Hello! My name is Daniella Baltazar, I’m a member of the sophomore honors class, and I’m the current Honors Program commissioner on SGA. If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding the honors program, please feel free to reach out to me at daniella_baltazar@emerson.edu or via Facebook. I’m here to represent you and your concerns! Below is a list of commonly asked questions that I have answered, and I hope you find this useful!
Who is my academic advisor?
Wendy Walters, the head of the Honors Program, is your advisor until the second semester of your Sophomore year. She can be reached by email at wendy_walters@emerson.edu. As you enter the second semester of your sophomore year, you will be a signed a major specific advisor.
Am I able to go to the Los Angeles Program my senior year?
Yes! But you must complete your thesis in the first semester of senior year at the Boston Campus.
Are Honors students able to study abroad?
Yes! Honors students are encouraged to go to Kasteel Well in the fall of their sophomore year, since there is a dedicated Honors seminar there. But if you are not able to go in the fall, you can also satisfy your HS202 requirement in the spring semester at Kasteel Well. Honors students can also study abroad at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, and many other Global Pathways Emerson offers. Just see Wendy Walters if you want to discuss your options.
Are we going to have more events?
Yes! We’re in the process of planning events that are open to the entire program. If you have ideas of events, please contact me at daniella_baltazar@emerson.edu, or message me on Facebook! I will also be sending out surveys soon about future events and guest speakers!
What happened to the Honors thesis and the creative project?
If you’re an Honors Student at Emerson College, there’s a good chance you’re wondering what happened to the Honors thesis and the creative project. In the past, the Senior Year Thesis had two different tracks: the Traditional track and the Thesis and Creative project track. The traditional track required a 50 to 60 page thesis, while the Thesis and creative project required a 30 to 40 page thesis and a creative piece (a film, book, etc.). Recent changes to the program now require all honors students to write a 50 to 60 page thesis.
Who made the decision?
Wendy and all the faculty who teach HS490, the Honors Thesis class, met multiple times and decided to make the change. The faculty who teach HS 490 have wanted to make this change for a while.
The change was made because the faculty who teach HS490 felt that the Honors curriculum should culminate in a 50 page research paper. The entire curriculum builds towards that, beginning in the first-year with the 25 page research paper. The junior year builds towards topic selection and reminds students of research skills, and then HS490 is a dedicated course where the only requirement is the writing of the thesis.
Who does this change apply to?
The Honors Cohort of 2022 must write 50 to 60 pages.
The Honors Cohort of 2021 has the option between the former creative track and the traditional track.
This change can be viewed on the Emerson Website.