topimage

Honors Program

The UC Davis Department of Philosophy conducts an Honors Program for qualified undergraduate seniors.

Completion of the Honors Research Project (PHI194HA and 194HB) is a prerequisite for awards of High Honors or Highest Honors at graduation.

Requirements for acceptance into the Philosophy Honors Program:

Membership in the program is restricted to seniors who:

  • are majors in philosophy,
  • have completed at least 135 units,
  • have achieved a GPA of at least 3.5 in the courses counted toward the major.

Students who wish to participate in the program should consult with the Philosophy department faculty advisor to confirm their eligibility and to identify a faculty sponsor or sponsors for their Honors Research Project.

How to complete the Honors Program with High or Highest Honors:

There are three levels of honors conferred by the College of Letters and Science: Honors, High Honors, and Highest Honors.

The award of Honors depends entirely on the student’s GPA for all UC courses taken. The required GPA is based on the number of units taken at UC Davis and the percentile of the GPA among graduating seniors. To see which GPA is required in the current year, check the Honors and Prizes section of the online UC Davis General Catalog, or ask your advisers.

For High or Highest Honors, the following requirements must be met:

1. The student’s GPA for all UC courses taken has to satisfy the threshold for (basic) Honors in the College of Letters and Sciences (see above).

2. The student has to complete PHI194HA and 194HB (Honors Research Project) during two quarters of the honors year. These courses are usually taken in conjunction with graduate seminars, but they may be conducted as individual study projects.

After these requirements have been met, the department determines whether to raise the honors level to High or Highest Honors at graduation. This is done on the basis of an evaluation of the student’s Honors Research Project as well as the student’s overall academic achievement in the major.

To request a CRN to add PHI 194HA or 194HB:

1. Have your faculty mentor & the Philosophy faculty advisor sign the following form: DOWNLOAD FORM HERE

2. Return form to the advising office via email: philadvising@ucdavis.edu