If you have a deep interest and the motivation in your field of study, and you meet the standards set by the College and your major department, you have the opportunity to do honors study, an in-depth research project in close coordination with a faculty member.

As a junior who has maintained a 3.5 average in your major courses for the sophomore and junior years, you may at the end of the junior year request permission of your department to be admitted to honors study. At this time, in consultation with your major department, you'll formulate a tentative plan for a senior project that has a scope of a year-long project in your declared major.

Several academic departments have specific guidelines for honors theses.

Read these honors study guidelines. This site includes the necessary forms and timeline for honors study.

Information Services resources for honors and independent study

Resources for Honors Study

The College provides extensive support and resources for students pursuing honors study. In the Fall, the College's reference librarians offer two, one-hour sessions that highlight library resources of specific interest to honors study students.

The collection of Honors papers and M.A. theses in the College Archives and in Digital Commons @Connecticut College is an intellectual record of the scholarly efforts of Connecticut College undergraduate and graduate students. Additional information pertaining to viewing submitted honors papers is available on the College Archives site.

Submitting Honors Papers to the College Archives

Since 2011, all honors papers must be submitted electronically for inclusion in the College's digital repository at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College.

Oakes and Louise Ames Prize

The Oakes and Louise Ames Prize, named for a president emeritus of the College and his wife, is given to a graduating senior who has completed the year's most outstanding honors study.