Honors Program

A candidate for College Honors must have the endorsement of his or her major department, (and of the department in which the work is done, if different from the major department). An applicant is expected to have a cumulative index of 3.2 or above. The Honors Subcommittee of the Academic Standing Committee gives final approval for undertaking College Honors. Applications should be submitted to the Associate Dean of the College by the third term of the junior year and must be submitted by September 15 of the senior year. Application forms are available from the Office of the Registrar.  (Knox College Catalog)

If you are a junior considering an Honors Project based in the English Department, you must have your project endorsed by the Department. To that end, you should make an appointment with a member of the Department to discuss the proposed project.  

Following this preliminary meeting, you should draft a two-page proposal discussing the subject, projecting a time line, and indicating the number of  credits you plan to devote to honors per term senior year. The proposal should also indicate three faculty members you plan to approach to serve on Honors committee and the name of your Honors chair.  

You should include a resume of courses and experience indicating you have the academic preparation to undertake the project and a significant writing sample (this can be a copy of an essay or sample of creative writing that you think is reflective of your best written work).

Individual department members may have their own criteria for working on Honors projects. For example, it is the preference of some to have previously worked with an Honors candidate on a one-term Independent Study project.

After the submission of the Honors proposal, the English Department faculty will review it and ascertain if it is meritorious and whether we have the resources to endorse the project.

Written proposals for Honors in English should be submitted to the Chair of the English Department during Spring Term (by the end of the first week of pre-enrollment).