Honors Program

Lecturer Jennifer Stonaker in a classroom with students writing at tables
Jennifer Stonaker, lecturer in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric in a classroom with students. Photo Credit: Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service

Overview

Sociology Majors who want to undertake an independent project are encouraged to apply for admission to the department's Honors Program. Honors students work under the direction of faculty advisors to complete their thesis.

An honors thesis is an excellent way to further the skills and knowledge acquired in your undergraduate career. One practical reason for writing a thesis is preparation for graduate study. It may be possible to use the thesis as a writing sample when applying for M.A., Ph.D., Law, or Business programs. 

Students are encouraged to begin planning their honors thesis in their junior year; at this time they should enroll in SOC 202, Preparation for Honors Thesis or SOC 204, Capstone Research Seminar.

Graduating with honors requires:

  1. Completion of all requirements of the Sociology major;
  2. Application and acceptance into the Sociology Honors Program;
  3. Completion of an honors thesis with a grade of A- or higher; and
  4. Participation in the Sociology Honors Colloquium in the Spring Quarter prior to graduation. If the requirements are not met, then you must drop your honors declaration (BAH) in Axess and declare the appropriate degree (BA) before you apply to graduate.

Please note that the Sociology major will require a capstone sequence for students beginning with the Class of 2025.

  • For seniors completing an honors thesis, the thesis will fulfill the capstone.
  • For seniors not completing an honors thesis, the capstone project will be completed over a three-course sequence: SOC 204A, SOC 204B, and SOC 204C. The project will be designed in SOC 204A in the fall, and work will be accomplished with guidance through SOC 204B in the winter, and SOC 204C in the spring, culminating in a presentation at the end of the Spring Quarter. A wide variety of capstone projects will be allowed, including team projects.

How to Apply to the Honors Program

Enroll in SOC 202

Enroll during your junior year or as early as possible during senior year

Find a Faculty Advisor

Select an advisor within the Sociology Department

Declare Honors in Axess
Complete the Honors Application

Complete the honors application (including advisor's endorsement). Prospective candidates are asked to submit an honors application no later than the end of the 4th quarter prior to graduation (typically Spring quarter of the Junior year).

Application Review by Sociology Director of Undergraduate Studies

Your application will be reviewed by the Sociology Department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. The Sociology Department will notify you regarding your admission into the Sociology Honors Program and your honors declaration in Axess will be either approved or denied.

Note: Admission to the program requires a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher in courses taken within the major, and an overall GPA of 3.3 or higher in all undergraduate work.

Submit Your Thesis

For the 2023-24 academic year, graduating students' honors theses are due at 12 noon on Monday, May 13th, 2024 to the Sociology student services office.

Please submit the thesis as a pdf to the undergraduate student services officer at the link below and as a hard copy. To submit your thesis to your advisor, please refer to the second paragraph of the honors submission form below ("Submission to Advisor"). The form below will be used as your formal submission.

Submit Thesis Here

Honors Thesis Writing Resources

The Stanford Bulletin is a good source of additional information – please go to the ‘HONORS PROGRAM’ section for more information. 

For additional information, contact schan23 [at] stanford.edu (the student services office).