Header image. Left side is the honors logo. Right side says "Departmental Honors Project"

If you are part of the Honors College, it is the capstone experience to your story in Honors and a requirement for graduation. But anyone with a 3.2 GPA can complete an honors project.

What are the benefits, and why should you consider it?

Opportunity to pursue an independent research or creative scholarly project on any topic of your choice
Earn class credit in your major--complete those last 3 hours at the 400 level in order to graduate, and do it on your own terms
A 499 class fulfills your Explorations Beyond the Classroom (EBC) requirement for University Studies
Completing a thesis will prepare you for grad school; not only will it make your application more competitive, but it will prepare you for graduate-level research
The unique Interdisciplinary Honors Project (HON 499) allows you to combine approaches and research from multiple disciplines, or work with a faculty mentor outside your major
Special honors designation on your transcript and diploma (University Honors with honors in [Major] for University Honors graduates and Honors in [Major] for Departmental Honors graduates)
Build a close relationship with your faculty mentor
Opportunities and financial support to present your research at academic conferences around the country
Fellowships and scholarships dedicated exclusively to undergraduate research
Some exceptional theses go on to get published in academic journals--an impressive professional credential
Prove to employers, mentors, or grad schools that you are well-equipped to take on advanced, independent projects--that you are a true self-starter
Learn more about yourself, about the research process, and about a topic that interests you

IMPORTANT: About this Canvas course

You're in this Canvas course because you are enrolled in--or will soon be enrolled in--Departmental Honors. But technically, this is a Canvas group, not a class. There are modules set up to give you as much information as possible about the project in a way that mirrors the flow of how you will actually go through the project. You will be in this group indefinitely, until you request to be removed.

Nothing about your honors project will be graded or evaluated or turned in through Canvas. The pages are there solely for your own reference. Some pages--those that represent "to do" items and tasks--have the option for you to "mark as done". This is solely for your own reference, so that you can use the Modules page as a kind of checklist. Marking them as "done" will not be evaluated by Honors.

The bottom line: Nothing on this website actually impacts your project directly. It is built as a guide only.

Email us at ugthesis@uncw.edu if you have any questions, find any broken links, or stumble upon a page or paragraph that doesn't make sense.

I'm in. How do I get started?

First, if you're new here: Go to the Announcements page to see if any recent messages pertain to you.

Then check out these pages.

Sophomore or junior preparing to start
Departmental Honors within the next year

At least 74 credit hours under your belt;
planning to begin Departmental Honors next
semester

What to do during your 2-3 semesters of
Departmental Honors

What you need to officially complete and get
credit for your thesis