Departmental Honors

Revised 4/26/2022.  Changes have no impact on any student currently in the process of completing Honors-in-Major.

Departmental Honors in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology provides the opportunity for outstanding students to distinguish themselves by pursuing challenging classes and exciting research projects within their chosen subject area. You’ll have the opportunity to work closely with faculty, to explore your interests more deeply, and to develop skills that will be useful after graduation whether in the workplace, in graduate school, or in the professional world.  Upon completion, "Honors in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology" will be indicated on your diploma, signifying academic excellence to future employers or admissions committees for post-graduate education.

BMCB Honors Liaison: Dr. Megan Enos-Fournier

General Requirements for Completing Departmental Honors

• Register with the University Honors Program.
• Overall GPA of 3.50 or greater. (Overall GPA of 3.40 or greater for students starting their Departmental Honors coursework prior to Fall 2019.)
• Earned GPA of 3.50 or greater at time of graduation in all courses within the BMCB major (Earned GPA of 3.40 or greater at time of graduation in all courses within the BMCB major for students starting their Departmental Honors coursework prior to Fall 2019.)
• A total of 16 credits of honors-designated work, which includes:
  • Approved Honors-designated courses (8-12 credits)
  • Senior Honors Thesis (4-8 credits, conducted over the equivalent of two semesters)
• Note: You do not need to be in the University Honors Program in order to complete Departmental Honors.

Enrolling in the Departmental Honors Program

• Sophomore year is not too soon to begin exploring research areas that interest you, as well as talking with potential faculty who might mentor you in a Senior Honors Thesis.
  • Learn about faculty research or read individual faculty profiles on the COLSA website.
  • Your academic advisor can also offer advice about selecting an Honors Thesis Advisor.
  • Projects performed off-campus should have an on-campus faculty liaison to supervise overall project compliance and to submit grades.
• Before the end of your junior year:
  • Identify a faculty member who will serve as your Honors Thesis Advisor and obtain their permission to register for BMCB 799H.
  • Contact the Honors Program Liaison for your major to declare your intent to carry out Departmental Honors.
  • Discuss with your academic advisor or with the Honors Program Liaison the honors coursework you plan to take to fulfill the requirements of the program.
  • Register as a Departmental Honors student.
• If feasible, consider beginning your thesis project in the summer before your senior year. Also consider applying to the Hamel Center for a SURF that would allow you to receive a stipend to conduct ten weeks of full-time research.
• Early in fall semester of your senior year, complete the Honors Thesis Student/Sponsor agreement.

Honors Coursework (8 to 12 credits)

• Any 600- or 700-level Core course or Major Elective course listed on the BMCB Advising Checklist or on Degree Works.
• To designate a course as Honors, complete the Honors Designation Form in consultation with the course instructor.

Senior Honors Thesis Overview (BMCB 799H; 4 to 8 credits)

• Research/scholarship is normally conducted over a period of two consecutive semesters, during which the student enrolls each semester for 1-4 credits of BMCB 799H.
  • Expect to spend a minimum of 3 hours per week on the project for each credit-hour.
• No more than 8 total credits of BMCB 799H - Honors Senior Thesis may be used to fulfill the Departmental Honors requirements.
• Within the first month of commencing the senior honors thesis, a thesis project proposal is written.
• The thesis proposal is reviewed and approved by the Thesis Advisor and a copy sent to the Honors Liaison.
• Students are encouraged to seek funding for their thesis research project by submitting a proposal to the Hamel Center. Hamel Center proposal deadlines are usually about 3-4 weeks into each semester.
  • Students cannot receive payment for work for which they will receive course credit, but can receive financial assistance for expenses related to the conduct of the research project.
• At the end of the first semester, an “IA” grade will be submitted for BMCB 799H, indicating that the work is still in progress. The final grade will be reported at the end of second semester for all earned BMCB 799H credits.
• The final product consists of a written thesis and a public presentation of the work accomplished.

The Written Thesis

• Length: 20-40 double-spaced pages.
• Components of the written thesis usually include: Abstract, Introduction/Background/Literature Review, Statement of Hypothesis, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References Cited.
• Writing the Senior Honors Thesis is an iterative process that involves writing a draft of the thesis, having the document reviewed by your Thesis Advisor, and incorporating their comments into a revised version. Two or three iterations of the writing process are typical before the final version is completed.
• Two paper copies of the Thesis must be submitted to the student's Thesis Advisor for grading no later than the last reading day of the semester (before finals commence). One copy will be returned to the student with comments and a final grade; a duplicate of the graded copy is sent to the Honors Liaison. The second copy is retained by the Thesis Advisor.
• Consider uploading your thesis or just the thesis abstract to the UNH Scholar’s Repository. Consult with your thesis advisor first to avoid posting proprietary information.

The Public Presentation

• The public presentation should be modeled on presentations typically given at scientific conferences or meetings of professional societies.
• A poster presentation or PowerPoint slide presentation are both acceptable formats.
• Presenting at the COLSA Undergraduate Research Conference or University URC is encouraged. A departmental seminar, classroom setting, or an off-campus scientific conference are also acceptable public settings for your presentation.

Certification of Completion

• Two months before graduation, submit the Honors Completion form.

Revised 4/27/2022.  Changes have no impact on any student currently in the process of completing Honors-in-Major.

Departmental Honors in Biomedical Science provides the opportunity for outstanding students to distinguish themselves by pursuing challenging classes and exciting research projects within their chosen subject area. You’ll have the opportunity to work closely with faculty, to explore your interests more deeply, and to develop skills that will be useful after graduation whether in the workplace, in graduate school, or in the professional world. Upon completion, "Honors in Biomedical Science" will be indicated on your diploma, signifying academic excellence to future employers or admissions committees for post-graduate education.

Biomedical Science Honors Liaison: Dr. Megan Enos-Fournier

General Requirements for Completing Departmental Honors

• Register with the University Honors Program.
• Overall GPA of 3.50 or greater. (Overall GPA of 3.40 or greater for students starting their Departmental Honors coursework prior to Fall 2019.)
• Earned GPA of 3.50 or greater at time of graduation in all courses within the BMS major (Earned GPA of 3.40 or greater at time of graduation in all courses within the BMS major for students starting their Departmental Honors coursework prior to Fall 2019.)
• A total of 16 credits of honors-designated work, which includes:
  • Approved Honors-designated courses (8-12 credits)
  • Senior Honors Thesis (4-8 credits, conducted over the equivalent of two semesters)

• Note: You do not need to be in the University Honors Program in order to complete Departmental Honors.

Enrolling in the Departmental Honors Program:

• Sophomore year is not too soon to begin exploring research areas that interest you, as well as talking with potential faculty who might mentor you in a Senior Honors Thesis.

  Learn about about faculty research or read individual faculty profiles found on the COLSA website.

• Your academic advisor can offer advice about selecting an Honors Thesis Advisor.
• Projects performed off-campus should have an on-campus faculty liaison to supervise overall project compliance and to submit grades.

• Before the end of your junior year:
  • Identify a faculty member who will serve as your Honors Thesis Advisor and obtain their permission to register for BMS 799H.
  • Contact the Honors Program Liaison for your major to declare your intent to carry out Departmental Honors.
  • Discuss with your academic advisor or with the Honors Program Liaison the honors coursework you plan to take to fulfill the requirements of the program.

• If feasible, consider beginning your thesis project in the summer before your senior year. Also consider applying to the Hamel Center for a SURF that would allow you to receive a stipend to conduct ten weeks of full-time research.
• Early in fall semester of your senior year, complete the Honors Thesis Student/Sponsor agreement. 

Honors Coursework (8 to 12 credits)

• Any 600- or 700-level Core course or Major Elective course listed on the Biomedical Science Advising Checklist or Degree Works for the option in which the student is enrolled.
• To designate a course as Honors, complete the Honors Designation Form in consultation with the course instructor.

Senior Honors Thesis Overview (BMS 799H; 4 to 8 credits)

• Research/scholarship is normally conducted over a period of two consecutive semesters, during which the student enrolls each semester for 1-4 credits of BMS 799H.
  • Expect to spend a minimum of 3 hours per week on the project for each credit-hour.
• No more than 8 total credits of BMS 799H - Senior Honors Thesis may be used to fulfill the Departmental Honors requirements.
• Within the first month of commencing the senior honors thesis, a thesis project proposal is written.
• The thesis proposal is reviewed and approved by the Thesis Advisor and a copy sent to the Honors Liaison.
• Students are encouraged to seek funding for their thesis research project by submitting a proposal to the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research. Proposal deadlines are usually about 3-4 weeks into each semester.
  • Students cannot receive payment for work for which they will receive course credit, but can receive financial assistance for expenses related to the conduct of the research project.
• At the end of the first semester, an “IA” grade will be submitted for BMS 799H, indicating that the work is still in progress. The final grade will be reported at the end of second semester for all earned BMS 799H credits.
• The final product consists of a written thesis and a public presentation of the work accomplished.

The Written Thesis

• Length: 20-40 double-spaced pages.
• Components of the written thesis usually include: Abstract, Introduction/Background/Literature Review, Statement of Hypothesis, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References Cited.
• Writing the Senior Honors Thesis is an iterative process that involves writing a draft of the thesis, having the document reviewed by your Thesis Advisor, and incorporating their comments into a revised version. Two or three iterations of the writing process are typical before the final version is completed.
• Two paper copies of the Thesis must be submitted to the student's Thesis Advisor for grading no later than the last reading day of the semester (before finals commence). One copy will be returned to the student with comments and a final grade; a duplicate of the graded copy is sent to the Honors Liaison. The second copy is retained by the Thesis Advisor.
• Consider uploading your thesis or just the thesis abstract to the UNH Scholar’s Repository. Consult with your thesis advisor first to avoid posting proprietary information.

The Public Presentation

• The public presentation should be modeled on presentations typically given at scientific conferences or meetings of professional societies.
• A poster presentation or PowerPoint slide presentation are both acceptable formats.
• Presenting at the COLSA Undergraduate Research Conference or University URC is encouraged. A departmental seminar, classroom setting, or an off-campus scientific conference are also acceptable public settings for your presentation.

CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION

• Two months before graduation, submit the Honors Completion form. 

Revised 4/28/2022.  Changes have no impact on any student currently in the process of completing Honors-in-Major.

Departmental Honors in Genetics provides the opportunity for outstanding students to distinguish themselves by pursuing challenging classes and exciting research projects within their chosen subject area. You’ll have the opportunity to work closely with faculty, to explore your interests more deeply, and to develop skills that will be useful after graduation whether in the workplace, in graduate school, or in the professional world. Upon completion, "Honors in Genetics" will be indicated on your diploma, signifying academic excellence to future employers or admissions committees for post-graduate education.

Genetics Honors Liaison: Anna O'Brien

General Requirements for Completing Honors-in-Major

• Register with the University Honors Program.
• Overall GPA of 3.50 or greater. (Overall GPA of 3.40 or greater for students starting their Departmental Honors coursework prior to Fall 2019.)
• Earned GPA of 3.50 or greater at time of graduation in all courses within the GEN major (Earned GPA of 3.40 or greater at time of graduation in all courses within the GEN major for students starting their Departmental Honors coursework prior to Fall 2019.)
• Complete a total of 16 credits of honors-designated work, which includes:
  • Approved Honors-designated courses (8-12 credits)
  • Senior Honors Thesis (4-8 credits, conducted over the equivalent of two semesters)
• Note: You do not need to be in the University Honors Program in order to complete Departmental Honors.

Enrolling in the Departmental Honors Program:

• Sophomore year is not too soon to begin exploring research areas that interest you, as well as talking with potential faculty who might mentor you in a Senior Honors Thesis.
  • Learn about faculty research or read individual faculty profiles on the COLSA website.
  • Your academic advisor can also offer advice about selecting an Honors Thesis Advisor.
  • Projects performed off-campus should have an on-campus faculty liaison to supervise overall project compliance and to submit grades.

• Before the end of your junior year:
  • Identify a faculty member who will serve as your Honors Thesis Advisor and obtain their permission to register for GEN 799H.
  • Contact the Honors Program Liaison for your major to declare your intent to carry out Departmental Honors
  • Discuss with your academic advisor or with the Honors Program Liaison the honors coursework you plan to take to fulfill the requirements of the program.
  • Register as a Departmental Honors student.
• If feasible, consider beginning your thesis project in the summer before your senior year. Also consider applying to the Hamel Center for a SURF that would allow you to receive a stipend to conduct ten weeks of full-time research.
• Early in fall semester of your senior year, complete the Honors Thesis Student/Sponsor agreement.

Honors Coursework (8 to 12 credits)

• Any 600- or 700-level Core course or Major Elective course listed on the Genetics Advising Checklist or on Degree Works.
• To designate a course as Honors, complete the Honors Designation Form in consultation with the course instructor.

Senior Honors Thesis Overview (GEN 799H; 4 to 8 credits)

• Research/scholarship is normally conducted over a period of two consecutive semesters, during which the student enrolls each semester for 1-4 credits of GEN 799H.
  • Expect to spend a minimum of 3 hours per week on the project for each credit-hour.
• No more than 8 total credits of GEN 799H - Honors Senior Thesis may be used to fulfill the Departmental Honors requirements.
• Within the first month of commencing the senior honors thesis, a thesis project proposal is written.
• The thesis proposal is reviewed and approved by the Thesis Advisor and a copy sent to the Honors Liaison.
• Students are encouraged to seek funding for their thesis research project by submitting a proposal to the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research. Hamel Center proposal deadlines are usually about 3-4 weeks into each semester.
  • Students cannot receive payment for work for which they will receive course credit, but can receive financial assistance for expenses related to the conduct of the research project.
• At the end of the first semester, an “IA” grade will be submitted for GEN 799H, indicating that the work is still in progress. The final grade will be reported at the end of second semester for all earned GEN 799H credits.
• The final product consists of a written thesis and a public presentation of the work accomplished.

The Written Thesis

• Length: 20-40 double-spaced pages.
• Components of the written thesis usually include: Abstract, Introduction/Background/Literature Review, Statement of Hypothesis, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References Cited.
• Writing the Senior Honors Thesis is an iterative process that involves writing a draft of the thesis, having the document reviewed by your Thesis Advisor, and incorporating their comments into a revised version. Two or three iterations of the writing process are typical before the final version is completed.
• Two paper copies of the Thesis must be submitted to the student's Thesis Advisor for grading no later than the last reading day of the semester (before finals commence). One copy will be returned to the student with comments and a final grade; a duplicate of the graded copy is sent to the Honors Liaison. The second copy is retained by the Thesis Advisor.
• Consider uploading your thesis or just the thesis abstract to the UNH Scholar’s Repository. Consult with your thesis advisor first to avoid posting proprietary information.

The Public Presentation

• The public presentation should be modeled on presentations typically given at scientific conferences or meetings of professional societies.
• A poster presentation or PowerPoint slide presentation are both acceptable formats.
• Presenting at the COLSA Undergraduate Research Conference or University URC is encouraged. A departmental seminar, classroom setting, or an off-campus scientific conference are also acceptable public settings for your presentation.

Certification of Completion

• Two months before graduation, submit the Honors Completion form.