Women's & Gender Studies Majors may petition to obtain honors if they have an overall cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better and a 3.4 average or better in Women's & Gender Studies courses at the end of their junior year.

Candidates are required to write an honors thesis of 75-100 pages on a topic related to women's and gender studies, participate in a six-credit year-long honors research seminar (988:497, 498), and orally present the completed thesis to the Rutgers community at the end of the year.

THESIS

The thesis, though grounded in a discussion of what other scholars have written about the topic in question, should be based on the student's original research. Each student will work with at least two faculty advisors in developing his/her project: a primary advisor with expertise in the student's particular field of research and the instructor of the honors research seminar, who will serve as a second advisor.

SEMINAR

The purpose of the honors research seminar is to establish a feminist learning community that will support each student's project. In seminar meetings, students will explore issues in the production of feminist knowledge production as well as read and critique each others' work.

In addition to the seminar, we strongly suggest you take Critical Feminist Investigation (01:988:370), but this is not required.

PRESENTATION

Students will give an oral presentation of their honors thesis before students, faculty, and staff in Women's & Gender Studies and other invited guests in mid- to late April.

Click here for form:  Honors Thesis/Independent Study Agreement