyn Dumont by Molly Kearnan, 2020

8.  Unveiling the Invaluable:  Female Voices, Affective Labor, and Play in Reḵẖtī Poetry by Elizabeth Gobbo, 2020

9.  The Prospect Garden of Forking Paths: Reading Jorge Luis Borges’s Fiction through Cao Xueqin’s Honglou meng and Buddhism by Jenny Chen, 2023

10.  La Politisation du Féminisme Littéraire et de la Différence Sexuelle chez Woolf et Cixous by Samantha Bonadio, 2023

11.  AENEAS’ EMPIRE AND CÉSAIRE’S EVASION: BLACK POETICS AS REFUSAL AND REDACTION IN CAHIER D’UN RETOUR AU PAYS NATAL   by des jackson, 2023

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Poli sci honors thesis: dissertations.

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Find Dissertations

Find Dissertations by searching Dissertations and Theses (Dissertation Abstracts) which indexes graduate dissertations from over 1,000 North American, and selected European, graduate schools and universities from 1861 to the present. Dissertations published since 1980 include brief abstracts written by the authors and some feature 24-page excerpts. The database offers full text for most of the dissertations added since 1997 and some full text coverage for older graduate works. Older dissertations not available full text may be obtained through Interlibrary Loan or using the Request link in UC Library Search .

Resources for finding additional non-US dissertations include:

• Center for Research Libraries Dissertation Collection Choose the Dissertations tab. CRL has catalog records for over 800,000 foreign doctoral dissertations. These can be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Some of them have been digitized. More information about CRL’s dissertation collection can be found in the Dissertation Topic Guide at http://www.crl.edu/collections/topics/dissertations. Patrons from CRL libraries may request that CRL purchase a dissertation if it meets certain criteria. See: http://www.crl.edu/collections/collection-building/cooperative-resource-development/demand-purchase
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Classes & Enrollment Info

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On This Page

Getting into data classes, requests to clear prerequisites, enrollment faqs.

•  Check our Fall 2024 Enrollment FAQs . 
•  Check for updates on the  Data 001 Ed Discussion page .
•  Read the Class Notes for each class on the  Schedule of Classes .

If you have checked the resources above and cannot find the answer to your question:

• For questions about enrolling in Data courses, please contact us at  [email protected] .
• For questions about enrolling in other courses, please contact the department that manages the course (for example: for IND ENG 135, please contact IEOR; for COMPSCI 61B, please contact EECS).

Data Science enforces class prerequisites and corequisites for most classes, as approved in the Berkeley Academic Guide, with limited substitutions allowed. We do not consider exceptions (i.e. requests to enroll without completing the requisites or any approved substitute).

Students are expected to complete all prerequisites with passing grades of C- or better before the class begins, including prerequisites that were in-progress or Incomplete at the time of enrollment. We reserve the right to drop students who don't meet these requirements.  

TIMING: Please be sure to submit your request before your Phase 1 enrollment time, or as soon as you want to enroll. Enrollment requests are reviewed as soon as possible, usually within 1-2 business days.

Submit Request for Summer 2024

Submit request for FALL 2024

Please note that enrollment permission will only be granted for the specific cases listed below:

*Solely for the purpose of satisfying the course prerequisite, Stat 21, W21, 135, PH 142 or IndEng 165 may be allowed in substitution for Data C8, when combined with CS 61A or 88. Please note that this substitution does not apply to the Data C8 requirement for the Data Science major or minor.

Will the registration system let me enroll in a course for next semester if I am taking the prerequisite now?

Yes, you can enroll in a class for next semester if you have the prerequisite in progress at UC Berkeley and will complete it before next semester begins.

*If you are currently taking a prerequisite class outside of UC Berkeley, the registration system will not automatically recognize this and you will need to submit a request to clear the prerequisite, including your proof of enrollment.

Faculty reserve the right to validate requisites at the start of the semester and drop students who did not complete or did not pass requisites that they were previously enrolled in.

What does it mean if a course has an enforced co-requisite?

An enforced co-requisite may be taken either before or concurrently with the class it is requisite to. If you want to take a course and its co-requisite in the same semester, you must FIRST enroll (not be on the waitlist) in the co-requisite course. For example, if you are taking Math 54 concurrently with Data C100, you must enroll in Math 54 first before you will be able to add Data C100.

Do I need to submit a form to clear the prerequisite if I took a transfer course that meets it?

If you completed a requisite course outside of UC Berkeley and have equivalent credit listed on your Transfer Credit Report in CalCentral (for example, if your Transfer Credit Report lists transfer credit equivalent to Math 54), the registration system will automatically recognize that this course is completed when you enroll. You do not need to submit any form.

If you completed a requisite course outside of UC Berkeley but haven't yet submitted your transcript, or your transcript hasn't yet been processed on your Transfer Credit Report, submit the form above to clear the prerequisite , including an unofficial copy of your transcript.

If you completed a requisite course outside of UC Berkeley that isn't listed as equivalent on your Transfer Credit Report but you have already received approval for it as equivalent to a UC Berkeley course, submit the form above to clear the prerequisite , including your documentation of equivalency approval.

This section has not yet been updated for 2023-24.

Please check the  Schedule of Classes  for the most up-to-date information on times, locations and availability.

Effective September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025

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The Berkeley College Honors Program

The Berkeley College Honors Program is a selective and voluntary 9-or 18-credit academic opportunity designed to educate, recognize, and retain our highly motivated, high-achieving Associate's and Bachelor’s degree-seeking students. The mission of the Honors Program is to provide a rigorous and unique educational experience that focuses on the consecutive completion of social justice-themed Honors seminars, engagement in community service, the development of critical writing and research, and the presentation of Honors student posters and papers at the annual Honors Symposium. Students are taught and mentored by Honors faculty, guest lecturers, CAS writing consultants, and librarians. Honors seminars are held at select campuses in New York, New Jersey, or online. Each accepted Honors student is assigned to a particular location and learning community. Onsite learning communities meet approximately once a week. Students must register for Honors seminars through their academic advisor.

The Honors Program is open to domestic and international first-year students enrolled in an Associate's or Bachelor’s degree program and continuing/transfer students enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program. Incoming first-year domestic students seeking Associate's or Bachelor’s degrees who have either high school GPAs of at least 3.5 or with special approval from the Honors Program Director are eligible to apply for the first-year Honors program. Incoming first-year international students seeking Associate's or Bachelor’s degrees who have either high school GPAs of at least 3.0 or with special approval from the Honors Program Director are eligible to apply for the first-year Honors program. Full-time enrollment in an Associate's or Bachelor’s degree program within the School of Professional Studies or Larry L. Luing School of Business is required. (Students enrolled in a degree program within the School of Health Studies are not eligible to apply or participate in the Honors program).

Berkeley College continuing/transfer domestic students seeking a Bachelor’s degree with a cumulative 3.50 grade point average (GPA) or higher, and a minimum of 18 semester credits, but no more than 80 semester credits by the next fall term, are eligible to apply for admission into the next Honors continuing/transfer learning community. Berkeley College continuing/transfer international students seeking a Bachelor’s degree with a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or higher, and a minimum of 18 semester credits, but no more than 80 semester credits by the next fall term, are eligible to apply for admission into the next Honors continuing/transfer learning community. Continuing/Transfer Honors students starting the program will complete one Honors seminar in each of the fall, winter, and spring semesters consecutively, culminating in a final Honors Thesis seminar in the spring semester. Transfer students must receive approval before applying to the program.

Associate's degree-seeking Honors students must consecutively complete HON1105 (fall), HON2205 (winter), and HON2210 (spring).  Bachelor’s degree-seeking Honors students must consecutively complete HON1105 (fall), HON2205 (winter), HON2210 (spring), HON3310 (fall), HON4400 (winter), and HON4410 (spring).

Honors students who meet the seminar, community service, research, and minimum GPA requirements will receive the Honors Scholar distinction on their Berkeley College transcripts and diplomas. The distinction will be noted next to each student’s name in the Commencement booklets. Students will also receive an Honors Scholar cord to be worn over their gowns at Commencement.

All eligible students are invited to download an application via the Honors Program page on the Berkeley College website. The application deadline is July 1 for domestic applicants seeking to join the first-year Honors Program the following fall. Applications should be e-mailed directly to the relevant campus Admissions Director.

The application deadline is August 1 for international applicants seeking to join the first-year Honors Program the following fall. Potential applicants must contact their International Admissions Director.

The application deadline is July 1 for applicants seeking to join the Continuing/Transfer Honors Program the following fall. Potential applicants must contact the Honors Program Director.

The three-member Honors Faculty Admissions Committee will review each application and select the next cohort or learning community of Honors students for the fall term. Students admitted into the program will receive a written response from the Honors Program Director within one month following the application deadline.

Each student in the Honors Program, whether domestic or international, must sign an Honors Program Acknowledgment that the student must maintain a cumulative 3.0 Berkeley College GPA to remain in the program, among other requirements. Credits earned in the Honors Program will contribute toward the fulfillment of students’ general education or free elective requirements.

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE