Honors Program

The Critical Gender Studies Honors Program allows advanced critical gender studies majors to pursue individual projects in the context of collective intellectual exchange with their peers and advising faculty. Students are eligible if they a) have senior standing at the time they begin the program, and b) are approved by the critical gender studies faculty director and steering committee. Normally, students eligible for honors will have a 3.5 grade point average in upper-division courses taken for the major, but highly motivated students who do not meet this criterion may be admitted to the program at the discretion of the director and the critical gender studies steering committee.

In the fall quarter of their senior year, students take the Honors Seminar (CGS 190), taught by a member of the critical gender studies faculty. The first half of the quarter is devoted to intensive analysis and discussion of recent publications in the fields of gender and sexuality. During the second half of the quarter, each student develops a short thesis proposal and presents it for group discussion. After taking the Honors Seminar, each student registers for CGS 196A: Honors Research, four units of independent study with a faculty member associated with critical gender studies. With the guidance of this adviser, the student carries out background research for the thesis prospectus. In the spring quarter, students complete the thesis under the supervision of their thesis adviser in the CGS 196B: Honors Thesis course.

Students who complete the thesis with a grade of B+ or above and make an oral presentation have the words With Distinction added to the notation of the major on their diplomas and transcripts.