Senior Honors Thesis Seminar in Black Studies
BLST 190 AH-BH-CH (Formerly BLST 195A-B-C)
The Senior Honors Thesis Seminar in Black Studies is offered specifically to Majors who have excelled in their courses at UCSB. Each student admitted into the program must have and maintain a 3.3 university grade-point average in addition to a 3.5 departmental grade-point average. Students who successfully complete the Senior Honors Thesis Seminar in Black Studies will earn Distinction in the Major, which will be reflected on the formal degree awarded by the University.
Students selected to participate in this program will be exposed to a different faculty instructor each quarter of the three-quarter series. Honors students will work during the Fall quarter, BLST 190AH, to produce a research proposal by identifying a research topic and research question, argumentation (why the study matters), methods and methodology, and literature search and review. During the Winter quarter, BLST 190BH, honors students will focus on method/methodology (in connection to data collection), data collection, and initial analysis of data. The final part of the series during the Spring quarter, BLST 190CH, students will focus on continuing analysis and data discussion and completing the Senior Honors Thesis Seminar. Honors students will also prepare to present an academic paper at the departmental Spring Colloquium for earning distinction (honors) in the major.
Distinction in the Major
Senior Honors students must earn a final grade of at least a 'B' in BLST 190AH-BH-CH to earn Distinction in the Major.
Application
If you are interested in joining the Senior Honors Thesis Seminar and meet the eligibility requirements, please complete the application here.
FAQs
Who can apply?
Any BLST major going into their senior (or final year) for Fall 2022.
What are the requirements?
Eligible applicants must have a 3.3 university grade-point average and a 3.5 departmental grade-point average.
Don't know your GPA? Click here to use a GPA calculator!
Are there prerequisites?
Yes. Eligible applicants must have completed at least two courses from BLST 1, 2, 3, 7 and the majority of their BLST major requirements.
What classes do I need to take?
The Senior Honors Thesis Seminar series are classes BLST 190AH, 190BH, and 190CH. These courses are held concurrently with the Senior Thesis Seminar series (BLST 190A, 190B, and 190C) during Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters.
Do I need to complete all parts of the series?
Yes. For the honors and non-honors Senior Thesis Seminar series, students must complete each part of the series during Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters respectively.
Can I decide to join the Senior Honors Thesis program during Winter or Spring quarter?
No. Interested applicants must decide and apply prior to the beginning of Fall quarter.
What if I am accepted into the honors program but decide it is too difficult or I no longer want to participate?
Students who are admitted into the honors program can decide if they want to enroll on the non-honors track instead. As mentioned above, all BLST majors are required to complete the 3-part series for their senior thesis (BLST 190A/B/C or BLST 190AH/BH/CH). However, non-honors students are unable to join the honors program at any time.
What is the difference between the honors and non-honors series?
Students participating in the honors series will be required to produce a more rigorous senior thesis and will earn Distinction in the Major. While honors and non-honors students will take these courses concurrently, honors students are expected to produce a 35-page senior thesis, whereas non-honors students will be expected to write a 25-page senior thesis. Thereby proving further rationale for receiving the Honors distinction.
What does 'Distinction in the Major' mean?
Distinction in the Major is awarded to students who successfully complete a project or thesis with distinction as part of a departmental senior honors program. This indicates that you have excelled in your academic studies, specifically as it relates to your senior thesis in Black Studies. Distinction in the Major also looks great on your academic record, especially for those interested in pursuing postgraduate studies!
What else do I need to know?
Honors students will present their academic papers at the departmental Spring Colloquium for earning distinction (honors) in the major. This also looks great on your record if you are interested in pursuing graduate school!
How do I apply?
To apply, click here!
Any other questions?
If you have any questions, you can contact the Undergraduate Advisor
