Honors are granted by the University to students whose work in a field of concentration has demonstrated superior quality and culminated in an 'Honors Thesis of Distinction'.

Honors recipients in the School of Engineering must meet the following criteria:

1. Demonstrate a strong academic record through the 7th semester through 60% A’s or “S with Distinction” in the 21 required courses in engineering ScB, as declared in ASK (NOTE: "S with Distinction" is not visible on the Brown transcript or in ASK. Please inquire with the Registrar or Student Affairs.)
2. Propose and execute an independent research project under the guidance of a faculty member
3. Complete a written thesis to the satisfaction of the Honors Program Committee
4. Give a scientific/technical presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium
5. Fulfill all deadlines for applying for or completing honors to the satisfaction of his/her research advisor and the Honors Program Committee

The following guidelines are for non-BME concentrators. Students concentrating in Biomedical Engineering should review the guidelines for BME concentrators. 

If you wish to participate in the honors program, you will need to:

• Meet the cutoff of 60% A's or “S with Distinction” through the 7th semester through the 21 required courses in engineering ScB, as declared in ASK (NOTE: "S with Distinction" is not visible on the Brown transcript or in ASK. Please inquire with the Registrar or Student Affairs.)
• Select a thesis topic and find a thesis advisor
• Submit the application form (which must be signed by your advisor)
• Receive notification that you have been accepted into the program (note that acceptance does not guarantee that you will be awarded honors at graduation)
• Select a reader for your thesis
• Complete your thesis, and submit it to your advisor and reader
• Give a presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium

Contact information for the honors thesis committee

Relevant deadlines are listed in the table below. Failure to meet any of these deadlines is grounds for dismissal from the honors program. Note that these deadlines are intended for students graduating in four years. Students with different graduation timelines who would like to pursue Honors should contact a member of the Honors Program Committee to discuss alternative plans.

Grade Used to Determine Eligibility for Honors

The minimum grades for admission to the Engineering Honors Program is 60% A’s or “S with Distinction” through the 21 required courses in engineering ScB, as declared in ASK (NOTE: "S with Distinction" is not visible on the Brown transcript or in ASK. Please inquire with the Registrar or Student Affairs.)

• Due to COVID-19, students have the option not to count their grades from Spring 2020 towards honors. If students choose this option, NONE of the grades from concentration coursework in Spring 2020 will be included in the percentage calculation.
• We will calculate the percentage of A’s and “S with Distinction” in courses that are required to satisfy engineering concentration requirements, as listed on your approved engineering concentration form. It is important to make sure that your concentration form is up-to-date at the time of application. Humanities courses are not included in the calculation.
• We will calculate the percentage of A’s and “S with Distinction” in courses at the beginning of the fall semester of senior year to determine acceptance into the program (The percentage may be slightly below 60%  if the seventh semester is expected to bring it above the threshold).
• Find more information on S with Distinction grades here or email the Registrar's Office.
• Courses not taken at Brown will not be included in the percentage calculation.

If you do not fully meet these criteria, you may petition the Honors Committee to consider other evidence of academic accomplishments, such as significant project work completed in collaboration with a faculty member. One or more letters of recommendation from faculty should accompany such a petition, which may be referred to the Concentration Committee for a final decision.

Selecting a thesis topic and an advisor

Your thesis could address a basic experimental, theoretical or computational research problem, or a major independent design project. You may propose your own idea, which could be based on course-work or an internship; or develop a thesis topic based on an on-going research area at Brown. Your thesis topic should be distinct from any project work undertaken during required engineering courses.

To design a thesis program, you should work with a faculty member with expertise in your area of interest who can act as your thesis advisor. You can approach faculty members from whom you have taken classes, or use the faculty research pages to identify someone with relevant experience. If you have difficulty finding a research advisor, schedule a meeting with a member of the Honors Committee.

• You must identify a thesis advisor when you submit your honors proposal during the first semester of your senior year.
• Your thesis advisor must be an engineering faculty member. In cases of cross-disciplinary research students may be co-advised, so long as one faculty member is in engineering and/or biomedical engineering.
• It is very helpful to start planning your honors research project well before the start of senior year. Many honors candidates perform research over the summer before senior year, although this is not required. Many students also take independent study courses during sophomore or junior year, which is a great way to initiate a relationship with a potential research advisor. It is never too early to begin thinking about the process, and students of all levels are invited to attend the Honors Information Session at the start of the fall semester.

Choosing a Reader

In addition to a research advisor, each honors candidate must also ask an expert in his or her field of research to be a “reader”. The reader’s responsibilities are to read the written thesis, attend the student’s presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, and offer general guidance in both of these areas.

The reader is commonly a member of faculty, but this is not a requirement so long as the reader is capable of assessing the student’s research. Non-faculty readers will require Honors Committee approval. The honors thesis advisor often helps candidates choose a reader. However, it is the honors candidate’s responsibility to approach potential readers by clearly communicating the thesis topic and outlining the reader’s responsibilities.

Active faculty/staff/students are now able to e-sign DocuSign documents directly with your Brown credentials.

Completing your honors program

Honors candidates work closely with their advisors and/or research lab throughout their senior year. Writing a thesis can be a significant undertaking, and it is helpful to be able to be able to spread the workload over several months rather than to try to complete it at the last minute. It can be helpful to register for an independent study course that focuses on your thesis topic (but note that only one independent study can be used for concentration credit).

Admission to the Honors Program does not guarantee that a student will receive Honors upon graduation. Recommendation for this distinction by the School of Engineering is contingent on demonstrable academic excellence throughout the senior year. The candidate’s thesis advisor will make recommendations to the Honors Committee regarding their advisee's progress toward achieving the honors thesis requirements.

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Students will be required to present their research in an oral presentation at a research symposium at the end of their eighth semester. Details will be provided at the beginning of the eighth semester.

Honors Form

• Application for Honors