Project in Honors 687: 3H or 6H credits
Prerequisite: Junior status; 9H credits
Students who complete 6H credits will earn “Honors with Distinction” designation
Not open to students with credit in Honors 689
What is a Senior Honors Project Proposal?
The Honors Project can be a rewarding academic experience. The Honors Project is a substantial independent project in the arts, such as music, art, or creative writing; the applied arts, such as architecture or graphic design; or applied sciences, such as engineering or computer science. The project should reflect independent or creative work conducted under a supervising instructor usually in your major field. Through discussions with your supervising instructor and the Honors College Director you can determine the scope, length, and style of the work, which will also depend on the number of credits (3H or 6H) you wish to earn.
The draft proposal must be completed by April 1 for fall semester and November 1 for spring semester. The entire process should be complete by December 1 (for spring) and May 1 (for fall).
Why Do a Senior Honors Project?
You do not have to complete a senior project to graduate with an Honors degree, but it can provide a sense of completion to your undergraduate study and might also serve as a senior project in other UWM schools, such as the arts, architecture or engineering. Undertaking an extensive independent project allows you to apply what you’ve learned and to create something that reflects your very best work. It can help you to learn what kind of creative work you enjoy as well as help you develop your artistic and organizational abilities. In addition, a senior project tailored to pull together many of your special interests provides a capstone to your undergraduate education. Completing a senior project is valuable for students considering graduate school or advanced artistic study. A successfully completed senior honors project is often persuasive evidence to graduate schools and fellowship committees of your potential for outstanding performance at the advanced level. It can also be helpful in building a strong professional resume early which can lead to internships and other positions in your field.
Develop Your Proposal
- Identify and select the project that you intend to complete. Normally, the senior project grows out of your work in your major field. Consulting with several faculty members in your department can help in identifying and refining your project ideas. Here are some examples of projects proposed by UWM Honors students in recent years:
- Mixed media sculpture
- Monotype and intaglio
- Classical guitar composition: Solo
and ensemble pieces - Restaurant design
- Folk art catalog for the Milwaukee Art Museum
- Poetry portfolio
- Multimedia registration system for the UWM Art Museum
- Review the Non-Seminar Planning Sheet and schedule a meeting with Dr. Sands to discuss. In this meeting you can expect to discuss your ideas and to be given the opportunity to ask any questions. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Sands, please email him directly (sands@uwm.edu), or visit our front office in HON 154 for assistance.
- Select a supervising instructor. It is your responsibility to find a supervising instructor. You might want to choose a former faculty member whom you admire and feel comfortable with. Faculty members supervise projects on a voluntary basis, but many will be pleased to assist a serious student with a project pertaining to their field of study or interest. The supervising instructor offers the student informed, constructive criticism at all stages from the formulation of a workable idea to the completion of the actual project. They provide advice and, if necessary, training in the necessary skills. The supervising instructor will also evaluate the finished work.
- Prepare a proposal. The two- to three- page proposal is intended to serve as a guide and framework to which you can continually return as you refine your project. The proposal will also help your supervising instructor understand the nature of your project and thus be able to provide solid advice. Ultimately, you should work with your supervising instructor when developing your proposal. You should both agree on the project’s scope and direction, the frequency of advising sessions, and a timetable for completion. Most importantly, the project effort must be appropriate for the number of credits involved, either three credits for one semester or six credits for two semesters.
A. Description of the nature and scope of the project. The proposal should include a clear statement of the nature of your project. Ask yourself the following questions and provide clear and direct answers to them. What am I investigating or producing? Why do I find this significant and interesting? How will this project contribute to my field of study? Are the project and scope specifically defined? Can I complete the project in the time proposed?
B. Organization of the project. In your proposal, you should provide a tentative outline of your project and a timetable for its completion. This outline may of course be changed throughout the course of your project—and it probably will be due to the nature of creative projects. The purpose of drawing it up is to encourage you to think through the overall structure of your project and the relationship of its parts.
C. Plan of research. Your proposal may contain a paragraph or two about how you plan to proceed in your research. For instance, if you are working on a poetry portfolio, which poets are you planning to read for guidance? In what literary forms will you work? If you are doing a body of paintings, which artists are you looking to for inspiration? Are you going to research any technical methods to use in your project, such as intaglio printmaking, oil glazing, or raku ceramic firing?
D. Annotated bibliography. If appropriate, your proposal should also include an annotated bibliography of primary and secondary source material. The purpose of this section is to help you discover what materials are relevant to your project and whether these materials are available in UWM’s library. List the works you will be using during completion of your project and provide a sentence or two describing how you believe each work will influence your project. Of course, creative projects do not require extensive citations and bibliographies–however, we would like an idea of what may have influenced your work.
Next Steps
- Submit your proposal through the online form: Honors College Non-Seminar Submission Form. You must include your SIGNED Non-Seminar Planning Sheet with your proposal.
- After the Honors College receives your form, it will be sent to Honors College Director, Dr. Peter Sands for final approval. If there are any questions about your proposal, Dr. Sands will be in touch with suggested revisions. The draft proposal must be completed by April 1 for fall semester and November 1 for spring semester. The entire process should be complete by December 1 (for spring) and May 1 (for fall).
- Once approved, the Honors College main office will send you an email.
- Honors College administration will enroll you in Honors 687.
- Turn in your final product(s) no later than one week before the end of the semester. This can be delivered to the Honors College main office in room 154 or digitally at honors@uwm.edu.
Library Privileges
Working on a non-seminar entitles you to graduate student borrowing privileges at the Golda Meir Library. You may take out a maximum of 50 books and keep them for a whole semester. To avoid overdue notices, be sure to inform the circulation assistant that you have these privileges.
Forms
Non-Seminar Planning Sheet (please note you will need to Download the PDF to edit)