Honors in NSCS

Honors in NSCS

About the Honors Program

Students who wish to graduate with honors in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science will be required to fulfill both the Honors College requirements and the NSCS-specific requirements as listed in the NSCS Honors Guidelines. Students who are not currently active in the Honors College may self-nominate for admission to the Honors College if they meet certain criteria.

Students who wish to complete a non-honors thesis may complete a senior capstone in NSCS. Expectations for the senior capstone are the same as listed for the honors thesis; however, these students will submit all of their materials to the NSCS Program and not the Honors College.

Read more about ... the Honors College

Graduating with Honors in NSCS

Graduating with honors in NSCS will require the following:

  • You must meet the Honors College requirements which include:
    1. completion of the required number of Honors units,
    2. completion of a 6-unit Honors thesis during your final two semesters, and
    3. a GPA of at least 3.5 at the time of graduation.
  • You must complete an Honors Thesis, the final version of which must be approved by your Faculty Advisor and the Honors College. Your honors thesis should be a well-designed research project, guided by a faculty member, carried out by you, and typically written in the form of a manuscript such as would be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal appropriate for the area of the your research. 
  • You are expected to present your work in a short presentation to the School of Mind, Brain and Behavior at the NSCS Honors Thesis Poster Forum.

Students graduating with honors in NSCS are highly encouraged to:

  • Enroll in a graduate level course (500 level or higher) in neuroscience or cognitive science.

The NSCS Honors Guidelines Booklet covers each step in more detail.

Students are responsible for knowing and abiding by all Honors College and NSCS Program requirements.

NSCS Honors Guidelines

Thesis Timeline

Completion of an Honors thesis requires preparation and planning. You will build up to your thesis throughout your years at UA by completing coursework, participating in research, engaging with faculty, and narrowing down your areas of academic and professional interest. By the end of your junior year, you should have a well-developed thesis plan that you can implement in your senior year.

The following timeline was created by the Honors College.

  • Explore Your Thesis Topic
  • Identify a Faculty Advisor
  • Submit the Honors Thesis Prospectus
  • Register for Thesis credit
  • Engage in Your Thesis Project
  • Submit Your Thesis

Students are responsible for checking the Honors College website for any updates to this timeline. The NSCS Honors program has a timeline checklist tailored to the program.

Read more about ... the Honors Thesis Timeline at the Honors Website

NSCS Honors Timeline Checklist

NSCS Thesis Enrollment Form