To receive a bachelor's degree with Honors in Religion a student must meet the following requirements:

A.  Complete Religion 493 (3-3) -- Honors Thesis with a grade of B+ or above. The grade for the course will be determined by the quality of the written thesis (no set length, 40-50 pages recommended), participation in the senior thesis seminar, written comprehensive exams, and an oral defense of the thesis before the thesis committee.  (Students who earn a grade lower than B+ will receive 6 credits for independent study at the assigned grade.)

B.  Participate in Religion 431, meeting all of its requirements as a part of preparation for the honors thesis, and in Spring term sessions of Religion 473--Senior Thesis Seminar by presenting a portion or condensed version of his or her thesis and by discussion of the other senior theses.

C.  Students who wish to receive honors on their senior theses will be asked to discuss, during their thesis defense and in addition to any specific questions about their thesis, general questions which draw relationships between the topic of their honors thesis and three of the courses they have taken in the Religion Department.  These three questions will be developed through discussions between the student and the department faculty during the Winter Term. 

D.  Satisfactory oral defense of the thesis before a committee of four or more faculty members from the Religion Department and other relevant fields of study. 

(a)  must have completed at least 54 credits with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or above,
(b)  must have completed at least 21 credits in Religion, of which 9 are at the 200-level or above, with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or above,
(c)  must submit to a prospective advisor (by May 15 in the student's junior year) a one - two page proposal of the thesis she or he hopes to write.