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Senior Honors Program

The Department of Communication sponsors a rigorous and rewarding Senior Honors Program for our brightest undergraduates. The program is a challenging learning experience spanning three quarters of the student's academic career. The Honors Program allows students to conduct a year-long independent research project, under the direction of the faculty member in charge of the course and in collaboration with the Communication Department faculty. The program culminates in a Senior Honors Thesis. In addition, students who complete the program graduate with Distinction in the Major . Click here for listings of recent Seniors Honors Thesis Students .

The program is particularly useful for those considering any graduate study. Still, it is also designed for students who seek to enrich their undergraduate studies with the rewarding experience of engaging in a research project and working with members of the Communication faculty.

Eligible students are invited to apply during the spring quarter of their junior year. A link to the application will be provided at the yearly informational meetings. Students who meet the criteria listed below and have the consent of the instructor will be accepted into the program and will receive an approval code for Communication 180 during the fall quarter of their senior year.

Senior Honors Info Session for the 2024-2025 academic year:

Click here to view the recorded Info Session from June 4th, 2024. 

Students can fill out the 2024-25 Honors Thesis Program Application here !

Criteria for Eligibility

1. Full major in Communication with junior class standing.

2. Minimum overall GPA of 3.50 and GPA of 3.50 in Communication major at the time of application and at the completion of the spring quarter of junior year.

3. Completion of at least three UPPER DIVISION courses in the Communication major by the end of the spring quarter of the junior year.

Students should email the Senior Honors Advisors: Dr. Jennifer Gibbs [email protected]  and Gordon Abra [email protected] with any questions.

The College of Letters & Science also offers an Honors Program ; please visit their site for information and requirements. 

Honors Coursework

As part of the program, honors students take a four-unit Senior Honors Seminar (Communication 180) during the fall quarter of the senior year. The seminar is designed to introduce students to the process of conducting research in Communication. Basic steps in the research process are covered, such as defining an area of interest, conducting a literature review, and designing a study. Students also learn how to write a research proposal using the American Psychological Association Style Guide.

Students who receive a grade of either A or A- in Communication 180 will be qualified to enroll in 8 additional units of Senior Thesis Research during the next two quarters (4 units during the Winter quarter of Communication 181A and 4 units during the Spring quarter of 181B). These units involve class meetings, independent work with the instructor and are designed to culminate in the Senior Thesis. However, any student who does not earn a grade of either A or A- in Communication 180 will not be allowed to continue with Communication 181A-B, although they will receive full credit for Communication 180.

Students eligible to continue in the program are required to complete a Senior Thesis under the direction of the instructor. The thesis is typically a written report (30-50 pages) of an empirical study on some aspect of human communication that the student conducts.

Honors Thesis Project Components

Major steps in the Thesis process include:

• Identifying and describing your research topic and interest
• Searching for information as part of a literature review
• Moving from theory to hypothesis to study design to data collection to analysis to evaluation to write-up and interpretation, to conclusion
• Writing and submitting a proposal for URCA funding
• Writing, submitting, and revising a human subjects request
• Using the Department of Communication research participation system (SONA)
• Designing a survey, experiment, or other data collection method
• Using Qualtrics, the external online survey system
• Obtaining research participants
• Collecting and organizing data
• Analyzing data using SPSS
• Interpreting SPSS results and tables
• Preparing a powerpoint presentation
• Preparing a large-scale results poster
• Presenting your research at the URCA Undergraduate Research Colloquium
• Presenting your research at the Department’s Senior Honors Thesis event
• Working and communicating with faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, and your fellow Senior Honors Thesis students
• Preparing a final Thesis according to APA formatting criteria, and providing the bound Thesis for the department library
• Seeing your research abstract on the Department’s website

Presentation of the Project

Honors students present their work to faculty, other honors students, and guests at a colloquium scheduled at the end of the senior year, and are acknowledged at the Annual Awards Ceremony .

Graduation with Distinction

Upon satisfactory completion of required coursework and the thesis, students are recommended for graduation with Distinction in the Major .

Additional Considerations

Honors students may have graduate student borrowing privileges at the UCSB Library, and are given special consideration in enrolling for Communication courses.

Honors students are encouraged to apply for research fellowships in early fall of their senior year. The fellowships offer competitive research funds of up to $1000, to be used to cover any costs associated with their research projects, and honors students are given priority in the competition. Applications are completed with the assistance of the faculty advisor and include a detailed budget for how the funds will be used in the research project.

Senior Honors Students from Recent Years

(Please note that we are missing some students, titles, and advisors.  If you know one of these, please email the Senior Honors Thesis Advisor, Dr. Gordon Abra, at [email protected] )

Advisors: Gordon Abra and Jennifer Gibbs

• Ashley Avarado: Perceptions of Nonverbal Forms of Affect in Interaction between Lesbians
• Ruijie "Annie" Chen: How Do You Decide What to Buy? Consumers' Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility and Purchase Intentions
• Kylie Delaney: Do You Know Where You're Going? An Investigation of Artificial Intelligence & Critical Thinking
• Josh Freitas: Unsure about Lying: Examining the Role of Uncertainty and Closeness in Deceptive Communication Evaluations
• Lily MacMillan: Barriers to Entry: Interpersonal Communication in Attorney-Immigrant Relations
• Katie Posey: BeReal of BeFake: A Study of Authenticity in Social Media

Advisors: Robin Nabi and Jennifer Gibbs

• Sophia Castro: Exclusivity Isn’t Cool Anymore: Plus-Size Model Representation in Retail Fashion Advertisements
• Freya Chu: How Do People Make Their Decisions in Investing by Evaluating the Credibility and Completeness of FinTech Companies
• Shannon Hollingsworth: Who Writes History? An Examination of Framing Theory in K-12 History Textbooks
• Michelle Lee: Beyond the Model Minority: Exploring the Impacts of the Model Minority Myth on Asian American Organizational Assimilation & Upward Mobility
• Melanie Liu: Consumer Behavior around the Minimalist Advertising Paradox
• Muyun Liu: Mapping #MeToo Discourse in China: A Discourse Analysis of Online Mobilizing Practices
• Leela Mogadam: The Effects of Trauma on Interpersonal Relationships: In Regard to Relational Maintenance, Relational Satisfaction and Attachment Style
• Elise Nguyen: Trust and Algorithmic Decision Making: The Influence of Perceived Risk and Control on Human Trust of Automated Systems
• Paola Portabales Mosquera de Barros: The Role of the Leader in Shaping Organizational Culture through Technology
• Jamaica Ty: Boba Liberal Activism and Its Relationship to the Group Identification and Structural Awareness of Asian Americans
• Cary Walker: Environmental Messages: Examining Message Modifications that Can Elicit More Pro-Environmental Behavior
• Haoning Zhu: How Media Framing in COVID-19 News Coverage Influences People’s Preventive Behaviors
• Michaela N. Allen: Community is the Best Medicine: Coping with Racial Microaggressions Among Native American and Indigenous College Students
• Morgan Azevedo: “Team” vs. “colleagues”: Contrasting linguistic strategies in witness examinations
• Sofia Allegra Cavaness: “Protecting The Parks From The People, People From The Parks And The People From The People”: A Look Into The Identity And Culture Of California State Park Peace Officers
• Irene Chen: Understanding and Designing for Disaster Preparation on Social Media
• Claire Chung: Assessing the Effects of Musical Fit in Elaboration Likelihood Model: A Case of Music Lyrics
• Michelle Dalarossa: The Effects of Self-Construal and Group Cohesion on Intercultural Conflict Goal Preferences
• Micah Noah Haskins: An Offensive Against Failure: Promoting Error Disclosure Within the Workplace
• Siyun Li: Cosmopolitanism and Foreign-Language Films
• Melissa Ryan Lindberg: TikTok During Covid-19: Exploring the Impact of Participating in Body-Centric Trends on Body Image and Dietary Habits of College Students
• Myah Mahdise Mashhadialireza: COVID-19 & Telehealth: Interpersonal sensitivity and willingness to access therapy through specific media 
• Kenny Morris: Right-To-Work Legislation Messaging in Labor Unions
• Chenxiao Niu: Does Family Communication Patterns Moderate the Association between Perceived Stigma by People with Eating Disorders and Social Support Preference?
• Annika Taylor Pearson: Group Talk: An Examination of Racial Intergroup Bias in Higher Education
• Mia Salas: Échale Ganas: Resilience and Coping within Queer Latine University Students
• Brandon Kyle Victor: Next Man Up: How Coaching Communication Perpetuates Hegemonic Masculine Beliefs in Athletes
• Jennifer W. Wang: Consumer Evaluations of Information Depth and Source in E-Commerce
• Lexie (Chenyue) Wang: Social Identification and Interpersonal Communication in Zoom Virtual Groups

Advisors: Jennifer Gibbs and Scott Reid

• Kiara Actis: The Influence of Media Frames on Attitudes towards Online Regulation (Advisor, Scott Reid)  
• Eva Bilange: Examining the Effects of Heuristic Cues on Expert and Non-Expert Individual Investors’ Evaluations of Online Stock Recommendations (Advisor, Andrew Flanagin)
• Andee Brooker: Political Agreeability behind Closed Doors: Politically Charged Language and Public Discourse on Integrative (Advisor, Scott Reid)    
• Sevan Garibian: Mitigating Corporate Reputation Loss Following a Data Breach Using Image Repair Strategies (Advisor, Scott Reid)
• Shriya Ghai: Work-Related Emotional Communication Model of Burnout: An Analysis of Emotions in Human Resource Employees (Advisor, Karen Myers)
• Haley Mehlman: The Influence of Gender, Videos, and Sociosexual Orientation on Moral Judgements (Advisor, Jacob Fisher)
• Mika Kaczmar:  Exploring the Relationship between University Students’ Willingness to Self-Disclose Mental Health Distress to a Healthcare Provider (Advisors, Jennifer Gibbs & Rachyl Pines)
• Reema Moussa: Initiating Virtual Collaboration among Tense Groups: An Online Intergroup Contact Approach (Advisor, Joe Walther)
• Jessica Pressman: Gauging Relational Investment across Various Computer Mediated Communication Platforms (Advisors Jennifer Gibbs and Matt Giles)
• Hudah Rana: The Effects of Gender Stereotypes about Intelligent Personal Assistants (IPAs) on a Product’s Perceived Ability and Likeability (Advisor, Jennifer Gibbs)
• Kelly Tong: Attached to Language: The Internal Working Model of Attachment Applied to the Phenomena of Language Brokering and Parentification (Advisor, Scott Reid)
• Alexis Voss: Men’s Use of Indirect Aggression as an Intrasexual Competition Strategy (Advisor, Scott Reid)  
• Laurent Haoyu Wang: Cross-cultural Differences in Privacy Management among Adult Children and Their Parents on Social Media (Advisor, Miriam Metzger)

Advisor: Professor Scott Reid

• Angelica Goetzen: Save It for Later: The Effect of Expected Later Access on the Ability to Recall and Act on Goal-Oriented Information
• Tanya Gosselin: It's Not Just Politics: The Effects of Ideological Rigidity on Immigration Policy Attitudes
• Kyla Jarrar: Social Media and Mental Health: The Role of Social Reputational Competition
• Isabelle Lee: "It's Okay, I Suck Too!": Interpersonal Effects of Self Deprecating Humor
• Haley Nolan: Social Media Use and Dating Strategies
• Cassidy Pyle: College Students’ Use of Facebook: Examining College Generational Status, Social Capital, and Academic Implications

• Courtney Coyne: Sexual Functions of Sarcasm
• Molly Forster: Political Polarization: The Effects of Party Identity on Willingness to Accept Scientific Information
• Kaitlyn Hains: An Examination of Stereotype Threat on Biracials: The Moderating Effects of Arousal and Ethnic Identity
• Kyle Ignatius: A Comparison of Integrative Complexity and Emotionality in Political Blogs During the Obama and Trump Eras
• Megan Shakespeare: Political Moral Judgments and Double Standard Biases (Reid/Linz)
• Mariangelica Valle: Examining Latina/o College Students Reactions to Intragroup Marginalizing Messages (Reid/Kam)
• Jacqueline Vierra: YouTube Vlogging: The Effects of Vloggers Gaze and Viewer Neuroticism on Personal Connection and Product Endorsement

• Hannah Gunter: The Effectiveness of Transformational Leaders: Communicating Ingroup Identification Amidst Gender Bias (Reid)
• Larissa Gama-Chonlon: How Players Play: Kleptogamy in Human Relationships (Reid)
• Jai Miles: Differences in Perception Across Communication Channels (Dunbar/Adams)
• Noelle Graham: Is Drug Use a Costly Signal? A New Test of the Crazy Bastard Hypothesis (Reid)
• Zane Hoffman: The Diffusion of Data-Driven Marketing Technologies: Analyzing Organizations' Social Construction of their Attributes, 1990-2017 (Rice)
• Scarlett Jia: Life History, Sexual Hookups, and Self-Esteem (Reid/Linz)
• Kirstie Porter: Music, Emotion, and Motivation (Reid)

• Kimberly Chen: Predictors of Communication Apprehension (Linz)
• Jennifer Cruz: Testing Evolution Theory and Social Status in Male-to-Female Teammate Hostility (Abra)
• Lauren Dobis: The Role of Modern Surveillance on Behavior Modification and Self-Regulation (Abra)
• Rachel Joyce: Masculinity as a Persuasive Tool: The Impact of High vs. Low Levels of Masculinity on the Effectiveness of Sexual Violence Public Health Campaigns (Linz)
• Marissa McClure: The Effect of Previous Work Experience on Newcomer Assimilation and Organizational Identification (Abra)
• Roselia Mendez Murillo: Language Brokering Effects on Strength of Children's Ethnic Pride and Strength of Child-Parent Relationship (Abra)
• Emily Shapiro: Health Food Claims and Advertising: The Importance of Deception and Healthiness to the Consumer (Dunbar) 
• Zoe Steele: Exploring Violent Video Games’ Effects on Objectification of Women and the Timing of Media Literacy Interventions as an Interaction Effect (Linz)

Advisors: Dan Linz and Gordon Abra

• Erika Frazer: Bilingual Self-Talk: The Effects of Language and Cultural Identification on School Performance
• Elizabeth Ivy: Consumer responses to Corporate Violations
• Julian Mueller-Herbst: Cultural Differences in Political Discussion
• Kimberly Ngo: Affirmative Consent in Sexual Contexts and Bystander Intervention Programs
• Christina Orzechowski: Management of Family Secrets Regarding Mental Illness
• Chinaza Osisioma: How Media Shapes Women's Self Esteem, Upward Social Comparisons and Internalization of the "Thin Ideal"

Advisor: Dan Linz

• Rachel Cansler: Stigma and Pathogen Avoidance Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Anthony Correia: Dominance and Enhancement in Social Hierarchies
• Hanna Dijkstra: Gender Differences in Pro-Environmentalism
• Jakob Edson: Attitudes Towards Online Privacy
• Qinglan Li: Gender Differences in Risk Perceptions of Online Shopping and Effects of Friend Recommendations
• Jennifer Reinus: Long Distance Relationships and Academic Success in First Year University Students

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Getting Started in Undergraduate Research

“There are few experiences better suited to prepare a student for lifelong learning than an active participation in research early in his or her education. The only ‘prerequisites’ are curiosity, the willingness to learn something not contained in the standard curriculum, and to work on questions to which the answers are not known yet.” —UCSB Professor Herb Kroemer, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, 2000

WHAT IS RESEARCH?

Research is your investigation to answer a question or solve a problem. Guided by a mentor, you combine your unique perspective with existing knowledge to create an experiment that will help you find answers. Whether you are uncovering evidence of early feminism in the 1800s, engineering nanoparticle shape to target breast cancer cells, or dissecting the relationship between social justice and social media, research is a valuable tool that allows you to learn about an interesting subject and make meaningful contributions to the academic community.

WHY DO RESEARCH?

Now is the perfect time to explore a variety of fields, approaches, working styles, and career paths. Participating in research projects can help you:

• Gain confidence in your abilities as a student
• Explore your interests and find a subject that you enjoy studying
• Foster a network of faculty and graduate students who can help open doors to future opportunities
• Contribute to the creation of new knowledge
• Develop skills in time management, critical thinking, and problem solving
• Apply what you have learned in class outside the classroom
• Prepare for and clarify your goals for graduate school or a research career

TYPES OF RESEARCH

Independent research.

Independent research is part-time, with work hours arranged around your class schedule. Doing research during the school year requires time management, and progress can be slow. However, school year research may allow you to stay long-term on a project and integrate into a research group, and is likely to lead to senior thesis projects, publications, and opportunities to attend professional meetings.

Depending on the department and the program, you may be able to work closely with a faculty member on a Senior Thesis Project (also known as Senior Honors or Honors Thesis). Your project may branch off of a professor’s or a graduate student’s research, or you may develop your own idea for an independent research project.

There are various programs such as MARC, EUREKA, and FRAP that can help you find an independent research project, and  campus organizations that can help fund your project.

Summer Research

Summer research programs are more intensive—you are generally expected to commit full-time to the research program without taking summer classes or working other jobs. Good summer projects are designed for you to get results quickly; you learn a lot in a short period of time. Application Deadlines for formal summer programs are generally February to March, and you should plan to  start searching for programs in JANUARY.  These may be available to UCSB and Non-UCSB students.

Research Internships

Many labs are always looking for undergraduate help. Research internships allow you to explore your interests and gain laboratory work experience. You assist a researcher with his or her own research, often with data collection and processing. Research internships require less of a time commitment and are more flexible than an independent research project, and they may even lead to an independent research project. Here is a list of  all research opportunities for UCSB Students

Undergraduate Research @UCSB

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• Using Light To Transform Cells October 3, 2019
• We’re Cuckoo for Copepods September 17, 2019
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• From an Innocent Girl, to Undergraduate Actuarial Researcher September 5, 2019
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From the Blog

Department Honors

Seminar track, individual track, distinction in the major, special distinctions for english majors.

The Honors Program in English provides the opportunity for qualified majors to undertake advanced literary research in the writing of a Senior Honors Thesis, a substantial, sustained piece of critical or creative writing of at least 35 pages in length. Successful completion of the Program leads to graduation with “Distinction in the Major.” This program is especially recommended for students who plan to pursue a graduate degree in literary studies.

There are two main tracks students may pursue to complete the English Department Honors Program: the Seminar Track, and the Individual Track. The primary differences between the tracks have to do with what part of the Junior/Senior year the student is able to spend working on the program. See below for the full description of each track.

Download PDF: Honors Program Flow Chart (51.45 KB)

Students should apply to the Honors Program Seminar Track in the Winter of their junior year. Majors who have completed the sophomore year with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (overall and in the major) may apply for admission to the Honors Program Seminar Track. The application includes:

• An application form available from the Department Office.
• A statement of purpose indicating why you are applying for the Honors Program and the kind of research topic you might want to pursue in the Honors Thesis (1-2 pages).
• A writing sample (no more than ten pages); it is recommended that you submit work originally written for an English course.

* If you cannot complete some component of the Honors Program Seminar Track according to the standard schedule (English 198H in Spring of junior year, English 196 in the Fall of the senior year), please also include a brief document that explains why you cannot follow the normal schedule and indicates the timeframe in which you propose to complete the Honors Program. (See the Individual Track details below for additional options for completing the program under an alternative schedule.)

Applications for the Program must be submitted in hard copy to 3432-B South Hall, the English Undergraduate Advisor’s office, with deadlines to be announced each Winter. The undergraduate staff advisor will notify applicants of their acceptance after the Undergraduate Committee has reviewed their applications.

The English Honors Program Seminar Track comprises two related courses (4 credits each), normally taken in two consecutive quarters from junior to senior year:

• Honors Seminar (English 198H). The Honors Seminar is a one-term course offered in the Spring that exposes students to the standards and best practices of research-level literary scholarship while also preparing the ground for the students’ intended research topics. The course offers theoretical discussions concerning the nature of our discipline and its methods, goals, and assumptions; it attends to some of the current trends in the discipline and our department through a focus on our centers and specializations; and it offers guidance and instruction with regard to research and research methods.
• Honors English / Senior Thesis (English 196). The Senior Thesis is a one-term course, which students will normally take in the Fall quarter of their senior year. Students taking this course will write a substantial, sustained piece of critical writing of at least 35 pages under the mentorship of a faculty member. The senior thesis are due no later than the last day of classes in the quarter in which English 196 is taken. The English Department encourages projects that are creatively envisioned or that incorporate creative elements. Even projects oriented toward creative writing, however, must include a research component. This project is to be typed in a form declared suitable by the department, and will be retained in the department archives. English 196 is worth four units.

Each of these courses may be used to satisfy an upper-division English elective, but they may not be used to satisfy the English 197 upper division seminar requirement.

Download PDF: Download the Seminar Track Honors Program Information & Application Form (2022-2023) (154.08 KB)

• Majors who have completed at least two quarters of the junior year with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (overall and in the major) may apply for admission to the Honors Program under the Individual Track. The application includes:
• An application form available from the Department office
• A prospectus (2-3 pages) with a proposed reading list for the thesis. (Please ask your English faculty member who will supervise for examples of the prospectus format and reading list. The prospectus should clearly indicate the area of your proposed study, the problems you wish to solve, and the methodology you will use to solve them.)
• A statement of sponsorship from the faculty member who will supervise and evaluate the project. (This can be submitted as part of the application form or separately.)

The English Honors Program Individual Track comprises two related courses (4 credits each) taken in two consecutive quarters during the senior year, preferably fall and winter. The first course is an independent study (English 199). In the independent study, with the guidance of your sponsor, you complete a substantial portion of the required research and submit for formal evaluation some part of the thesis or creative work. The second course is Honors English (English 196), during which you complete the honors project. Each of these courses may be used to satisfy an upper-division English elective, but they may not be used to satisfy the English 197 upper division seminar requirement.

Applications for the Program must be submitted before the quarter in which the honors project is to begin. For specific dates, contact the staff undergraduate advisor. The undergraduate staff advisor will notify you after the Undergraduate Committee has reviewed the application.

If your project requires financial support, you may wish to contact the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) office for information on undergraduate fellowships and scholarships. Website: https://urca.ucsb.edu/urca-grant

Download PDF: Download the Individual Track Honors Program Information & Application Form. (96.46 KB)

Students complete the English Honors Program and earn Distinction in the Major by submitting to the faculty mentor a substantial, sustained piece of critical or creative writing of at least 35 pages in length. This project is to be typed in a form declared suitable by the department, and will be retained in the department archives. Honors projects are due no later than the last day of classes in the quarter you enroll in English 196.

Successful completion of the 8.0 units of coursework and Honors Thesis project via either track carries the designation of “Distinction in the Major” if a student: 1) attains a GPA of 3.5 overall in the English Honors Program and 2) maintains a GPA of 3.5 in English (in the overall major and the upper division). For exceptional work the Undergraduate Committee may recommend additional department recognition of “Special Distinction.”

The English Department offers a small number of honorary awards to deserving graduating seniors. Specific requirements may apply; see the Undergraduate Staff Advisor for further details on each award. Certificates for these awards are presented at the English Department commencement reception event, customarily held the morning of the main humanities commencement ceremony each year.

• Outstanding Achievement as an English Major . A small number of graduating seniors are selected each year for excellence in scholarship and service to the Department. The award for Outstanding Achievement as an English Major is given based on faculty nomination. Nominations typically take place during the spring for graduating students.
• Distinction in the Major. Given only to students who have successfully completed the English Department Honors Program.
• Completion of a Specialization. Students who graduate completing an English Major Specialization receive a certificate from the Department recognizing this achievement.
• Susan Gosling Community Service Award. The Susan Gosling Community Service Award is for a graduating senior with exemplary service to the discipline/ department. The student is nominated by English Faculty members for this and is announced during the end of the year English celebration.

Students should also be aware that there are a variety of general honors offered to UCSB graduating seniors based on GPA, completion of college honors programs, and other factors. See the Registrar’s Honors at Graduation website for more details.

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Senior Honors Thesis Applications 2021-22

The History Department is now accepting applications for the 2021-22 Senior Honors Thesis Program (HIST 194AH/BH). If you will be a senior next year, have at least a 3.5 GPA in the upper division major, and have completed or are currently enrolled in at least 4 upper division history courses, you may be eligible to apply! Please read the Invitation to Apply for more information. 

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Comparative Literature Program - UC Santa Barbara

Senior honors program.

Senior Honors Program in Comparative Literature

REQUIREMENTS

The Honors Program in Comparative Literature provides academically talented and highly motivated undergraduates the opportunity to engage in advanced scholarly research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. To qualify for the program, students must maintain a grade-point average of 3.5 (overall and in the major) and have completed at least two quarters of junior credits at UCSB. Honors students receive extended library privileges, increased priority for class registration, and opportunities to enroll in graduate seminars.

DESCRIPTION

To earn departmental senior honors, the student will work with a professor of their choice for two quarters to complete a senior honors thesis (an extended research project of between 25 to 35 pages), while enrolled in Comparative Literature 199 ( Independent Studies ) or Comparative Literature 196H ( Senior Honors Independent Research) . Please note that students may count a maximum of 4 of these units towards the unit requirement for the major. The other four units must be taken in addition to the major requirements.

Students interested in earning departmental honors should consult with the Faculty and Staff Undergraduate Advisors in Comparative Literature as early as possible in their academic career. They should plan to establish contact with a faculty member who will serve as their research advisor no later than fall quarter of their senior year. To officially enter the program they must fill out the Honors proposal form (see link to form below).

Students who complete departmental honors before the end of their senior year, earn at least a grade of A- on their senior honors thesis, and maintain a GPA of 3.5 (overall and in the major) until graduation will receive the notation of “Distinction in the Major” on their official transcript and diploma.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact our Undergraduate Advisor or visit Phelps 4206C.

Please note that you do not need to be enrolled in the College of Letters and Sciences Honors Program in order to complete a senior Honors Thesis in Comparative Literature.

College of Letters and Science Honors Program

For information about the College of Letters and Science Honors Program , please go to their website. Students are encouraged to apply to this program as early as possible in their college careers. If you have questions about the College's Honors Program, please contact [email protected] .

Comparative Literature Honors Proposal Form (C LIT 196H)

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UC Policy on Open Access for Theses and Dissertations

On March 25, 2020, the University of California issued a Policy on Open Access for Theses and Dissertations. The systemwide policy, which aligns with those already in place at individual UC campuses, “requires theses or dissertations prepared at the University to be (1) deposited into an open access repository, and (2) freely and openly available to the public, subject to a requested delay of access (“embargo”) obtained by the student.” Theses and dissertations already made open access can be read in eScholarship, UC’s open access repository and scholarly publishing platform.

Alexandria Digital Research Library (ADRL) 

Some UCSB open access theses and disserations are in ADRL. Due to copyright restrictions and a need to obtain permission from the authors, not all years are available.

eScholarship   

UC's institutional repository and journal publishing platform. Not all campuses have electronic theses and disseartations in eScholarship. Due to copyright restrictions and the need to obtain permissions from authors, not all years are available online. UC campuses began accepting electronic theses and disserations (ETDs) submissions different years. For details see  ETD Preservation and Access Sevice: California Digital Library . UCSB's open access ETDS are in  ADRL . 

Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations

An international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). The website includes resources on how to find, create, and preserve ETDs; how to set up an ETD program; legal and technical questions; and the latest news and research in the ETD community.

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions. OATD currently indexes 5,031,307 theses and dissertations.

PQDT Open (Proquest):

Provides the full text of open access dissertations and theses free of charge. The authors of these dissertations and theses have opted to publish as open access. 

Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010

UCSB Library - (805) 893-2478

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Earth Science - UC Santa Barbara

Undergraduate, the undergraduate earth science program, earth science degrees, pre-earth science major, b.s. in earth science emphases, geology emphasis, climate and environment emphasis, geophysics emphasis, geohydrology emphasis, paleobiology emphasis, b.a. in earth science , minor in earth science, faqs about the major, senior thesis handbook.

Our department has a formal senior thesis program. This year-long endeavor (normally spanning the three academic quarters of your Senior year) involves conducting research under the mentorship of a faculty member. Senior thesis students generate hypotheses, collect new data, perform analyses, interpret their findings, and write a senior thesis manuscript which they submit to the department. They meet regularly as a cohort of distinguished scholars to hone research and science communication skills. At the end of the year, the scholars present their findings to the entire department in a celebratory poster session. Finally, these students graduate with “Distinction in the Major” from our program.

Department of Mathematics - UC Santa Barbara

Undergraduate.

Welcome! This collection of documents is designed to help prospective Undergraduate students learn about the programs in our Department. These documents include general information, suggested preparation, an outline of each program offered, and lists of course offerings.

Guide to Our Majors

What Type of Advising Do You Need?

• General Major Advising
• Change of Major Petitions
• Suggested Plans of Study
• Waitlist Information
• Major Progress Checks
• Class Registration
• Advice from Peers in Math Majors
• Taking Graduate Level Courses
• EAP Academic Planning Forms

  Math Advising

Email your questions to [email protected] or in-person advising in South Hall 6607 Monday-Friday 9am-12pm & 1-4pm (Wednesdays start at 10:30am)

FMS Peer Advising: Monday - Friday 9-12pm and 1-4pm

AMATH/MATH Peer Advising: Friday 9-12pm and 1-4pm

• Advice on Complex Academic Issues 
• Petitions other than Change of Major
• Graduation Checks 
• Questions about Campus Resources 

  Letters and Science Advising

Use QLESS to secure a spot in line to meet with an L&S Advisor

• Choosing Major Electives
• Graduate School Information
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities
• Careers in the Mathematics Field

  Faculty Advising

No faculty advising in the Summer.

Undergraduate Resources

• Undergraduate Overview
• Change of Major
• Proposed Courses & Study Plans
• Course Descriptions
• Registration & Waitlist Policies
• Course Placement Information
• Transfer Student Information
• The Math Lab
• Education Abroad Program (EAP)
• High School and Junior High Math Teaching
• College Of Creative Studies Program
• Summer Undergraduate Research Program
• Directed Reading Program
• Association for Women in Mathematics
• Distinction in the Major

Contact Information

Send General Questions To: 

[email protected]

Undergraduate Student Advisor Chrissie Orzechowski Voice: (805) 893-4079

Undergraduate Program Assistant Rachel Zaragoza Voice: (805) 893-5306

Undergraduate Peer Advisors Email: [email protected]

University of California, Santa Barbara

Fiona Jeweler

Bren-Environmental Studies Fellow 2024 - 2025

Something About Me

Originally from Alexandria, Virginia, I decided to attend UC Santa Barbara to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with a minor in Spatial Analysis. I was fortunate to study abroad twice: in 2023, I traveled to southern Chile to examine the complex interface of human-wildlife conflict, and in 2024, I researched the interactions between invertebrates and microplastics in Brisbane, Australia, focusing on their implications for human health. During the 2022-23 school year, I participated in the year-long ELI course, which helps students complete projects that promote positive environmental change. For my project, I planted a native garden to support the declining populations of native bat species. More recently, I began working as a worm wrangler for the Associated Students Department at UCSB, where I work to promote a closed food loop system on campus. For the upcoming 2024-25 school year, I’ve decided to complete a senior thesis. I hope that developing my thesis on human-wildlife coexistence will help me narrow down my post-graduation plans, including the possibility of graduate school. Currently, I am interested in pursuing a career in conservation that integrates my knowledge of GIS, statistical analysis, and research skills. As long as I get to be outside, I’m happy, which explains why in my downtime I really enjoy traveling, camping, hiking, and spending time with dogs. You can often find me with the shelter dogs at the Santa Barbara Humane Society.

• School of Arts & Sciences
• College of Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Division

• Senior Honors Thesis
• Undergraduate Programs
• Research & Study Abroad

The information on this page applies to all HSOC majors in the class of 2025 and beyond.

A senior honors thesis in the Health & Societies major is a substantial independent research project completed over the course of a year (or two consecutive semesters).  The honors thesis is an analytical research essay of 12,500-20,000 words, plus bibliography, that is researched and written under supervision of an advisor, during the fall or spring of the senior year after completion of an HSOC capstone course. Students who successfully complete all the requirements will earn the distinction of “honors” upon graduating from Penn.

For information on eligibility, application requirements, and the honors thesis process, please read the information on this page in full.

Health & Societies (HSOC) Senior Honors Thesis

A senior honors thesis in the Health and Societies (HSOC) major is a substantial independent research project completed over the course of a year (or two consecutive semesters) – during the fall or spring of the senior year, after completion of an HSOC capstone course. This thesis, or analytical research essay, must be researched and written under supervision of an advisor and should be 12,500 to 20,000 words, plus bibliography. An appropriate thesis will be historically grounded and may use historical, anthropological, and/or sociological methods and approaches. For this reason, students must have an advisor in the HSSC department but may also have a co-advisor in another department*. Students who successfully complete all the requirements will earn the distinction of “honors” upon graduating from Penn.

All students who wish to write an honors thesis must first complete a capstone research paper. This introduction to a research project helps students figure out if they like doing this kind of work. It also helps students learn their strengths, weaknesses, and interests as researchers. Students accepted into the honors program enroll in an independent study with an HSOC faculty advisor that need not have been the capstone instructor.* During the independent study, students are required to meet with their faculty advisor, to submit assignments and drafts, and to meet regularly (once or twice per month) with peers in the HSOC honors program. The exact final form that the honors thesis takes is ultimately up to students to work out with their advisors, but the norm in HSOC has been for students to write a thesis in the form of three substantive chapters that total ~80 pages (or approximately 20,000 words). This style of thesis has been successful for our program, with many of our students going on to win prestigious awards for their thesis work and getting pieces of their research published in both popular and scholarly outlets. 

* If no one on the HSOC faculty has the expertise you need to help you with your project, you may request a co-advisor. Please reach out to the Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies for more information on how co-advising can work.  

Application Information 

Fall completion . Applications from students in the spring of their junior year are due by no later than 11:59 p.m. on the date of Penn’s Commencement ( May 20, 2024 ). Students will be notified by early June about their status.

Spring completion . Applications from students in the fall of their senior year are due by no later than 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the fall semester ( Dec. 19, 2024 ). Students will be notified about their status in early January, after the capstone final grade has been submitted.  

Eligibility and Application Requirements

•  Students must have at least a 3.6 GPA in the HSOC major and a 3.3 GPA overall.
•  Students are eligible to apply only in the spring of their junior year or the fall of their senior year.
• Students must earn an “A” or higher in their HSOC capstone course completed during the spring of their junior year or the fall of their senior year.
• Students must obtain written letters of support from their capstone instructor AND an approved HSOC faculty advisor (they do not need to be the same person, but they can be). If a student plans to have a co-advisor outside of the History and Sociology of Science department, then they will also need them to submit a letter of support.
• Students must submit a five-page thesis proposal along with a completed capstone paper. The proposal should include: (1) the project title (2) project description (3) a discussion of how the work relates to the capstone paper (i.e. Will it expand on the capstone? Head in a different direction? Etc.) (4) a timeline and plan for completing the research and writing of the thesis and (5) a two- to three-page bibliography that includes the key primary and secondary sources.  

Application materials

• A one-page letter of interest that explains why you want to do an honors project. Please include your GPA and grade requirements in this letter.
• Your thesis proposal.
• Your capstone paper.
• Your letters of support from your capstone instructor and your advisor(s) (if this is the same person, you will only need one letter). Recommenders email these letters directly to the Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies.  

Selection process

All applications will be reviewed by a departmental committee. Acceptance into the honors program will be based on the following criteria:

• Applicants meet all eligibility requirements.
• Applications are completed as per the instructions outlined here and submitted by the deadline. (No late applications will be considered)
• The project described is carefully planned and fits within the goals and parameters of the HSOC major, and the applicant demonstrates a convincing ability to complete it successfully in the time available.
• The applicant has the enthusiastic support of their capstone instructor and advisor.
• If funding or other outside research support is required (i.e. the project requires travel, IRB approval, or participant enrollment), the applicant can provide evidence that this support has been—or will most likely be—secured.  

Additional considerations

Please note that, while it is possible to complete an honors project during the fall and spring of your senior year, it may be more challenging because you will not have the summer months to work on it. There are only a few short weeks between the end of the fall semester and the beginning of the spring semester. For this reason, the selection committee will need to be convinced beyond all doubt that fall applicants are well-positioned to complete their project in the time available.

We advise students to take no more than three courses in addition to the thesis independent study. Previous HSOC thesis writers have also advised against courses that require substantial in-class time each week and classes in which there is a heavy research/writing commitment at the end of the semester. 

Completing an honors thesis can be a wonderful experience. However, please note that in addition to our eligibility and application review guidelines outlined above, acceptance into the honors program will necessarily be limited by the resources of our small department. Although HSOC is one of the largest undergraduate majors in the College of Arts and Sciences, we have a relatively small faculty and program staff. Please keep this in mind as you begin your application process.  

Senior Thesis Writing Project

A student will receive honors after completion of a successful and high-quality written thesis and participation in Senior Research Symposium (typically scheduled in late April or early May, during or near the spring term Reading Days).  Your thesis can build on material from your capstone, but you cannot simply submit a revised draft of your capstone paper. Your capstone might turn into a chapter of your thesis, for example, or you might decide to break your capstone paper into smaller topics which you then research and delve into more thoroughly, turning one paper into a more extensive and fully developed, three-chapter thesis. Alternatively, you may decide that your honors thesis takes you in a new direction altogether and has relatively little overlap with your capstone. Any of these options are fine, as long as you are able to complete the thesis in the time that is available to you, it is original, and it shows substantial and significant work that distinguishes it from your capstone paper.

It takes two consecutive semesters to complete an honors thesis in HSOC. In your first semester, you enroll in and complete a capstone seminar. Towards the end of your capstone course, you will decide if you want to expand or build upon what you learned through your capstone research and write an honors thesis. If you are accepted into the honors program, then the following semester you will enroll in an independent study directed by your thesis supervisor. During your independent study semester, you will be expected to meet at least once/month with your thesis advisor for regular check-ins. You will also be expected to meet once/month with your cohort to discuss your progress, trouble-shoot, and provide feedback on drafts. Along the way, there are deadlines for specific deliverables that MUST be adhered to. Failure to meet deadlines during your independent study semester will negatively affect your ability to successfully complete the honors program.

Students who apply to the program in the spring of their junior year are also expected to utilize the summer for research, idea development, and planning. Students who apply to the program in the fall of their senior year must begin research over the comparatively shorter winter break and do not have the benefit of these additional summer months.  

Honors Determination

Honors will be determined both by the grade given by your advisor and through a review by the senior thesis committee. Generally, a thesis needs to earn a grade of A- or above to be considered for honors.  

Timeline and deliverables

You must meet at least three times with your advisor and at least three times with your cohort during the semester of your independent study.  

September (after Labor Day) / January (within the first 10 days of the semester).

(by no later than Sept. 10, 2024 or Jan. 29, 2025)

(1)  first advisor meeting

(2)  first cohort meeting

Make sure you meet with your advisor first, prior to your cohort meeting, so you can discuss these questions with them and obtain their signature.

(1)  A one- to two-page write-up that answers the following questions:

• What research have you completed?
• Is there any research you still need to complete?
• What writing have you completed?
• What is your timeline for completion?

(2)  During your first meeting with your advisor, develop a list of appointment times for the semester and a calendar for completion as a contract signed by your advisor. Bring this to the cohort meeting.  

October (after Fall break) / February (last week of the month)

(by no later than Oct. 11, 2024 or Feb. 28, 2025)

(1)  advisor meeting

(2)  cohort meeting

Make sure you meet with your advisor before your cohort meeting to discuss the following materials and obtain your advisor’s approval:

(1)  A one- to two-page document that includes

• A thesis statement
• A brief outline of thesis chapters
• One paragraph stating what has been completed, what remains to be done, and dates for completing those chapters, signed by your advisor.

November (before Thanksgiving) / April (first full week)

(by no later than Nov. 22, 2024 or April 11, 2025)

(2)  cohort meeting  

Please make sure you have done the following at least one full week before your meetings:

(by no later than Nov. 15, 2024 or April 4, 2025)

• Submit a full draft (introduction, all chapters, conclusion) of your thesis to your advisor

December / May

A copy of the final draft of the thesis and of your original capstone paper are due by email to your advisor and to the Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies by 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the semester (Dec. 19, 2024 or May 13, 2025). There are NO extensions and NO incompletes. Failure to turn in these materials by this deadline means you will not be eligible to receive honors.

The final, polished, formatted, printed version (one bound copy each for you, for your advisor, and for the HSSC department) is due to your advisor and to the Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies by 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 1 or June 1.

Michele Anzabi,  The Revitalization of the U.S. Menstrual Movement 

Natalie Doppelt ,  The Unsustainability of Hospital Waste: How Disposable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has Become Normalized Despite its Environmental Impact 

Sarah Finkelstein,   Reframing Caregiving and Medical Professionalization: Using the History of Modern Doula Care to Recognize the Value in Viewing Care Work and Professionalized Technomedicine along a Continuum 

Mae Mouritsen,   #Invisible: Identity and Community Construction Among Women with Invisible Illnesses and Disabilities on Visual Social Media Platforms 

Daryn Smith,   The Intersection of Mental Health and Gun Violence: How Discourse Surrounding it Perpetuates and Reinforces Racial Hierarchies 

Noelle Kristen Smith,   Unpacking “the American:” Opposing Neoliberal and Consumerist Ideologies in Characterizations of the Clinton Administration’s Health Security Act (1993-1994)

Nicholas Thomas-Lewis,   Recovery of the Self…from Addiction, Adolescence, and Neuromedicalization 

Nikita Zinzuwadia,   Criminal Justice, Mass Incarceration, and COVID-19: Understanding Prison Health and Prison Health Activism in the United States

Catherine Campbell,  “But if you could see the difference the library and a woman has made in that place!”: Taking Care of Men and Books in World War I" (Adviser: Dr. Meghan Crnic)

Merobi Degefa, "Redefining Dignified Maternity Care in Ethiopia" (Adviser: Dr. Adam Mohr)

John Ortega, " Nun Left: The Changing Identity of Catholic Sisters and Catholic Hospitals" (Advisers: Dr. Meghan Crnic, Dr. David Grossman, Dr. Walter Licht)

Samantha Stein, " When All Is Experimental: Marshalling Ethics Aesthetics Through Autonomy Formulations In Urban U.S. Emergency Medicine Research" (Adviser: Dr. Justin Clapp)  

Lea Eisenstein, " From Icon to Bygone: The Rise and Fall of the Diaphragm in Twentieth-Century America"  (Advisers: Dr. Beth Linker and Dr. Meghan Crnic)

Lara Jung , "Reimagining the Country: A Landscape of Children's Health and Well-being, 1875-1975"  (Adviser: Dr. Meghan Crnic)

Folasade Lapite , "TSS (Tampax's Side Story): The Influence of Menstrual Product Manufacturers on Menstrual Education and Its Perception" (Adviser: Dr. Stephanie Dick)

Phoebe Ruggles , "Livestock Over Labor: The Prioritization of Non-Human Animals in the National Organic Program"  (Adviser: Dr. Ann Greene)

Leah Sprague , "The Government's Role as a Nutrition Expert in the United States, 1945-1980"  (Adviser: Dr. Kathy Peiss)  

Rive Cadwallader , 'Medicine in the "Athens of America": Physicians and the Neoclassical Movement in late eighteenth century Philadelphia' (Adviser: Dr. David Barnes)

Alisa Feldman , "Be Fruitful and Medicalize: IVF Risk Communication and the Politics of Assisted Reproduction in Israel". (Advisers: Dr. Adam Mohr and Dr. Frances Barg)

Isabel Griffith , "Obstetric Violence: A Subtext of Voiced Experiences of Childbirth and Maternity Care in Costa Rica's Public Healthcare System" (Adviser: Dr. Ramah McKay)

Joshua A. Jordan , "A War on Two Fronts: Race, Citizenship and the Segregation of the Blood Supply during World War II" (Adviser: Dr. David Barnes)

Madeline Leonard , 'Securing "Infectious Poverty": Analyzing the 2016 Olympics-Based Zika Response in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil' (Adviser: Dr. Andria Johnson)

Lauren Murski , "The System Will See You Now: Redefining Quality Care in the Era of the Electronic Health Record" (Adviser: Dr. Stephanie A. Dick)  

Mary Cerulli
 , “Go Ask the Midwife: Professional Identity in Cape Town, South Africa”
(Adviser: Dr. Kimberly Trout)

Hannah Fagen , 
“The Happiest Place in the Hospital: Newborn Nurseries in American Hospitals, A History”  (Adviser: Dr. Meghan Crnic)


Cassidy Golden,  
“The Mother in the NICU” 
(Adviser: Dr. Renee Fox)

Alexandra Kimmel ,  
“Medicalizing Meditation: The Incorporation of Buddhist Practice into the American Clinic, 1960-2000” 
(Adviser: Dr. Beth Linker)

Will Schupmann , 
“Public Schools as a Loci for Human Experimentation” 
(Adviser: Dr. Jonathan Moreno)

Katherine Senter, 
“The Life Cycles of Health Ministries” 
(Adviser: Dr. Rosemary Frasso)

Randa Som 
, "Re-Imaging Transgender Health Care: Affirming and Promoting Optimal Evidence-Based Transgender Health Care" 
(Adviser: Dr. Lance Wahlert)

Andrea Maria Vargas Guerra , 
‘“Latinos Don’t Look After Each Other”: The Social Cohesion of Latin American Immigrants in North Carolina’ 
(Adviser: Dr. David Barnes)

Olivia Webb , “Voiceless: The Construction of Homelessness Policies, 1980-2016” (Adviser: Dr. Andria Johnson)  

Joia Brosco , “A Tale Of Two Theories: How The Methods Of Scientific Evaluation Are Still Not Helping Our Children, As We Turn Theories Of Child Uplift Into Practice” (Adviser: Chris Feudtner)

Lucia Calthorpe , “Implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010: A Case Study of Philadelphia and Two Neighboring Suburban Districts” (Adviser: Mary Summers)

Emma Chessen ,“Following Doctors’ Orders: The Medical Community’s Shift and Influence on U.S. Abortion Policy, 1955-1973” (Adviser: Beth Linker)

Imran Cronk , “From a Land Down Under: Improving U.S. Diabetes Care Through Cross-National Learning” (Adviser: Patricia Danzon)

Chloe Getrajdman ,“Triage: Historical Legacies and Contemporary Perspectives in Global Health” (Adviser: Adam Mohr)

Perry Goffner , “Medical Power: W.W. Keen (1837-1932) and the Defense of Vivisection” (Adviser: Beth Linker)

Kurt Koehler ,“Stress, Agency and Hypertension: Perspective Among Hypertensive African Americans in Philadelphia” (Adviser: Lisa Lewis)

Jenny Markell , “The Long Road to the Establishment of the Maternal and Child Health and Mental Retardation Planning Amendments of 1963” (Adviser: Cynthia Connolly)

Ruchita Pendse , “The Experience of Medical Debt Among the Under-Insured” (Adviser: Peter Reese)

Eileen Wang , “Choice, Control and Childbirth: Cesarean Deliveries on Maternal Request in Shanghai, China” (Adviser: Adriana Petryna)  

Jacquelyn Andrews , “Exploring Potential Health Disparities in Urban Low-Income School Food Environments” (Adviser: Mary Summers)

Bakizada, Zayna , “Getting a Word in Edgewise: The Role of Medical Journals in the Malpractice Discussion”  (Adviser: Robert Aronowitz)

Biegacki, Emma , “Creating the Disaster Space: Social Mapping as a Novel Tool for Aid Delivery” (Advisor: Alison Buttenheim)

Emmanuel Cordova , “Interfacing Immigration and Health: Undocumented Latino Males, Health Status, and Perceptions of Health Care”  (Adviser: Emilio Parrado)

Caroline Kee , “Borrowing from Biomedicine, Trading with Traditional: How Medical Providers in the Kumaon region of the Indian Himalayas Defy Medical Pluralism Paradigms with a System of Specialized Care” (Adviser: Projit Mukharji)

Kim, Eun Kyung Ellen , “Exercising Towards A Cure: The Gymnasium of the Friends Asylum, 1889-1893”  (Adviser: Aaron Wunsch)

Gabriella Meltzer , “A Manufactured Global Health Crisis: Electronic Waste in Accra, Ghana”  (Adviser: Adam Mohr)

Danielle Mohabir , "Provider Perspectives on College Mental Health: Evaluating Structural Barriers to Care from the Inside" (Adviser: Jason Schnittker)

Katherine Sgarro , ‘The Social Construction Of Celiac Disease: How Biomedical Definitions Of “Diagnosis” And “Treatment” Affect Low-Income Americans With Celiac Disease’ (Adviser: Herbert Smith)  

Kathryn Barth , “Weighing On Energy-Dense Food Taxes: How Food Preferences Relate To Obesity” (Advisor: Catherine Maclean)

Janan Dave , “Having A Daughter Is Like Watering Your Neighbor's Garden": Migration's Effect On Gender Ideologies Of South Asian Americans In Philadelphia” (Advisor: Deborah Thomas)

Mia Garuccio , “Organ Transplants And HIV: A Historical Comparison And Policy Review”  (Advisor: Andria Johnson)

Victoria Goldman , “Intersexuality: How Cultural Expectations, Medical Innovations And Language Created The Perception Of Variant Genitalia As A Disorder” (Advisor: Ann Greene)

Monica Kang , “Inappropriate Consumers: The Construction Of Gender Through Eating Behavior In Children's Literature”  (Advisor: Jason Schnittker)

Megan McCarthy-Alfano , “Driving Without A Roadmap: Parents' Treatment Decisions In Autism Care”  (Advisor: Fran Barg)

Gina Orlando , “The Road To Water Filtration In Philadelphia” (Advisor: David Barnes)

Katherine Peck , “The Social Life Of Millennium Development Goal 5: Local Interpretations Of A Global Paradigm”  (Advisor: Fran Barg and Andria Johnson)

Maxwell Presser , “A Matter Of Lives And Deaths: The Transition Of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation From Physician To The Public” (Advisor: Benjamin Abella)

Sarah Schulte , “Why Are Hispanic Americans Getting Bigger? Understanding The Link Between Greater Acculturation And Higher BMI” (Advisor: Jason Schnittker)

Stephen Smilowitz , “Safe Spaces And Perilous Places: The Environmental Origins Of Fear Of Crime In Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala”  (Advisor: David Barnes)

Gabrielle Stoller , “Evolving Access To HIV Medications Under Medicare And Medicaid”(Advisor: Jalpa Doshi)

Abigail Worthen , “'Trust In God, But Tie Up Your Camel': Perceptions Of Cervical Cancer Screening Among African American Muslim Women In Philadelphia"  (Advisor: Jonathan Moreno)

Christina Wu , “Comparing “Culturally Specific” Conceptions Of Barriers-To-Care: Eye Care Among Chinese Immigrant And African American Elderly Populations In Philadelphia” (Advisor: Giang Nguyen)  

Charlotte Ezratty, “Bulimia: Multi-Causal Perspectives and a Look to the Future”

Courtney Ng, “Womanhood and Maternal Health-Seeking Behaviors in Periphery China: A Hani Perspective”

Pallavi Podapati,  “Invisible Coalfields and the Politics of Knowledge: The Struggle to Ensure the Health and Safety of Coal Miners”

Line Stenland, “Feast on Fat to Look Fab: The Scandinavian LCHF Diet Phenomenon and Its Implications for Food Beliefs and Health in Norway”  

Maria Bellantoni , “Factors Affecting Age-of-Entry into Long-Term Care” (Adviser: Jason Schnittker)

Erica Catalano , “The Social Perceptions of Infant Feeding Practices: A Study of Penn Undergraduates" (Adviser: Claudia Valeggia)

Andrea Cheung , “Accounting for the Low Usage of Drug Addiction Treatment Services by Aboriginals Living in British Columbia, Canada” (Adviser: James McKay)

Reni Ellis , “Comfortable, Safe, Supported and Cared For: Exploring Conceptual Definitions of Child-Friendliness in Children’s Advocacy Centers” (Adviser: Carolyn Cannuscio) Alina Kim , “South Korean and U.S. American International Health Volunteers: The Nature of the Relationship between Country of Origin and Volunteer Variables” (Adviser: Kent Bream)

Regina Lam , “Dissecting the Trust in Acupuncturist-Patient Relationships: Experiences of  Breast Cancer Survivors”  (Adviser: Jun Mao)

Aileen Palmer , “Possible Effects of Observing Kashrut on the Conceptualization of Food, Dieting and Body Image in Jewish American Women” (Adviser: Jane Kauer)

Lora Rosenblum , “Obesity, Public Health Legislation and the Role of Industry: A Closer Look at the Calorie Labeling Mandate and the Soda Tax” (Adviser: Mary Summers)  

Matt Amalfitano , “For Better or For Worse: Coverage of Sexual Assault on a college campus and reporting of sexual assault” (Advisor, Susan Sorenson)

Andrea Frantz , “Understanding Oral Health from A Caregiver's Perspective” (Adviser, Fran Barg)

Melissa Gradilla , “Comparing Childbirth Practices: Connections, variations, and conflicts in traditional and biomedical obstetric care in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala" (Adviser, Claudia Valeggia)

Pavithra Jaisankar ,  “Anandibai Joshee at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania: Negotiating Representations of Birth” (Adviser, David Barnes)

Masha Jones , “The Community Navigator Experience: A Case Study of the Community-Based Navigator Program for Cancer Control” (Adviser, Fran Barg)

Alexandra Lipschultz , “Euthanasia in Disguise?: An Interview Study of Hospice Families’ Experiences with Pallative Sedation” (Adviser, Autumn Fiester)

Emer Lucey , “Autism in the News, 1943-1983”  (Adviser, Michael Yudell)

Brian Mertens , “The Crusade for Pure Milk Has Begun: Science, Politics, and Municipal Milk,Regulation in Philadelphia, 1889-1914”  (Adviser, David Barnes)  

Elena Blebea , “The Latin American Diet Pyramid: Serving the Latino Population?” (Advisor, Fran Barg)

Anup Das , “Obesity: Attitudes and Beliefs of Indian Physicians”  (Advisor, Robert Aronowitz)

Shayleigh Dickson , “”The Experience of Latina Mothers of Children Diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder” (Advisor, Ellen Giarelli)

Andrew Gaffney , “ Abortion in the Case of Anencephaly: How Brazilian Bioethics is Affecting the Debate   “ (Advisor, Jonathan Moreno)

George Karandinos , ‘”You Ridin’?”: The Moral Economy of Violence in North Philadelphia’ (Advisor, Philippe Bourgeois)

Sheyla Medina , “The Relationship between Parental Educational Attainment and Perceived Racial Discrimination among African-American Female Adolescents.” (Advisor, Susmita Pati)

Clara Ng , “Opportunity Amid Crisis: Development of Social Enterprise as a Response to Diabetes in Mali” (Advisor, Adriana Petryna)

Alix Pruzansky , “How Pre-operative Depressive Symptoms and Aberrant Eating in Adolescents Affect Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery”  (Advisor, David Sarwer)

Alix Winter , “Adolescents’ Perceptions of Their Futures and Cigarette Smoking” (Advisor, Jason Schnittker)

Fan Zhou , “The Effect of the 2007 Recession on Health Behaviors” ( Advisor, Arnold Rosoff)  

Janene Brown , “Human Interaction in the Asthma Clinic of the Children's Hospital of      Philadelphia."                        Rachel Crystal , “Food-Insecurity, Coping Strategies, and Health in Las Vegas      Consumers During the Current Economic Crisis.”             Daniel Eisenberg , "The Impact of Select Characteristics of Government on Life      Expectancy at Different Levels of Economic Development."            Christina Eklund , “HIV Testing: A Qualitative Study on the Perspectives of Philadelphia      Health Care Providers.”            Sara Flanagan, "Examining Funding and Need in Humanitarian Action: The 2004        South-Asian Tsunami Response."            Markley Foreman , "The TRIPS Agreement and Developing Countries: India's       Experience With Patent Law and Public Health." Lena Gottesman , “Transplant Access and Success in a Pediatric Renal Unit: An Ethical       Perspective on Social Support.”            Jessica Ho , "The Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on Population Health: An       Aggregate Analysis."            Ashley LeMaire , “Student Motivations for Binge-Drinking at the University of       Pennsylvania.”            Lavanya Madhusudan, “A Mixed-Methods Study of Child Nutritional Status in the Urban       Slums of Bangalore, India.”          

• Environmental Studies Program
• Undergraduate Education

Awards and Honors

Awards and honors exist to recognize exceptional academic performance and extracurricular activity. They are conferred at all levels of the university system. Each year, at its commencement celebration, the Environmental Studies Program, confers the following student awards and honors in recognition of their achievements. Each year, recipients are listed on the Environmental Studies Commencement Program .  

Environmental Studies Student Awards

Outstanding Senior

The Outstanding Senior Award is given to one or more graduating seniors in recognition of extraordinary academic excellence and demonstration of high level extracurricular service.

Outstanding Service

The  Outstanding Service Award is given to graduating seniors who have demonstrated exemplary environmental service within Environmental Studies and/or the UCSB campus and local community.

Outstanding Academic Achievement

The Outstanding Academic Achievement   Award is given to graduating seniors have demonstrated exemplary scholastic performance and have received an overall minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75.

Distinction in the Major

The  Distinction in the Major Award is given to graduating seniors have completed a senior thesis of exemplary quality and have received an overall minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5.

Distinguished Senior Thesis Award

The  Distinguished Senior Thesis Award  is presented to a graduating senior in recognition of exceptional undergraduate senior thesis research.  The award is accompanied by a $500 cash prize.

Environmental Studies Student Honors 

Qualified majors are eligible to participate in the Environmental Studies Senior Honors Program. The major component of this program is the completion of the Senior Thesis course (ENV S 197). Students who successfully complete the program and obtain a minimum overall grade-point average set each spring, are eligible to graduate with “Distinction in the Major.”

It is recommended that lower-division students interested in participating in the senior honors program should enroll in the honors discussion sections offered with ENV S 1, 2, and 3. Interested students may obtain additional information regarding the senior honors program from the Environmental Studies Academic Coordinator or Academic Advisor. 

Other Campus Honors

College of Letters and Science Honors Program

Dean's Honors

Honors at Graduation

Phi Beta Kappa

• Tourist Attractions
• Tourist Attractions in Russia
• Novgorod Oblast Tourist Attractions

Veliky Novgorod

The whole city of Veliky Novgorod is a big museum; there are many well-preserved monuments dating back to the 11th century and later centuries.

Veliky Novgorod attractions

Novgorod kremlin, trade side and yaroslav’s courtyard, st. george's monastery, vitoslavlitsy museum of wooden architecture.

Request a private tour, tailor-made for individuals and small groups to meet your needs and preferences.

Discover historical attractions of Veliky Novgorod

• Private trip from St. Petersburg
• Visit Novgorod Kremlin and the Cathedral of St. Sophia
• Explore Yaroslav’s Court with its medieval churches
• Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel

Group of 2: 16000 Rubles/person

• Ask a question