Honors
The Honors program in Economics serves highly motivated students interested in doing independent research, culminating in a senior thesis.
Eligibility and How to Apply
Before applying, students must complete the following prerequisites.
- ECON 1010
- ECON 1020
- ECON 1500 or 1510
- ECON 3012
- ECON 3022
- ECON 3032 or 3035
- Complete core courses by end of junior year
- Earn grade of at least A- in all core courses required for the major
- Achieve minimum GPA of 3.3 overall and in Economics
- Complete ECON 3698 and write an honors thesis proposal under supervision of faculty advisor by end of spring semester junior year
Interested students should apply to the program during their junior year. Please send the following application materials to Michelle Marcus:
- A copy of your Vanderbilt University transcript
- Your honors thesis proposal
Your thesis proposal advisor must also send an email directly to Michelle Marcus approving your thesis proposal and agreeing to supervise completion of your research during your senior year.
Honors Curriculum
Honors students must complete the following requirements during their senior year:
- Complete ECON 4981 and 4982 Honors Seminar with the Honors Director (2 hours total, 1 each in the fall and spring semesters).
- Complete ECON 4998 and 4999 Senior Thesis with your thesis advisor (6 hours total, 1 each in the fall and spring semesters).
- Write a senior thesis, and defend it in an oral examination.
Honors Awards
The T. Aldrich Finegan Prize is awarded to the student who writes the best undergraduate Honors thesis each year. The prize is named in honor of Professor Emeritus T. Aldrich Finegan, a labor economics specialist and dedicated member of the Vanderbilt Economics department, 1964-2020.