If you are expecting to conduct undergraduate research, you are encouraged to participate in the honors program. Admission is gained through consultation with the departmental honors advisor, usually no later than the beginning of the junior year. The program includes additional academic support and networking outside IU.
We organize field trips, hold discussions about breaking news in the Earth sciences, read peripheral but relevant material, assist in selecting and conducting research projects, publish peer-reviewed papers, compete for research grants and awards (such as Sigma Xi, GSA, AAPG, and AGU), study abroad, research graduate schools, and participate in a myriad of other productive activities.
To complete the program and graduate with honors, you must (1) undertake a research project that leads to a completed written thesis, and (2) graduate with a minimum of 3.3 GPA. The thesis may be substituted for one 400-level Earth and Atmospheric Sciences course to fulfill the advanced science/mathematics requirement. The research is guided by a faculty member.
A committee consisting of three faculty members, including the honors advisor, examines the thesis and conducts an oral examination. Research facilities are available on the Bloomington campus, at the Geologic Field Station in Montana, and may be undertaken at any accredited university upon approval by the honors advisor.
Contact Melissa Jackson if you have any questions about the honors program.
The College of Arts