Students who wish to elect the Philosophy 498-499 sequence should consult with the departmental Honors advisor by the end of the preceding academic year.
In PHIL 498 or 499, which is taken in the semester following PHIL 401, students work with a thesis supervisor to develop their ideas into a thesis of appropriate length (usually 40-50 pages, double-spaced). At the end of this process, they defend their thesis at an oral exam, conducted by a committee of two professors, one of whom supervised the thesis. The award of the honors degree requires successful defense of the thesis and the level of honors (honors, high honors, highest honors) is determined on the basis of thesis and defense. Before a student enrolls in PHIL 498 or 499, Honors candidates must submit a thesis proposal to the department for its approval. Students considering an Honors degree should consult a concentration advisor as early as possible.