The Honors Program

The Honors Program

Superior students with a strong research orientation are encouraged to consider the Honors Program in Neuroscience. Normally, a student will apply to enter the Honors program during the Fall semester of the Junior year and assemble a Honors Committee that will consist of the research sponsor and at least two other appropriate members of the faculty. *** It is essential that the student work in conjunction with his/her faculty mentor when selecting a committee– the purpose of the committee is to provide support throughout the students research*** Entrance into, and satisfactory completion of, the Honors program requires that students maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 and a grade point average of 3.25 in courses counting toward the Neuroscience major. Honors candidates must meet all the normal requirements for the Neuroscience major, and complete at least 8 hours of research courses – Neuroscience 292a,b (Undergraduate Research), NSC 293a,b Advanced Research in Neuroscience, or Neuroscience 296 (Honors Research). Prospective faculty sponsors for the research component and their areas of research interest are provided in Research. The candidate must present an Honors Thesis during the final semester in residence and satisfactorily pass an oral examination by the student’s Honors Committee. Students interested in becoming Honors candidates should consult with the Director of Honors and Independent Study (DHIS).

Application for Admission to the Honors Program in Neuroscience

To apply for admission to the Honor’s Program, students must schedule a meeting with the DHIS and bring a completed Honors Application to be reviewed.  The DHIS must approve the application and nominate the student for Honors to the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Science. The final decision on admission is made by the Dean’s office. Please direct any questions to the Program Office.

NSC 296 Honors Research: The course specifically designated for the Honors Program is NSC 296 Honors Research. Once admitted to the Honors Program, Honors candidates are eligible to register for Honors Research through Neuroscience Program Office. Students must download and complete the NSC 296 Contract, in addition to the application. Complete the contract, email it to your faculty mentor and he/she will then forward it onto the Program Director, Terry Page with their approval. An email with your contract attached serves as your faculty mentor’s electronic signature. All contracts must be submitted electronically. Once your contract has been received, you will be registered for the course. Requirements of NSC 296 are similar to those of NSC 292a; however, because an important goal of the Honors Program is to engage students in the broader intellectual enterprise of neuroscience research, one additional requirement of NSC 296 is that the student must attend and write a short summary of four neuroscience research seminars in at least two different departments during Fall and Spring semesters of their Senior year. There are a large number of these seminars offered through various Schools and Departments on campus throughout the semester. Either the faculty sponsor or the Neuroscience Program Office can provide information on the various neuroscience seminar programs on campus.

Timetable

The following timetable outlines the process of entering and completing the honors program. There is some flexibility in the timetable. For example, it is possible for a student to begin the process in the Fall of the Junior year and still complete the work required. However, it is better to get an early start.

Spring semester of Sophomore year: Contact the Director of Honors and Independent Study and initiate the identification of a faculty sponsor.

Fall semester of Junior Year: NSC 292a Undergraduate Research. Under the direction of the sponsor, this semester is normally used to introduce the student into the laboratory, initiate the reading of the appropriate literature, develop a research plan for the Honor’s Thesis, and complete the application for entry into the Honors Program.

Spring semester of Junior Year: NSC 296 Honors Research. Carry out the research proposed, do additional reading of literature. It is anticipated that the student will meet at least once during this period with his or her Honors Committee to review progress and discuss future plans.

Fall and Spring semester of Senior Year: NSC 296 Honors Research. Attend and write a short summary of four neuroscience seminars in at least two different departments. The summaries should be submitted to the the DHIS, Terry Page via e-mail. During the Spring the candidate should complete the thesis and take the oral exam. There is some flexibility in the honors thesis, but the expectation is a 25-30 page double spaced document that is clearly written with relevant literature referenced. The students’ results should be clearly presented and there should be an interesting discussion of the preferred interpretation of the results. The thesis advisor will typically offer their experience, but the product is expected to come from the efforts of the student.

Students interested in the Honors Program who wish to find out more about the program are urged to contact:

Director of Honors and Independent Study (DHIS)
Terry L. Page, PhD.
Department of Biological Science
8260A, MRB III
Phone: 615-343-1853
Email: terry.l.page@vanderbilt.edu