Southern Miss offers Senior Honors on the Gulf Coast! This will allow you to graduate with Latin Designation at graduation, write a thesis with an adviser, register early, have access to research grants, gain valuable experience for grad school, and obtain independent study with a professor in your field. Completing Senior Honors is a MUST DO if you have the GPA, can write, and are planning to attend Grad School - this is a good lead-in to your masters thesis work!
Requirements for Senior Honors are:
Have at least 40 hours credit completed
Have a cumulative 3.25 or higher cumulative GPA
Have at least 4 semesters remaining until graduation (summers count)
Application process:
Fill out the Senior Honors Application
Turn in a resume of your work/school experience including any extra curricular activities
Turn in a writing example from a previous class (~1000+ words)
Get one previous instructor to write a letter of support and send to Hattiesburg or Dr. Holt's Office
Turn in to Honors College in Hattiesburg or Dr. Holt's Office in Gulfport (GCSSC 138B-1)
The Steps to complete Senior Honors
Get an Adviser in your field (Dr. Holt can help)
Work with your adviser and settle on a topic
Sign up for HON 300 (1 hour - will show you basic research techniques) (taught on the coast via IVN/Web Fall and Spring)
Sign up for HON 301 (3 hours - will show you how to write a scientific paper) and complete your thesis prospectus (taught on the coast via IVN Fall, Spring, and Summer)
Take 3 hours (preferably one per semester - must be continuously enrolled while writing your thesis) of 492H in your field (used to write your thesis)
Fill out progress reports in the middle and end of each semester and send to Honors College
Complete a general knowledge 3-hour comprehensive exam or equivalent as per your department in your final semester
Get your Adviser and Chair to report you passing your comps to the Honors College
Get your Adviser to approve your thesis
Get your Chair to approve your thesis
Get the Honors College to approve your thesis
Have your Adviser and Chair sign your thesis signature pages on cotton bond
Print as many copies as you would like to have bound (2 minimum) on cotton bond
Put each copy of your thesis in an 8.5"x11" envelope with a copy of your title page taped to the outside
Turn these in to Hattiesburg or Dr. Holt's Office
Graduate with LATIN LETTER HONORS!
The Ideal Senior Honors Run Time (2 full years) leading into starting semester
Fill out application and get accepted to the College
Approach Advisers in your field and have one agree to help you (Dr. Holt can help)
Work with your adviser and settle on a general topic
Start reading any peer-reviewed documents on your topic (be sure to keep notes of what you read)
Sign up for HON 300 Your First Semester
Pass HON 300
Continue to work with your adviser!
Your Second Semester
Sign up for HON 301
Continue research for HON 301 and complete your thesis prospectus (Intro, Lit Review, Methodology)
Work with your adviser, continue expanding your lit review and begin field research
In your Summer - work on your research (consider applying for research grant through Honors College)
Your Third Semester
Take 1 or 2 hours of 492H in your field (used to write your thesis)
Work with your adviser, try to finish all field work and research, write results section
Fill out progress reports at midterm and end of semester
Inform the Chair of your department of your intent to take your comps
Your Last Semester
Take 1 or 2 hours of 492H in your field (used to write your thesis)
Work with your adviser and complete your thesis
Fill out progress reports at midterm and end of semester
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