Film studies majors of superior scholastic ability are eligible to participate in the Departmental Honors Program, which recognizes outstanding academic achievement and encourages students to undertake independent research and scholarship that is more challenging than what is normally included in program courses. Students seeking honors in film studies complete a two-semester honors project during their senior year on topics of their choice with faculty advisers of their choice. Successful completion of the program will be acknowledged by public recognition and noted on the student's permanent academic record as “Honors in Film Studies.”
Applications to the Departmental Honors Program is initiated by the student through consultation with the program director. Interested students should discuss their areas of interest with the program director, their academic advisor and/or a film studies faculty member.
The honors thesis should deal with a subject not treated in film studies courses or should treat in significantly greater depth a subject that is part of a regularly scheduled course. Normally, such projects will be 30-50 pages in length. The thesis should be scholarly, with potential for application to a candidate's post-baccalaureate career or studies.
Students must submit a two-to-three-page preliminary proposal to film studies faculty in the semester preceding the anticipated beginning of work on the honors project (by April 15 for projects beginning in the Fall Semester and December 1 for projects beginning in the Spring Semester). Although certainly open to change and development, proposals should be more than just statements of interest and should reflect extended thought about the topic and at least an initial awareness of relevant resources in the field.
Students whose proposals are accepted by the Film Studies Advisory Committee are enrolled in FILM 491. Their faculty advisor will report a grade at the end of the semester. Candidates receiving less than a B will be dropped from the Departmental Honors Program. Continuing students enroll in FILM 492 for the following semester.
In order to ensure that honors thesis candidates are able to participate in year-end awards ceremonies and are listed in the Commencement program as honors graduates, students should submit a final copy of their thesis to their faculty advisor by April 15 in the Spring Semester and December 1 in the Fall Semester. All theses are evaluated by film studies faculty who accept or reject the thesis for the honors designation.
For further information, contact Vincent Bohlinger at vbohlinger@ric.edu.