Many Biology majors will be eligible to earn the distinction of "graduation with honors" in Biology (or another major). This award appears on your transcripts, you are specially identified at commencement, and, most importantly, it looks very good on your applications for graduate school and employment.
 
Requirements
1. a GPA of 3.3 in your major (e.g., all BIO courses)
2. an independent study in your major (i.e., at least 2 credits of BIO 450 or 495)
3. passing an oral exam by a faculty committee
 
Independent Study
Late in the spring semester, the registrar will give us a list of senior Biology majors who satisfy requirement #1 above. By then, it is too late in the year for most students to do an independent study. So, don't wait until you are a senior! If you are graduating next year, check your Biology GPA and see a faculty member about an independent study. You can actually be paid to do such a project if you apply for ARGUS funding (see the ARGUS web site). Faculty may have other sources to support your work. The project is fun and gives you a chance to study something of your choosing.
 
The independent study is taken as BIO 450 or BIO 495. You must earn at least two credits. Generally an internship (BIO 435) is not the same as an independent study. However, you may be able to do an independent project as part of an internship; this must be arranged with both a Biology faculty sponsor and your internship supervisor before you begin the independent study.

All independent studies and ARGUS projects that will be used for graduation with honors must have committee approval prior to project initiation. Please download this form, and see you advisor.
 
Oral Examination
The oral exam is mainly about your project and nothing to fear. You and the sponsor of your independent study will select two additional Biology faculty members to be on the exam committee. After they have read the report of your project, you will meet with them for about an hour. They will ask you questions about your work and its implications and perhaps about other aspects of biology. Print the certification form and take it to your exam. When you qualify, the committee will sign the form and return it to you to give to the chair of Biology.
 
The signed form must be turned in before commencement. Most students will be asked by their committee to make revisions in the project report. This may take several days to a couple of weeks. Therefore, you should finish your report and schedule your exam well before the following deadlines:
   > final rough draft due to committee four weeks before exam date
   > final draft due to committee one week before exam date
   > exam is to occur before the last day of classes
 
More Information
See your advisor or the chair of Biology if you have questions.