{"id":42505,"date":"2020-11-13T11:23:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-13T16:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/?page_id=42505"},"modified":"2026-05-15T12:09:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T16:09:45","slug":"pardee-school-honors-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/academics\/undergraduate\/pardee-school-honors-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Pardee School Honors Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overview<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Pardee School Honors Program is a two-semester, independent research project that culminates in a thesis paper and oral defense. The research is conducted during a student\u2019s senior year, under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Please note that adjunct professors cannot be faculty advisors or panelists for the Honors Program. The Honors thesis is a significant piece of academic writing that may ultimately be used for publication, employment purposes, or post-baccalaureate applications. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Successful students graduate with Honors from the Pardee School, the highest level of academic achievement for undergraduates.<\/span><\/p>\n

Effective Fall 2021 IR 401 and IR 402 are approved for BU Hub<\/a> credits. IR 401 fulfills a single unit in Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking, and Research and Information Literacy. IR 402 fulfills a single unit in Oral and\/or Signed Communication and Writing-Intensive Course.<\/p>\n

Effective Fall 2021, ALL students writing an honor\u2019s thesis must be on campus both semesters.<\/p>\n

Eligibility<\/h3>
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Students in any Pardee School major may participate in the program. Eligibility for the Pardee School Honors Program is based on GPA. The Pardee School Honors Program requires a 3.50 cumulative and 3.60 major grade point average, at the time of application. International Relations (IR) majors may exclude their grades in EC101 and EC102 when calculating their major GPA.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Program Requirements<\/h3>
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In addition to the thesis paper and oral defense, participating students engage in co-curricular activities to reinforce their project. The co-curricular activities are intended to expand the student\u2019s understanding of their research topic and should be planned in consultation with the thesis advisor. Examples could include: volunteering\/service work, an internship during the academic year, leadership of a relevant student organization, travel or cultural immersion, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Honors Seminars<\/h3>
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Throughout the academic year, the <\/span>Pardee School Office of Student Services<\/a><\/span>\u00a0will organize seminars as a part of IR 401\/IR 402. These seminars are mandatory for students to attend and are designed to support students\u2019 efforts to complete the Honors program. Past seminars have focused on topics such as: how to formulate research questions, how to write a lengthy research paper, and how to prepare for the oral defense. <\/span>Please note that for Fall 2026, IR401 will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00\u20136:15 PM.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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Application Process<\/h3>
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Students apply to the Honors Program during the spring semester of their junior year. Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year are open and are due by 5 p.m. on June 1, 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>To apply, students must complete the online application form<\/a> which includes:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Personal and academic information, including a tentative title for your thesis.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Upload a copy of an unofficial BU transcript (as a .jpg, .pdf, or .doc).<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Upload a project proposal (as a .doc or .pdf).<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Upload a preliminary bibliography (as a .doc or .pdf).<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. A brief description of your co-curricular activities.<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Name and contact information of the professor who will be the Honors thesis advisor.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00a0<\/span>In preparation for applying, students should:<\/span><\/p>\n