Departmental Honors

Any student with a strong academic background may apply to complete an honors project in the department or program of their major. A successfully completed thesis project leads to the awarding of the bachelor of arts degree with the notation “honors,” “high honors,” or “highest honors” in the student’s major subject. Honors students’ names and the titles of their thesis projects are listed in the Commencement program. You may only earn honors in one major.

If you are a faculty member, please review the Departmental Honors for Faculty page.

General Information

Eligibility

Eligibility for admission to the honors program is determined by each department or program and students must be seniors. Consult the director of honors in your department or program about eligibility and deadlines before submitting a proposal and application. Please note: students who are on probation the semester prior to applying for honors are not eligible and students need to have been enrolled at Smith the semester prior to applying for honors.

Residency Requirement

You must be in residence in Northampton for the duration of the honors thesis project.

Academic Integrity Board Sanctions

To be enrolled in departmental honors you must certify that you have not been sanctioned by the Academic Integrity Board at a serious level (one-third-step grade reduction or more) for a violation in your sophomore, junior or senior year.

If you receive a sanction from the Academic Integrity Board during your senior year you must convert your honors project to a special studies.

Project Advisers

You will need a faculty adviser for your thesis project. Consult with the director of honors in your department if you are unsure about whom to ask.

The primary adviser of your thesis project must be a member of the Smith faculty in your major department or program; faculty from the Five Colleges or other accredited institutions of higher education may serve as second readers.

Course/Credit Load

Honors students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits (which may include the thesis). Ada Comstock Scholars are expected to consult with the Ada Comstock Scholar dean about credit.

More Information

The college-wide honors program is administered by SHIP under the Committee on Academic Priorities (CAP). Send questions to the dean of the senior class, who serves as chair of the subcommittee, at honors@smith.edu.

You must be enrolled in an honors course when you undertake a thesis project. There are three options for the course:

  1. One-semester course (431; 8 credits): fall semester only of the senior year
  2. Yearlong course (430D; 8 credits): 4 credits each semester
  3. Yearlong course (432D; 12 credits): 6 credits in each semester

Not all departments offer all options; consult the course catalog or ask the director of honors in your department. 

Your completed application and proposal must be approved by your department or program and the Subcommittee on Honors and Independent Programs (SHIP) before you are officially registered in the course, usually during the third week of the semester in which you start your thesis.

Developing an Honors Thesis from a Special Studies or Senior Seminar Paper

You may, with the endorsement of your adviser, upgrade a first-semester special studies project (4 credits) or a particularly successful seminar paper (4 credits) in your major produced in residence, in the first semester of the senior year, to a one-semester honors project (4 credits) in the second semester of the senior year.

You will need to submit an honors proposal and completed application to your department by the first day of the second semester of your senior year or sooner if required by your department. If approved, you will have one semester of the thesis/project course on record in the semester in which you are officially enrolled as an honors student. There is no change to the first-semester special studies or seminar. This is not an option for continuing work undertaken at another institution (includes the Five Colleges).

Consult the directors of honors list if you are interested in this possibility.

Library Permission Form

All thesis projects are archived electronically at the Smith Libraries. The library needs permission from you in order to catalog your thesis. You must sign the Smith College Libraries Permission Form for Honors Project. Email the completed permission form to Colin Van Alstine at cvanalstine@smith.edu.  If you do not submit the form your thesis project cannot be catalogued.

The library offers a variety of resources to assist students with honors projects.

Timeline & Dates

If you are considering a thesis project, talk with the director of honors in your department or program during your junior year.

For Academic Year 2026–27

Abbreviation Department Honors Director(s)
AFS African Studies Contact chair of department
AFR Africana Studies Sam Ng
AMS American Studies Kevin Rozario
ANT Anthropology Caroline Melly 
ARH Art: History Kathleen Pierce
ARS Art: Studio Lee Burns
ARU Art: Architecture Kathleen Pierce
AST Astronomy James Lowenthal
BCH Biochemistry Lesley-Ann Giddings
BIO Biological Sciences Nathan Derr
CHM Chemistry Maren Buck
CLS, CST, GRK, LAT Classics, Classical Studies, Latin, Greek Joshua Birk
CSC Computer Science Ileana Streinu
DAN Dance Jake Meginsky
EALC East Asian Languages & Cultures Jessica Moyer
ECO & QEC Economics Mariyana Zapryanova
EDC Education & Child Study Rachel Fish
EGR Engineering Niveen Ismail
ENG English Language & Literature Lily Gurton-Wachter
ES&P Environmental Science & Policy Leslie King & Greg White (fall)
Susan Sayre (spring)
FMS Film & Media Studies Jennifer Malkowski
FRN French Studies Carl Cornell
GEO Geosciences Sara Pruss
GER German Studies Joel Westerdale
GOV Government Nathan DuFord
HST History Joshua Birk
ITS Italian Studies Michele Monserrati
JUD Jewish Studies Ernest Benz
LALS Latin American & Latino/a Studies Maria Helena Rueda
LNG Linguistics Shannon Audley
MED Medieval Studies Contact chair of department
MES Middle East Studies Susanna Ferguson
MTH Mathematical Sciences Julianna Tymockzo
MST Mathematical Statistics Ben Baumer
MUS Music Lauron Kehrer
NSC Neuroscience Maya Rosen
PHI Philosophy Jeffry Ramsey
PHY Physics Gary Felder
PSY Psychology Patricia DiBartolo
REEES Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies Tom Roberts
REL Religion David Howlett
SDS Statistical & Data Sciences Ben Baumer 
SOC Sociology Leslie King
SP & P Spanish & Portuguese Reyes Lázaro (Spanish)
Malcolm McNee (Portuguese/Brazilian)
SWGS Study of Women, Gender & Sexuality Contact chair of department
THE Theatre Len Berkman
WLT World Literatures Thomas Roberts

2026–27

The dates below coincide with Registrar dates and deadlines.

September 2026

  • Tuesday, September 8: Fall classes begin. Class of ’27J students proposing a one-semester honors thesis, based on spring work in a 4 credit seminar or 4 credit special studies in their major, should submit a completed honors application to the honors director in their department in time for departmental meetings in September if they have not already done so during the summer. Students should contact their department before the end of August.

  • Friday, September 18: Deadline for departmental directors of honors to submit completed honors applications to the Chair, Subcommittee on Honors and Independent Programs (SHIP) by email at honors@smith.edu.
October 2026

  • Friday, October 2: Deadline for students to apply for Libraries Appointment (this is not required but recommended)

  • Friday, October 2: Deadline for students, approved for funding, to return the Tomlinson Fund Reimbursement Form to the honors coordinator in the Class Deans Office by email at honors@smith.edu.
  • Monday, October 19: Mid-semester grades due
  • Friday, October 23: Deadline for students to turn in receipts for approved Tomlinson Fund Grants to the honors coordinator in the Class Deans Office by email at honors@smith.edu. (first of two deadlines for receipts.)
November 2026
  • Friday, November 6: Class of ’28J students should consult the director of honors in their department or program about submitting their completed honors application in time for departmental meetings in December if they have not already done so. Consult with your department before the end of November.
  • Monday, November 16: Deadline for class of ’27J students to submit title page on Moodle, choose from “my courses” or “filtered courses list”: “Honors Project 2026-2027.”
  • Monday, November 16: Deadline for class of ’27J students to submit signed Library Permission Form to the cataloging team at Smith College Libraries, at cataloging@smith.edu. There are no extensions on this deadline.
  • Monday, November 23: Deadline for class of ’27J to submit final honors project to adviser for editorial correction, unless required sooner by major department or program.

  • Monday, November 23: Deadline for class of ’27J students to convert to special studies (if withdrawing from honors program—information available by emailing the honors coordinator in the Class Deans Office at honors@smith.edu).

  • Wednesday, November 25–Sunday, November 29: Thanksgiving Break

December 2026

  • Tuesday, December 1: Deadline for students to turn in receipts for reimbursement for approved Tomlinson Fund Grants to the honors coordinator by email at honors@smith.edu. (second and final deadline for receipts)

  • Tuesday, December 15: Classes end

  • Tuesday, December 15: Last day for departments to administer oral exams. No extensions given.

January 2027

  • Wednesday, January 6: Fall grades due

  • Wednesday, January 6: Deadline for ’27J graduates to submit final corrected copy of Honors Project in PDF (this includes the title page, body of work, bibliography, and any .jpg files) on Moodle, choose from “my courses” or “filtered courses list”: “Honors Project 2026-2027.” No extensions.

  • Monday, January 18: Martin Luther King Jr. holiday

  • Monday, January 25: Spring classes begin

February 2027
  • Wednesday, February 3: Deadline for departmental directors of honors to submit completed honors applications for class of ’28J to the Chair of SHIP by email at honors@smith.edu.
  • NOTE: Final Honors determination is decided in May.
May 2027

  • Tuesday, May 11: SHIP reviews and approves Final Calculations of Honors (includes ’27Js and ’27s)

  • Sunday, May 16: Commencement (includes ’27Js and ’27s)

2026–27

The dates below coincide with Registrar dates and deadlines.

September 2026

  • Tuesday, September 8: Fall classes begin. Class of 2027 seniors should submit a completed honors application to the honors director in their department in time for first departmental meeting in September if they have not already done so during the summer. Students should email their department before the end of August.

  • Friday, September 18: Deadline for departmental directors of honors to submit completed honors applications to Chair, Subcommittee on Honors and Independent Programs (SHIP) by email at honors@smith.edu.

October 2026

  • Friday, October 2: Deadline for students to apply for Libraries Appointment (this is not required but recommended)

  • Friday, October 2: Deadline for students, approved for funding, to return the Tomlinson Fund Reimbursement Form to the honors coordinator in the Class Deans Office by email at honors@smith.edu.

  • Monday, October 19: Mid-semester grades due
  • Friday, October 23: Deadline for students to turn in original receipts for approved Tomlinson Fund Grants to the honors coordinator in the Class Deans Office by email at honors@smith.edu. (first of three deadlines throughout the year for receipts)
November 2026

  • Friday, November 6: Class of 2027 seniors who are proposing a one semester honors thesis, based on fall work in a 4 credit seminar or 4 credit special studies in their major, should consult the director of honors in their department or program about submitting their completed honors application in time for departmental meetings in December if they have not already done so. Students should consult with their department before the end of November.

  • Wednesday, November 25–Sunday, November 29: Thanksgiving Break
December 2026
  • Tuesday, December 15: Classes end
January 2027

  • Monday, January 4–Friday, January 22: Interterm

  • Wednesday, January 6: Fall grades due

  • Monday, January 18: Martin Luther King Jr. holiday

  • Monday, January 25: Spring classes begin

February 2027

  • Wednesday, February 3: Deadline for departmental director of honors to submit completed honors applications for seniors (class of 2027) who are proposing a one semester honors thesis, based on fall work in a 4 credit seminar or 4 credit special studies in their major, to the Chair of SHIP at honors@smith.edu.

March 2027

  • Wednesday, March 3: Deadline for students to turn in receipts and the Reimbursement form for approved Tomlinson Fund Grants to the honors coordinator by email at honors@smith.edu. (second of three deadlines throughout year for receipts.)

  • Monday, March 22: Mid-semester grades due

April 2027

  • Friday, April 2: Deadline for students to submit title page on Moodle, choose from “my courses” or “filtered courses list”: “Honors Project 2026-2027”. No extensions.

  • Friday, April 2: Deadline for students to submit signed Library Permission Form to the cataloging team at Smith College Libraries, at cataloging@smith.edu. No extensions.

  • Friday, April 9: Deadline for students to submit final honors project to adviser for editorial correction, unless required sooner by major department or program.

  • Friday, April 9: Deadline for students to convert to special studies (if withdrawing from honors program, forms available by emailing the honors coordinator in the Class Deans Office at honors@smith.edu).

  • Friday, April 9: Deadline for students to turn in receipts and the Reimbursement form for Tomlinson Fund Grants to the honors coordinator by email at honors@smith.edu. (third and final deadline for receipts)
  • Friday, April 30: Classes end
  • Friday, April 30: Last day for departments to administer oral exams. No extensions.
May 2027

  • Saturday, May 1–Monday, May 3: Pre-exam study period

  • Tuesday, May 4–Friday, May 7: Final examinations 

  • Monday, May 10: Grades due for seniors by noon

  • Monday, May 10: Deadline for students to submit final corrected copy of Honors Project in PDF (includes title page, body of work, bibliography, and any jpg or other files) on Moodle, choose from “my courses” or “filtered courses list”: “Honors Project 2026-2027”. No extensions.

  • Tuesday, May 11: SHIP reviews and approves Final Calculations of Honors (includes ’27s and ’27Js)

  • Sunday, May 16: Commencement (includes ’27s and ’27Js)

  • Monday, May 17: Deadline for directors of honors to submit completed honors applications for rising seniors (class of 2028) to the Chair of SHIP by email at honors@smith.edu (Monday after Commencement)

  • Monday, May 17: Non-senior grades due

How to Apply

Second-Semester Juniors

Submit your honors application to the director of honors in your department or program before the last departmental meeting of the spring semester. Contact the director of honors to get the exact date.

The director of honors will forward approved applications to the Subcommittee on Honors and Independent Programs (SHIP) after graduation. You will be informed of the decision by late June.

First-Semester Seniors

Submit your honors application to your department or program before the first departmental meeting of the semester. Contact the director of honors to get the exact date.

The director will forward all approved applications to SHIP by the end of the second week of the semester. The subcommittee will consider all applications, and the chair of SHIP will officially enroll you in the appropriate honors course by the end of the third week of the semester.

There are five steps to honors applications:

1. Request a form for a Calculation of Your Grade Point Average

  • Write to honors@smith.edu to request the form for calculation of your GPA.
  • Include your ID number and your major in the email (you can only pursue honors in one major).
  • The form will be sent to you as an email attachment.
     

2. Calculate your GPA with Your Adviser
Use the GPA form to calculate your GPA inside the major (and outside the major if required by your department). You should do this with your adviser. The minimum GPA to be eligible for a thesis is set by your department or program.

3. Submit Your Project Proposal and completed application by the Deadline
Be sure to submit your project proposal and completed application to the director of honors in your major department on time.

Your proposal should contain:

  • A signed Application with checklist to Enter Departmental Honors Form as a cover sheet. 
  • a 500- to 1,000-word description of the broader scholarly issue you will investigate
  • the specific issue you will discuss or investigate
  • an explanation of your approach and evidence of your experience with this approach
  • an account of your relevant preparation and skills (previous coursework related to the project topic, quantitative skills, foreign language ability, etc.)
  • a bibliography
  • a copy of the completed and signed calculation of GPA requirements form
  • The application form is double-sided; the reverse side has a checklist of steps you must take to submit a proposal. Please complete all the steps and sign and date the checklist when you hand in your thesis project proposal. If your application is not signed by an adviser in your department, it cannot be considered.

4. Submit a Certification Letter
You must certify that you have not been sanctioned by the Academic Integrity Board at a serious level (one-third-step grade reduction or more) for a serious violation in your sophomore, junior, or senior year.

Submit the Departmental Honors Certification Letter to the chair of SHIP by mail to College Hall 101, or attach it in an email to honors@smith.edu.

5. Submit Your Thesis Project Funding Request
If you are applying for funding through the Nancy Kershaw Tomlinson Memorial Fund, please submit your request with your thesis project proposal.

After your thesis project has been approved by SHIP and you have been enrolled in honors, you should discuss with your adviser whether or not you should participate in a meeting with the appropriate research librarian for your field. A consultation with the librarian can help you keep track of the documentation for your thesis. Meetings will take place in small groups of thesis writers with similar interests.

Moodle Site

All approved honors students, their thesis advisers and departmental directors of honors are automatically enrolled in a Moodle site for honors managed by the honors coordinator in the class deans office. It provides basic information, important deadlines, and is where students upload their honors thesis title page and a final PDF of their theses/projects for cataloging by the library. .

Thesis Support Program

The Jacobson Center runs a thesis support program in which student writers are paired with professional writing instructors for ongoing writing support. Instructors can help with thesis, evidence, clarity, deadlines, and even sentence-level suggestions. Space is limited; students apply via application in early fall of their senior year. Contact Sara Eddy (seddy@smith.edu), assistant director of the Jacobson Center, with questions or to receive an application form.

Thesis Project Funding

A memorial fund in honor of Nancy Kershaw Tomlinson was established to help student thesis writers pay for some of the expenses incurred in honors projects.

Tomlinson grants in any one year are limited and may not cover all of your expenses. Money is awarded as a reimbursement either to you or to your department here at Smith, so you will need to keep your original receipts. Awards are not always approved.

Application

To receive funding you must include:

  • A full explanation of how you will use the funds
  • An itemized budget for the honors project on either or both of the following forms:
  • The signature of the honors thesis adviser and the director of honors supporting your request certifying that departmental or grant funds and supplies have been used to the fullest extent possible in meeting the needs of the honors project.


The Subcommittee on Honors and Independent Programs (SHIP) will not consider late applications. Requests for funding must be made at the time students are applying for honors.

Please note that funding for research will not be approved if it involves missing classes for more than three days.

Tomlinson money cannot be supplemented with extra funding from the dean of the college.

The Tomlinson Memorial Fund does not give cash advances; it only reimburses expenses, either to you or your department.  

  • You can only use Tomlinson money for the items approved on your budget sheet to help with the research of your honors thesis project.
  • You must document all your expenses with original receipts and a completed reimbursement form.

    Tomlinson Reimbursement Form
     
  • Reimbursement is made in one of two ways:  through direct deposit into the student’s personal bank account OR through direct transfer to the departmental account of the student’s major department/program. In either case, original receipts are required for reimbursement.
  • If you are making supplies or equipment purchases through your department, you must speak to the administrative assistant in your department about how to do this and complete the necessary forms for the Tomlinson Fund to reimburse the department.
  • If you are making supplies purchases or travel purchases yourself, you will need to provide a completed reimbursement form, an itemized list with a total of the expenses, and attach the original receipts to that list and then email them to honors@smith.edu or bring them in person to the honors assistant in College Hall 101.
  • If you are paying participants who are in a study/survey you are conducting (only with permission from the Institutional Review Board first) the college requirement limits each participant to $25 or less and a receipt needs to be obtained for reimbursement purposes. Email the honors assistant for a receipt template if needed at honors@smith.edu.
  • The Tomlinson Fund cannot cover laptops or other computer equipment.
  • The Tomlinson Fund cannot cover tuition or room and board for summer school.
  • Anything you buy with Tomlinson money (equipment, books, DVDs or CDs or other unused supplies) becomes the property of Smith and should be turned in to your department if you are purchasing through them or to the senior class dean if you are making purchases yourself, no later than April 15.