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Honors & Awards

Honors in Philosophy

We encourage qualified students to apply to the senior thesis, the honors track in philosophy. It offers a unique opportunity to pursue independent research under supervision, and many students have found this to be an extremely rewarding element of their degree. However, we stress that undertaking the senior thesis is certainly not a guarantee of achieving honors. Moreover, students should understand that the option is demanding. It involves a great deal of preparation and independent work on the part of the student, and the development, also, of skills in synthesis and structure of a longer piece of writing than undergraduates may be used to. It may not be appropriate for students with extensive competing demands. Honors Info Handout 2023

Application

To be eligible for working towards Honors, students must be philosophy majors of junior standing, and have a GPA in the major of at least 3.5. Satisfying these requirements alone does not qualify a student for Honors, only for approval to seek Honors; the criteria for attaining Honors are described below under "Evaluation". It is strongly recommended that students have taken a course at the 300 level in the area of their proposed thesis topic.  Exceptions to these requirements will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

PLEASE READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE INFORMATION ON HONORS BELOW BEFORE YOU SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
INSTRUCTIONS:  Applications can only be submitted by filling in the online form. BEFORE filling it in, the following are required:
  1. you have already settled on a topic and given it a provisional title
  2. you possess a 150 word Honors Project description.

The following are strongly expected:

  1. you have spoken to a member of the philosophy department's faculty and asked them to be your supervisor
  2. this prospective supervisor knows about your plans and has verbally or by email told you they are prepared to take on your project as supervisor.

Once you're ready to complete your online-application, please fill in the online application and

  1. be sure to select the correct prospective supervisor from the drop-down menu and
  2. check the box at the bottom of the form to receive a copy of the application by email. 

Upon completion and submission of the form, your application to Honors will automatically be forwarded to the selected faculty member together with the "Acceptance to Serve as Faculty Supervisor" solicitation-form, along with a request to fill in the latter on the basis of your application. Should your first choice of supervisor decline, you can re-apply by using the same form choosing a different member of the philosophy department's faculty as supervisor. Communication of the supervisor decision will come from the Undergraduate Coordinator, Emily Berry. Professors from other departments for honors projects will generally not be accepted as philosophy honors supervisors. Students contemplating this possibility ought to seek special case approval by the Honors Convener, who will submit this petition to the departmental Honors Committee for approval. Approval can only be expected under exceptional circumstances. This presumption of rejection obviously does not apply to interdisciplinary honors projects involving philosophers.

The application is due no later than the Monday prior to the beginning of Winter Quarter Reading Week of your Junior Year. This includes final approval for supervision of your project by a faculty member (in terms you propose as regards the quarters and thesis topic). However, if your application needs accommodation of this deadline, please contact the Honors Convener (Prof Mueller).

NOTE: The thesis is a challenging project and unlikely to be completed satisfactorily if pursued in addition to a full schedule. Honors candidates are therefore not to take either 398-1 or 398-2 as a fifth course and are expected to expressly commit in their application to taking no more than four classes while taking PHIL 398. Petitions for exceptions to this policy must be formulated in writing to the supervisor and brought before the Honors Convener and the Honors Committee by the Supervisor.

Honors in Two Departments

A student with two Weinberg majors who is interested in pursuing honors in both subjects should indicate that intent to each department or program in initial discussions about honors and should mention it in department or program honors applications. If the projects are distinct, the student may pursue honors in each department. If, however, the projects overlap and inform each other, the student may do a single, synthetic project designed to lead to honors in interdisciplinary studies. See the Weinberg webpage on Pursuing Honors in Two Departments or Programs if you are interested in either of these options.

Process

The candidate usually takes PHIL 398-1,2 in the two successive quarters: spring of the junior year, and fall of the senior year. (“S/F-sequence”)

It is possible for students to petition in writing for permission to begin the senior thesis sequence in fall quarter of senior year (“F/W-sequence”). For this purpose, a statement must be affixed to the application for honors stating the reasons why the applicant will not be able to begin in spring of the junior year. The grounds will then be evaluated by the Honors Convener and supervisor when the application is reviewed. The student's absence from Northwestern in spring due to an international study abroad program is a common reason for the granting of departmental permission, but there may be other grounds. Other reasons might include disruptive competing study or work demands in spring, and may also include an agreement between student and supervisor regarding preference for the fall and winter quarters of the senior year.  Also, students may in very exceptional circumstances undertake honors in non-consecutive quarters (“S/W-sequence”). Permission for this option must be gained at the time honors candidacy is declared.

For students who wish to engage in a longer-term research project, they may enroll in an independent study in a quarter prior to the beginning of honors.  This independent study (PHIL 399) would take place in spring quarter of junior year, and the student then would do the honors sequence proper on the F/W sequence.  Any student interested in pursuing this option must discuss this with his or her prospective thesis advisor (who must agree to supervising the thesis for the extra quarter), and must apply to follow the F/W sequence.

NOTE: PHIL 398 cannot be used to fulfill the Department's major requirements, including the elective requirement. PHIL 398 is an extra course, just as seeking honors goes beyond completing the major.

Senior Thesis and Honors

The student's supervisor will oversee the research and writing of the paper by meeting with the student, as well as by commenting on drafts to the final version of the thesis.

Fall Quarter

The student will participate in a senior thesis project discussion group (Honors Colloquium or "HONKOL", for short) for one quarter (usually the Fall), led by the honors convener, to get feedback concerning the thesis and give feedback on others’ drafts. 

If the student encounters difficulties concerning his or her supervision or the honors group, he or she should make an appointment to speak with the Honors Convener.

It is recommended that the student complete a sizable piece of writing (roughly 10 pp. draft) or an equivalent amount of accomplished research, to be determined by the supervisor, by the end of the first quarter of the sequence she or he follows.  At the end of the two-quarter sequence, the student must submit a long paper or short thesis; the required length is between 6,000 and 12,000 words, or 20 to 40 pages. This final piece of writing should demonstrate an appropriate level of research or reflection. A general rule of thumb is that the thesis be equal or better in quality to that of A-level work in a 300-level course in order for the student to be granted honors.

Spring Quarter

Early in the Spring quarter, students pursuing honors who have by then already submitted their theses participate in two further meetings of the HONKOL to prepare presentations of their theses at an annual departmental event called PhilFest, where they present their work to a large audience in a way appropriate to communicate research results to expert audiences. This event is aimed at celebrating the accomplishment of the students who worked pursuing honors. It is widely advertised in the university and takes place before the decisions about honors nominations (see below) are made by the Honors Committee.

Evaluation

PHIL 398-1 & PHIL 398-2

The thesis supervisor alone determines, on the basis of the student's work over the course of the two quarters, the grade for the PHIL 398 sequence.  The student does not receive a separate letter-grade for PHIL 398-1 before completing PHIL 398-2; instead, PHIL 398-1 is graded as “continuing” upon the student receiving a positive progress report from the supervisor towards the end of her or his work in PHIL 398-1.

Senior Thesis

The final paper is read by the supervisor and another faculty member (“Second Reader”) in a blind review procedure. Their evaluative reports are submitted to the departmental Honors Committee. The Committee approves directly as warranting nomination for honors contingent on fulfillment of the other criteria those theses that are found excellent by both readers. In case of conflicting reports by both readers, the Honors Committee may decide to ask for a third opinion after having reviewed the records and thesis or produce itself a third report to decide the matter.

HONORS

Any Honors candidate

will be nominated for Honors to the WCAS Committee on Superior Students and Honors. The latter has the sole authority to make final decisions on Honors.