Biology at Sweet Briar

Exceptionally motivated biology majors who have demonstrated high academic achievement may be invited by the Department to undertake honors research and to write an Honors Thesis; successful completion of the Honors Thesis leads to graduation with Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors in Biology, depending on the level of achievement.

To qualify for senior honors research, a student must complete either a Junior Honors Project with a grade of B⁺ or better in the Spring semester of her third year, or a research project through the Honors Program in the summer after her third year. The purpose of requiring the Junior Project is to establish the student's ability and motivation for independent work, which must be above average in order to succeed in achieving Departmental Honors at graduation.

Your first step in signing up for Junior Honors will be to talk to the faculty members in the department about possible projects; although we can give you a little bit of choice, generally your options will be limited by the interests of the faculty who have the time to direct a project, and by the available lab facilities. Your Senior Honors Research does not have to be a continuation of your Junior Project.

When you come in for spring term advising in the fall of your junior year, you should have a first and second choice of possible junior projects in mind, which should have been cleared with the appropriate faculty members. The final decision of what you do will rest with the Department.

You enter the Honors sequence by signing up for a 3-hour Independent Study: Get the appropriate form from the Dean’s Office and fill it out together with the faculty member sponsoring your project. (Remember, there's a deadline for this!) This does not bind you irrevocably; you can decide to drop it later, just as any other course.

FAQs

What happens if I decide not to go on for Senior Honors?

No problem: the Junior Honors Project will count toward your Biology major as an Independent Study. You will, however, still have to complete the regular, one-semester Senior Research requirement in your senior year.

What's the difference between Senior Honors Research and the regular Senior Research requirement?

First, Senior Honors Research is carried out in both semesters of your senior year, and counts a total of six hours toward the major; the regular requirement is completed in either the fall or spring term, and gives you three hours (plus one hour of credit for senior colloquium).

Second, in Senior Honors Research you will be expected to show a significantly higher level of initiative and achievement than in the regular requirement. The Honors work leads to the preparation of an honors thesis and the oral defense of this thesis before an examining committee.

Third, successful completion of the Honors Thesis leads to receiving your degree with Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors in Biology.

What happens if I get into Senior Honors Research and discover I've bitten off more than I wish to chew?

The work you have accomplished that far will be converted into Independent Study credit toward the major, and will count as fulfillment of the senior research requirement.