Each department has the option to alter the requirements for Honors in the Major, as long as the stated minimums remain in effect.

Below, you will find the things you need to know about how Honors in the Major works in your department.

• As a general rule, Honors work will consist of laboratory, field or theoretical research, or other creative activity. The results of this work will be written up as an honors thesis and defended before a committee of three. The format of the thesis will be generally similar to that of a master's thesis. *Please note that if the project is something other than a thesis, the Honors student must write a project report (average length, 15 pages). A project report is simply an account of what the student tried to accomplish in the research and what he or she eventually did accomplish. The report should show an awareness of other scholars' work in the area of research.
• The course you register for, for Honors Thesis credit, is BSC4970r, Honors Work, Bio Science.
• You may complete anywhere from six to nine hours of Honors thesis credit.
• None of these thesis hours count toward major requirements. The work is above and beyond usual expectations.
• A grade of 'I' (Incomplete) will be assigned in each term until the thesis has been defended. Thereupon, the 'I' will be retroactively changed to the letter grade earned for the thesis defense.
• There are no completion requirements beyond a successfully defended thesis.
• Students are encouraged to make plans for Honors in the Major work in Biological Science well in advance. Students should meet with Professor Walter Tschinkel to discuss the program at their earliest convenience.