Departmental Honors in Anthropology

• About Departmental Honors in Anthropology
  • Anthropology Honors Application [PDF]
  • Anthropology Honors Course Credit [PDF]
  • Anthropology Thesis Prospectus Assessment [PDF]
  • Thesis Instructions
  • Successful Timeline & Guide
  • Tips for Writing a Research Proposal
  • Tips for Writing a Departmental Honors Thesis
• Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honors Society
• Honors Tutorial College Anthropology Program
• OHIO Honors Program

Ohio University offers several opportunities for bright and innovative students seeking more rigorous coursework and research opportunities. Students who demonstrate academic excellence can apply for the Honors Tutorial College, the OHIO Honors Program, or Departmental Honors.

Honors Tutorial College Anthropology Program

The Anthropology program supports an Anthropology degree through Ohio University's nationally known Honors Tutorial College. It extends an Oxford-style education to gifted students, in which many courses in that student's area of specialization are taught in a tutorial fashion. This means the student and faculty member meet for individualized learning through direct discussion, covering far more breadth and depth of subject matter than is possible in a lecture course.

OHIO Honors Program

The OHIO Honors Program—an experience-based complement to any major—empowers students to align their personal interests with their academic pursuits and follow their learning wherever it leads. OHIO Honors students take on challenging coursework through small-group seminars or honors projects in traditional classes. They also apply their learning in the real world through internships, partnerships with community organizations, hands-on research, and other co-curricular activities. Designed to complement any major, the program connects students with fellow scholars across the university to explore ideas and issues from a wide range of perspectives.

Departmental Honors in Anthropology

Pursuing Departmental Honors in Anthropology allows advanced anthropology students the opportunity to work closely with faculty and conduct independent research. The program assists majors in becoming more familiar with the theoretical and methodological approaches employed by anthropologists through additional coursework and the completion of an honors thesis.

Students seeking additional academic challenge, preparation for graduate study, and exciting research opportunities should apply.

For acceptance into the Departmental Honors in Anthropology program, students should typically have and maintain a 3.5 GPA. Students with a GPA less than 3.5 will be invited to submit a supplementary essay that presents their qualifications for and interest in earning Departmental Honors.

Once accepted, students will need to complete 9 hours of approved honors courses and 3 additional credit hours of the Honors Thesis Credit (ANTH 4940H). Honors students also will complete an Honors Thesis. Successful students will receive a diploma that recognizes the "Departmental Honors" status in Anthropology at graduation.

For more information, contact Dr. Joseph Gingerich.

Department Honors Thesis Instructions

1. Pick a thesis adviser. This should be a full-time faculty member in the Anthropology program.
2. Choose a thesis project in close consultation with your thesis supervisor.
3. Form a committee. Your thesis committee should consist of two members that you select plus the Honors Coordinator, who is a default member. The two faculty members that you choose will be your primary adviser and a second member who is familiar with your work. This second member may play a lesser role but would offer a special expertise or provide a broader prospective on the importance of your research or the presentation of such research to the broader anthropological community (e.g., a member outside of your sub-field in anthropology). The second member can also be outside of your discipline (Anthropology) or outside of the university (with special permission). The Honors Coordinator will read the thesis and provide guidance during the prospectus and final defense, but his or her primary role is to provide general oversight of the process and ensure fairness during the prospectus and final defense, not to provide specific technical comments.
4. Complete your prospectus and schedule the prospectus defense.
5. Make sure to complete all of your departmental honors course credits. Honors courses require more work from the student, beyond the standard course requirements. This may include: additional readings, writing assignments, lab research, or presentations. The students and instructor must meet regularly outside of normal class meetings to discuss the honors work.
6. Complete thesis and schedule a defense.

Note: Honor Theses are due to A&S by the last day of classes. This includes the signed thesis form. See Departmental Honors in the College of Arts & Sciences.for other guidelines and formatting information for the college.

In order to be included in the Ohio University Commencement Program, the departmental honors coordinator must email a student's name and thesis title to Dr. Randy Price by the end of the fifth week of the semester. The email must include the student's name, PID number, academic department, thesis adviser, and thesis title.

This deadline applies only for your name and thesis to be included in the Commencement Program. Information submitted after the above dates cannot be guaranteed to be included in the Commencement Program. Departmental Honors can be added to a student's final transcript at a future date: however, it is unlikely the diploma will include a Departmental Honors designation because it is ordered and mailed out shortly after graduation. Questions about deadlines should be directed to Dr. Price.