Rules for receipt of Departmental Honors in Philosophy: PHILO 494.03 & PHILO 494.06

1. Students must have at least an overall GPA of 3.00 and at least a GPA of 3.50 in the philosophy major.
   
2. Student must enroll in PHILO 494.03 for 3 credits in one semester or PHILO 494.06 for 6 credits over two semesters. S/he must receive the permission of a full-time faculty member of the Philosophy Department. The faculty member shall serve as the advisor of the student in her work for either one of the aforementioned courses. 
3. Neither PHILO 494.03 nor PHILO 494.06 count toward the major. Student must take one or the other in addition to all major requirements or after completing all major requirements, if s/he seeks departmental honors.
   
4. Students shall write a substantial essay under the supervision of her advisor. The essay shall be no less than 25 pages, if the student is enrolled in the 3-credit course PHILO 494.03, and no less than 40 pages, if the student is enrolled in the 6-credit course PHILO 494.06.
   
5. Upon completion of the essay, the advisor shall assign a grade to it, which establishes the final grade for the course.
   
6. Regardless of the grade assigned, two copies of the paper shall be given to the Philosophy Department Honors Committee, which consists of three full-time faculty members one of whom is the advisor of the student. These copies shall not contain the advisor’s remarks or grade and shall be accompanied by a letter from the advisor carrying her recommendation that the student’s essay merits or does not merit receipt of departmental honors.
   
7. The other two members of the aforementioned Honors Committee shall read the student’s essay. At least two of the three readers, one of whom is the student’s advisor, must vote in favor of granting departmental honors to the student on the basis of her essay.
   
8. The readers may recommend to the student that minor revisions be made to the essay prior to making their final decision.
   
9. The essay should be delivered to the Honors Committee no later than 30 November or 31 March to allow for a successful essay to be duly noted in the appropriate graduation ceremonies or no later than the first day of the final examination week of the semester in which departmental honors is to be considered.