For students seeking to advance their undergraduate experience, the Departmental Honors Project (DHP) offers a pathway for advanced academic work. Distinct from standard coursework, the DHP is designed to support rigorous, independent research within a student’s major, serving as a bridge between undergraduate studies and professional or graduate-level work.
Program Director Susie Steinbach defines the initiative as an opportunity for students who are ready to move beyond the usual classroom structure.
“We’re looking for students who have really exhausted the curriculum,” Steinbach said. “Who has that spark to go above and beyond what is written in the syllabus.”
Departmental honors reflect the completion of a significant research or creative project. Work typically starts in the spring of a student's junior year and ends in the spring of their senior year.
Projects are not assigned; instead, students propose them. Topics often emerge from sophomore or junior courses, study abroad experiences, collaborative research or specific intellectual passions. According to Steinbach, the application process is designed to gauge readiness.
“It’s not something you just sign up for. You have to prove you have the discipline to handle it. We want to see a plan, not just interest,” Steinbach said.
A defining characteristic of the DHP is the shift in the faculty-student dynamic. Students work one-on-one with a faculty member acting as their advisor for the project.
“Our role changes,” Steinbach said, “I become less of a teacher and more of a mentor. We are solving problems together.”
This structure requires a high degree of self-management. Henry Miner, a 2025 graduate of the program, notes that the absence of routine oversight is a significant adjustment.
“It’s completely different from my other classes. It's on you,” Henry said. “You don't have a teacher checking on your homework every day… you have to own the timeline.”
The program encourages students to explore niche topics in depth. Alumnus Liam Schwartz utilized the DHP to conduct research on his topic of interest: “Effects of Climate Change Communication on Identity, Emotions and Mobilization.”
Reflecting on the process, Schwartz notes that the DHP allowed for a level of specialization unavailable in general courses.
“I was able to dive into a specific part that we barely touched in class,” Schwartz said. “It felt like my work, not just an assignment.”
The project culminates in an orally based defense, where students present and defend their thesis before a panel of faculty members. Schwartz describes this component as critical preparation for post graduate life, especially for those planning for graduate school.
“Standing up there and having to defend my thesis, that was the moment I felt ready for the next step,” Schwartz said.
Upon successful completion, students graduate with departmental honors. This distinction can be applied to the category of undergraduate research on professional resumes. For students also pursuing university honors, a DHP can often satisfy requirements for both programs.
