Honors in the concentration are given for excellence in scholarship and independent research. While independent research is a requirement for receiving an Honors Degree, simply completing such a project does not guarantee graduation with Honors. The awarding of an Sc.B. in Neuroscience with Honors is based on the following criteria:
1. Demonstration of quality grades in the concentration.
Students who have earned a majority of "A" grades in courses required for the concentration and who are in good academic standing are eligible to apply for honors at the start of their penultimate (typically 7th) semester at Brown. Classes taken S/NC will count as qualifying towards that majority if they are marked "S* with distinction" indicating that had the student taken the course for a grade, the grade would have been an "A". Courses with a grade of S may be counted when a Course Performance Report indicates a grade of A. Students just shy of meeting the grade requirement for honors are encouraged to apply.
2. An appropriate independent research project must be completed to the satisfaction of the student's faculty sponsor, and the student must present a thesis describing the research project. The thesis must be written independently by each student; theses written by more than one student are not acceptable. The thesis is read and signed by the faculty sponsor and then is submitted for review to the Neuroscience Undergraduate Curriculum Committee by the announced deadline, usually two weeks prior to the public presentation described below. The thesis will be judged by the Neuroscience Undergraduate Curriculum Committee to merit Honors if it is of exceptional quality and if the project has a clear neuroscience focus.
3. Honors candidates must present the results of their studies in formal talks open to all interested faculty and students.
Students wishing to graduate with Honors must complete an Honors Application, which describes the proposed research and includes a sponsor's statement. The application must be signed by both the student and the faculty member who sponsors the project and must be received in the Department of Neuroscience by the date given below. Please upload your Honors application here. Note that the deadlines for submission of the Honors Application are different for students who plan to graduate in December and May. It is your responsibility to know what these deadlines are. (see below)
The research project on which the thesis is based need not be carried out with faculty of the Department of Neuroscience or Neuroscience Graduate Program. Independent research projects supervised by other Brown faculty and under course designations other than NEUR1970 may be presented for honors, but students choosing to pursue this option are strongly encouraged to discuss the potential project with a member of the Neuroscience Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (863 - 1054) well in advance of beginning the project. Certain projects may not be judged appropriate for Honors in Neuroscience. Students electing to do their Honors project through a program or course other than NEUR1970 must also submit an Honors Application. The Committee will review the proposal promptly and may arrange a meeting to discuss the project with the student. As stated in section III, all independent study research projects conducted in the Department of Neuroscience (NEUR1970), including those intended to yield an honors thesis, must be approved before they can begin.
In order to document your research requirement, please describe your plan in your Concentration Agreement and in ASK, be sure to discuss it with your concentration advisor to make sure it is appropriate.
Any questions concerning appropriateness of research for concentration credit or Honors should be addressed to the Neuroscience Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
Honors Deadlines
Students graduating in May 2024:
Application due: September 29, 2023
Final thesis due: April 19, 2024
Poster Session: May 1, 2024
Students graduating in December 2023:
Final thesis due: December 1, 2023 (subject to change)