Senior Honors Program in the Department of Communication

The Department of Communication sponsors a rigorous and rewarding Senior Honors Program for our brightest undergraduates. The program is a challenging learning experience that spans four quarters of the student's academic career. During that time, students conduct an independent research project under the supervision of a faculty advisor from the Department of Communication. The program culminates in a Senior Honors Thesis. In addition, students who complete the program graduate with Distinction in the Major.

The program is particularly useful for those who are considering any type of graduate studies, but it is also designed for students who seek to enrich their undergraduate studies with the rewarding experience of engaging in a research project and working closely with a member of the Communication faculty.

Eligible students are invited to apply during the winter quarter of their junior year. Application forms are available from the Director of the Senior Honors Program at the yearly informational meeting. Students who meet the criteria listed below will be accepted into the program, and should enroll in Communication 180 during the spring quarter of junior year.

Criteria for Eligibility

  1. Full major in Communication with junior class standing.
  2. Minimum overall GPA of 3.50 and GPA of 3.50 in Communication major at the time of application and at the completion of the winter quarter of junior year.
  3. Completion of at least three UPPER DIVISION courses in the Communication major by the end of the winter quarter of the junior year.

Honors Work

As part of the program, honors students take a four-unit Senior Honors Seminar (Communication 180) during the spring quarter of the junior year. The seminar is designed to introduce students to the process of conducting research in Communication. Basic steps in the research process are covered, such as defining an area of interest, conducting a literature review, and designing a study. Students also learn how to write a research proposal using the American Psychological Association Style Guide. During the latter half of the course, faculty members from the Department of Communication conduct a series of guest lectures to introduce students to their research areas. These lectures are designed to assist students in finding a faculty advisor who shares research interests with them.

Students who receive a grade of either A or A- in Communication 180 will be qualified to enroll in 12 units of Senior Thesis Research next academic year (4 units per quarter of Communication 181 A-B-C). These units involve independent work with a faculty advisor and are designed to culminate in the Senior Thesis. However, any student who does not earn a grade of either A or A- in Communication 180 will not be allowed to continue with Communication 181 A-B-C in their senior year, although they will receive full credit for Communication 180.

Students eligible to continue in the program are required to complete a Senior Thesis under the direction of their faculty advisor. The thesis is typically a written report (30-50 pages) of an empirical study on some aspect of human communication that the student conducts in collaboration with the faculty advisor.

Once students obtain an advisor (typically at the end of the spring quarter), they enroll for 12 units of Senior Thesis Research during the senior year (4 units per quarter of Communication 181 A-B-C). These units involve independent work with the faculty advisor and are designed to culminate in the Senior Thesis. Typically, students submit a review of the literature related to their proposed project during the fall quarter (during Communication 181A). The winter quarter is designed for collecting data (Communication 181B). The spring quarter is to be spent writing up the results and finishing the thesis (Communication 181C).

Presentation of the Project

Honors students present their work to faculty, other honors students, and guests at a colloquium scheduled at the end of the senior year.

Graduation with Distinction

Upon satisfactory completion of required coursework and the thesis, students are recommended for graduation with Distinction in the Major.

Additional Considerations

Honors students may have graduate student borrowing privileges at the UCSB Library, and are given special consideration in enrolling for Communication courses.

Honors students are encouraged to apply for research fellowships in early fall of their senior year. The fellowships offer competitive research funds of up to $1000, to be used to cover any costs associated with their research projects, and honors students are given priority in the competition. Applications are completed with the assistance of the faculty advisor and include a detailed budget for how the funds will be used in the research project.