All honors candidates must participate in an independent study course in which they prepare an honors thesis that is defended orally before the mathematics faculty. The final recommendation of the department for graduation with honors is determined by the quality of the honors thesis, the oral defense and the complete overall academic record of the candidate. Any student considering an honors program should notify his or her academic advisor and the chair of the department during the spring semester of the sophomore year or as soon as possible thereafter. During the junior year, the student should identify an area of mathematics he or she would like to explore and should seek out a member of the department to serve as the potential honors supervisor. Formal application for honors should be made in writing to the chair of the department no later than April 30 of the junior year.
Early application is encouraged.
Applications must include the name of the honors supervisor, the general area of investigation, and a semester by semester schedule for the required course work and independent study.