Why pursue honors?

The honors program allows you to examine a significant scholarly issue about which you are passionate in great detail.  Honors theses are original works of thought and research, not merely summaries of the work and ideas of others. 

The standards and expectations for honors-quality work are consistent with the idea that students graduating with honors from the school are among the premier thinkers and writers at Georgetown.

Writing and research

If you enjoy research and writing and you have an idea for a question or problem you would like to explore in a year-long project, the honors program may be a very rewarding experience for you. It allows you to use the knowledge and analytical skills you acquired in the undergraduate program, to take advantage of the rich resources of the Washington area, and to think seriously about major cultural, economic, historical, political, and scientific themes in international studies. 

By writing an honors thesis, you get a sense of how much you enjoy the kind of original research you will have to do if you go on to graduate school. You also demonstrate that you can independently design and carry out a long-term research project; a skill that both employers and graduate and professional schools find very attractive.

A significant commitment

If you do not enjoy writing long research papers, or cannot focus on a topic that really excites you, the honors program may not be for you. Writing a thesis takes a great deal of time and energy, and since it is an independent project, the motivation has to come from within. 

Many students with the academic background to qualify for the honors program opt to use their senior year for other valuable opportunities that better suit their interests and abilities. Some choose to write a one-semester thesis in the context of a certificate program, while others find a meaningful internship, choose challenging classes, or spend more time on extracurricular activities in their final year. All of these alternatives can be assets after graduation, whether in the job search or in applications for graduate or professional school.

Examine all your options

Remember that receiving honors in the major is only one of the many ways you can distinguish yourself at Georgetown.  If the process of writing a thesis will be rewarding for you, you will gain a great deal from the honors program.  However, if you are only focused on having this noted on your transcript, ask yourself if you want to spend a year on a project you may not really enjoy.  Feel free to talk to your faculty mentor or your dean for advice about whether the honors program is for you, and for ideas about alternatives.