Department of Psychology

Honors Program

The psychology honors program provides you an opportunity to enrich your undergraduate education with an intensive program of independent study and research. The focus of the program is on psychological research and it is especially valuable if you plan to pursue graduate education. You will work individually with a faculty member, your thesis advisor, on state-of-the-art research which could be of such merit that it will be submitted to a scientific journal for publication. You will be an active participant in all aspects of the research, including conception, design, implementation, analysis, and writing. Honors students must complete a written honors thesis and must orally present and defend their research in the honors seminar.

View past Honors students' projects.

Honors Designations

If you successfully complete all program requirements, you will earn the designation of "Psychology Honors Scholar." If you complete the university honors requirements, you will earn the designation of “University Honors Scholar.” These designations are indicated on transcripts.

Admission Requirements

You must satisfy the following requirements for admission to the honors program.

  • You must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 on all work including all transfer credit.
  • You must have earned at least 50 semester-hours. Entry should be as early as possible as soon as this requirement has been met. Completion of the program requires at least three full academic year semesters with the final term being a spring semester before you graduate.
  • You must have successfully completed PSY 3010 and 3020. Only in exceptional cases, and with thesis advisor's and honors program director’s approval, will you be admitted before PSY 3010 and 3020 has been completed.
  • You must obtain an honors program faculty member who agrees to supervise your thesis. Only full-time regular tenured or tenure-track psychology faculty may supervise honors theses. See the list on page 5 of the Honors Program Application Form. Exceptions must be approved by the departmental honors program director.

Psychology Honors Program Application Form (PDF)

Application to the psychology honors program is also available in the psychology department, 335 Fawcett.