By completing a Departmental Honors Project, sociology majors are able to graduate with Distinction in Sociology, an honor that goes well beyond the traditional Latin Honors (i.e. cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude). The purpose of the Graduation with Distinction in Sociology award is to acknowledge superior student achievement as a sociologist and a scholar.
Eligibility:
Eligible students are sociology majors with a 3.5 or higher GPA in the major and a 3.5 or higher GPA overall. Any exceptions must be approved by the department.
Application Process:
By September 15th of their Senior Year, eligible students must submit to the Department Chair: (1) a letter of intent specifying the departmental honors option they are taking and identifying their Honors Mentor and (2) a copy of their current Augsburg University transcript.
Requirements:
- Successful completion of the Honors Project and approval by the Sociology Department following an oral presentation of the project to the members of the Department.
- Presentation of the Honors Project in poster format at Zyzzogeton.
- Achievement of a 3.5 or higher GPA in the major and 3.5 or higher GPA overall.
Honors Project Options:
Students pursuing Departmental Honors must choose between:
- Conducting original research through an independent study or through URGO or the McNair Scholars Program.
- An in-depth examination of a theoretical question and application of theory to a social issue.
Option 1: The Original Research Project
For this option, students engage in a research project involving the collection and analysis of original data. This project may build upon work already started in the context of Research Methods (SOC 363) or any other sociology course involving data collection and analysis, but it must go well beyond the work completed for that course. Those students accepted into the URGO or McNair Scholars programs may use the research completed in those programs as their Departmental Honors Project, though students are strongly encouraged to submit their research draft to the Department well in advance of the January 15 deadline (see below) in order to receive faculty feedback. If the members of the Department determine that more needs to be done before the paper qualifies for Departmental Honors, the student will be expected to complete the necessary steps and revise the paper prior to the March 15 deadline. Important Note: For research involving human participants, Augsburg Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval must be secured before data collection begins.
Option 2: Examination of a Theoretical Question and Theory Application
For this option, students engage in a project involving an examination of a theoretical question and application of theory to a social issue. Successful completion will require in-depth readings within one or more theoretical perspectives or traditions and the application of the theory or theories to a substantive and well-documented social issue. This analysis process has as its goal the further development and refinement of sociological theory. Based on the analysis of the issue, the theory or theories should be assessed and refined in order to account for the idiosyncrasies of the issue studied. For students interested in exploring this option, please consult with your faculty mentor.
Timeline for Completion:
- September 15th of Senior Year: Submit letter of intent to Department Chair (see above).
- October 30th of Senior Year: Submit research or theoretical question, theoretical framework(s), and working list of references to the Department Chair.
It is the Chair’s responsibility to distribute this document to members of the Department. Department members will have the opportunity to offer suggestions regarding the completion of the project. If a majority of the Department feels the project is significantly lacking in focus and progress, the Chair will inform the student that they may not continue working toward Departmental Honors.
- January 15th of Senior Year: A completed draft of the Departmental Honors Project must be turned in to the Departmental Honors Mentor.
The Honors Mentor will distribute the Honors Project to members of the Department. Department members will have the opportunity to offer suggestions regarding the completion of the final project. If a majority of the Department feels the project is significantly lacking in focus and progress, the Chair will inform the student that they may not continue working toward Departmental Honors.
- March 15th of Senior Year: The final copy of the Departmental Honors Project must be turned in to the Departmental Honors Mentor who will then distribute the Honors Project to members of the Department.
- April 1st of Senior Year: The oral presentation and departmental vote regarding the awarding of Departmental Honors will take place prior to April 1. The Honors Mentor is responsible for scheduling the oral presentation. The Honors Project will remain in Department files and will be used for assessment purposes.
- April of Senior Year: The student presents their Honors Project in poster format at Zyzzogeton.
Honors Mentor Responsibilities:
The Honors Mentor will help the candidate focus on the topic and scope of the honors project, as well as assist them as they navigate the appropriate scholarly literature and/or methodology. It is expected that this assistance will include regular meetings and review of the student’s progress. The Honors Mentor will also make sure the candidate understands the process and the deadlines listed above. If the candidate falls significantly behind in the process, it is the Honors Mentor’s responsibility to notify the Department Chair.
Upon completion of the draft of the Honors Project in January, the Honors Mentor will distribute the project to each member of the Department in order to solicit comments and suggestions for the final draft. It is the Honors Mentor’s responsibility to help the student interpret the faculty suggestions and determine the appropriate course of action. If a majority of faculty members determine that the student has not met the expectations of the project, the Honors Mentor will contact the Chair in order to call a Department Meeting to discuss whether the candidate will be allowed to proceed.
When the final draft of the Honors Project is complete, the Honors Mentor shall make it available to the faculty and schedule an oral presentation to be held prior to April 1st.
Department Chair Responsibilities:
The Department Chair will solicit faculty for recommendations of students eligible for Departmental Honors early each spring semester.
The Chair will notify department members when a candidate has filled out the application for Departmental Honors in September.
When the Chair receives the research or theoretical question, theoretical framework, and working list of references at the end of September, they will distribute copies to sociology faculty members. The Chair will also ensure that the candidate and Honors Mentor are advised of the suggestions offered by faculty members.
If at any point during the timetable listed above the majority of the Department feels the project is significantly lacking in focus and progress, a meeting must be called to make a final determination. If it is determined that the candidate has failed to reach the expectations of the faculty, the Chair will inform the student that they may not continue working toward Departmental Honors.
Evaluation:
Written approval of the Honors Project must be granted by a majority of the Department in order to receive the Departmental Honors/Graduation with Distinction designation. In addition, the honors candidate will meet with the Department faculty to discuss the Project prior to securing written approval.
The Department will evaluate the Honors Project using the following criteria: (1) quality of writing and oral presentation, (2) evidence of critical thinking at the analysis, synthesis and evaluation stages applied to the project, (3) demonstration of knowledge of sociological ideas and the sociological perspective, and (4) indication of personal development of an identity as a sociologist.
Evaluation of the Honors Project must be complete by April 1st.