Honors Thesis Pathway for Creative Writing Majors, Drama and Playwriting Majors with
Creative Thesis
Late Junior Year
1. Meet with adviser to ensure you meet/will meet all of the requirements for
departmental honors:
a. Complete at least 45 credit hours in residence at Webster University
b. Maintain at least a 3.5 GPA in all English Department coursework
c. Complete at least two semesters of a foreign language with a grade of B or
higher in each semester, or test out of the requirement
d. Further explore cultures other than British or U.S. in one of four ways:
i. Complete a third semester
of a foreign language
ii. Complete an approved course
in literature in translation
iii. Complete an approved course
in world literature
iv. Participate in Study Abroad
e. Complete at least two credit hours in ENGL 4400: Advanced Creative Writing
in the genre in which you’re writing your Honors Thesis, or three credit hours of
ENGL 4400 overall.
f. Complete at least one of the following:
i. An additional Topics course
(ENGL 3030, 3040, 3050)
ii. An additional ENGL course
at the 3000-4000 level
2. Formulate a plan for your thesis, and meet with the appropriate thesis adviser
to get their approval to proceed with the thesis.
3. Deliver to the Chair the Petition to Write Honors Thesis, signed by thesis
adviser.
First-Semester Senior Year
1. Begin independent work on your thesis. You should have a complete or substantial
draft ready for your adviser by the end of this semester.
Second-Semester Senior, Term 1
1. Enroll in ENGL 4900: Thesis Workshop (1 credit hour).
2. At the start of (or before) the semester, contact your thesis adviser to set
up a schedule, and deliver your draft-in-progress.
3. Meet regularly with thesis adviser during the term, incorporating their critiques
into successive drafts of your thesis.
4. Turn in your final Honors Thesis no later than the Monday following the term
break in your final semester.
Second-Semester Senior, Term (upon successfully achieving honors) If the thesis earns
departmental honors, then you will be enrolled in ENGL 4910 Honors Thesis (0 cr) and
receive a grade of Pass.
Honors Thesis Pathway for English Majors, English with Emphasis in Drama and Playwriting
with Analytic Thesis
Late Junior Year/Early Senior Year
1. Meet with adviser to ensure you meet/will meet all of the requirements for departmental
honors:
a. Complete at least 45 credit hours in residence at Webster University
b. Maintain at least a 3.5 GPA in all English Department coursework
c. Complete at least two semesters of a foreign language with a grade of B or higher
in each semester, or test out of the requirement
d. Further explore cultures other than British or U.S. in one of four ways:
i. Complete a third semester of a foreign language
ii. Complete an approved course in literature in translation
iii. Complete an approved course in world literature
iv. Participate in Study Abroad
e. Complete at least two credit hours in ENGL 4400: Advanced Creative Writing in the
genre in which you’re writing your Honors Thesis, or three credit hours of ENGL 4400
overall.
f. Complete at least one of the following:
i. An additional Topics course (ENGL 3030, 3040, 3050)
ii. An additional ENGL course at the 3000-4000 level
2. Formulate a plan for your thesis, and meet with the appropriate thesis adviser
to get their approval to proceed with the thesis.
3. Deliver to the Chair the Petition to Write Honors Thesis, signed by thesis adviser.
First Semester Senior year (required)
Undertake an ENGL 4610 Independent Study (with thesis advisor), in which you complete
the background research and thinking necessary to crystallize and contextualize your
thesis topic (defaults to 1 cr, but can be adjusted if the scope of research merits)
Second Semester Senior, Term 1 (required)
Enroll in ENGL 4900 Thesis Workshop (1 cr) and complete your thesis no later than
the Monday following the semester break in the final semester of study
Second Semester Senior, Term 2 (upon successfully achieving honors)
If the thesis earns departmental honors, then you will be enrolled in ENGL 4910 Honors
Thesis (0 cr) and receive a grade of Pass