Anthropology

Senior Guidelines

1. Senior Seminar

In general, senior anthropology majors are expected to take the senior seminar (ANTH 301) in the first semester of their senior year.

2. Optional Senior Thesis

A senior thesis is not a graduation requirement in the Anthropology Department. Ordinarily, students should have a GPA of 3.75 or above to propose a thesis.

  1. Thesis Proposal
    1. Thesis proposals and bibliographies should be handed in by the first Monday after Fall break for an A semester thesis, or the first Monday after Spring break for a B semester thesis.
    2. The proposal should contain a project statement that briefly discusses methodology, relevant literature, feasibility, and student preparation, along with a comprehensive bibliography.
    3. Petitions will be evaluated by the department as a whole in terms of their methodology, feasibility, engagement with the literature, and previous relevant work.
  2. Approval
    The department will inform the student whether permission to write a senior thesis has been granted, and will be assigned a first and second faculty reader. The first reader will meet with the student regularly during the writing process.
  3. Writing Deadlines
    1. First draft of the thesis is due the Friday after mid-semester break.
    2. Final paper is due a week before classes end that same semester.

3. Honors Criteria

Students with a Departmental GPA of 3.75 or above and a Senior Thesis with Distinction automatically receive honors.

All seniors in good standing who have a Departmental GPA of 3.75 or above will be considered for honors by the Anthropology Department.

In awarding honors, the Anthropology Department considers the following criteria:

  1. GPA in Anthropology of 3.75 or above.
  2. Grade distribution in Anthropology over time, with greater consideration of Junior and Senior Grades.
  3. Senior work, independent work, research, and/or fieldwork undertaken as a major.
  4. Overall contributions to the Anthropology Department.