The Honors Program in English

Overview

The Honors program in English is designed for exceptionally able, ambitious, and self-motivated English majors to pursue advanced study. This program involves intensive independent work and culminates in a thesis.

Eligibility

To apply, students must:

• Be an English major
• Have completed or be enrolled in at least two 300-level English courses by the start of the second semester of their junior year
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in English courses
• Have a minimum overall GPA of 3.2 at Wake Forest

Program Timeline and Requirements

Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year are due by May 19, 2022. Accepted students will be notified in April of their junior year. Upon acceptance, students are expected to engage in independent reading over the summer to prepare for writing their thesis. The thesis writing begins at the start of the senior year, with the final 30-40 page thesis due on the first Friday in April.

Throughout the year, students will have informal, periodic meetings with the director of honors and other English honors students, in addition to regular meetings with their thesis advisers. During the spring semester of their senior year, students must register for English 388: Honors in English. The thesis will be evaluated through an oral examination conducted by the thesis adviser, the director of honors, and a second reader. Successfully graduating with honors will be noted separately on the candidate’s transcript.

Evaluation and Graduation

• Thesis Evaluation: The thesis will be evaluated by the thesis adviser, the director of honors, and a second reader through an oral examination.
• Honors Notation: Graduating with honors will be noted separately on the candidate’s transcript.

Additional Information

The program is for students eager to undertake independent, original work. While advisers will provide guidance, the responsibility for developing a thesis topic lies with the student.

For further information, please contact Dr. Olga Valbuena.