Honours Program Guidelines

These Guidelines constitute the policy of the Faculty of Communication and Culture in the administration of its Honours Program. They are to be read in conjunction with the current edition of the Calendar of the University of Calgary.

The Guidelines lay out the responsibilities of the Student and of the Supervisor and the role of the Honours Program Co-ordinator. In situations where questions of procedure arise, the Honours Program Co-ordinator will serve as final arbiter. The Administrative Assistant for the Honours Program (Social Sciences 110; telephone 403-220-3161) will generally act as liaison between the Student and the Honours Program Co-ordinator.

 

A. Admission to the Honours Program

A.1 In order to be considered for admittance to the Honours Pro­gram, the Student must normally have completed a minimum of 15 full-course equivalents and have achieved a Grade Point Average of at least 3.3 over the last 10 full-course equivalents. The Student should register her/his intention to apply for the Honours Program by choosing the Change of Program function on the University Student Information System. 

A.2 In addition, the Student must receive approval from the Honours Program Co-ordinator. Before receiving this approval, the Student should meet with the Administrative Assistant for the Honours Program as soon as possible to discuss procedures. The Student must then secure a Supervisor and submit Form 1 (signed by the Supervisor) and a preliminary program proposal to the Administrative Assistant as soon as possible and no later than June 1. Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible because Faculty members are often not available after the exam period is over. The Student must also arrange an interview with the Honours Program Co-ordinator as soon as possible, and no later than June 1, to determine the Student’s ability to pursue an interdisciplinary thesis topic. Assessment will be based on the preliminary program proposal submitted by the Student as part of Form 1 and on any other criteria the Honours Program Co-ordinator may deem relevant.

A.3 In all cases, acceptance will depend upon willingness on the part of a University faculty member who is acceptable to the Honours Program Co-ordinator to supervise the thesis. In certain circumstances where the proposed Supervisor is from outside the Faculty of Communication and Culture, the Honours Program Co-ordinator may require that a faculty member from inside the Faculty serve as Co-supervisor. The Supervisor’s signature is required on Form 1 before final approval may be given.

A.4 Application: the student should submit to the Administrative Assistant a two-page preliminary proposal and a preliminary reading list agreed upon by the Supervisor and the Student and signed by both. The Student will complete the readings before the beginning of the Fall term.

A.5. It is the responsibility of the Student, once accepted into the Honours Program, to register for GNST 590 and to ensure that her/his program will satisfy all requirements for a degree in Communication and Culture. The Student will have access to telephone registration for GNST 590 once he/she has been approved by the Honours Program Co-ordinator.

 

B. Production of the Honours Thesis

B.1 In this faculty, production of the Honours thesis constitutes the substance of GNST 590. This course is expected to involve about the same amount of work as does any 500-level full-course equivalent.

B.2 The Student and the Supervisor are to meet early in the Fall term in order to ensure that the Student will have time to prepare the final version of the thesis proposal and updated bibliography which are to be approved by the Honours Program Co-ordinator. The Supervisor will assist the student in the application for Ethics approval should this be necessary. The proposal and bibliography are to be submitted to the Co-ordinator of the Honours Program early in October. The Honours Program Co-ordinator may demand changes in the proposed topic and approach if they do not satisfy the Faculty's mandate of interdisciplinary studies. Any major changes to the proposal after this point must be approved in writing by the Honours Program Co-ordinator.

B.3 By mid-October, the Supervisor, in consultation with the Student, will have got a written agreement from two Faculty members to serve on the Examining Committee. In ordinary circumstances, at least 2 out of the 3 members of any such Committee will be members of the Faculty of Communication and Culture. Other arrangements may occasionally be made, according to the requirements of the thesis and subject to the approval of the Honours Program Co-ordinator. The membership of this committee must be established by mid-October, and the names of the committee members, with their signatures, submitted to the Administrative Assistant. The responsibility of the Committee members is limited to reading the final document, making a written assessment of it, attending and being prepared to ask questions at the oral examination, and making recommendation to the Supervisor as to the final grade to be assigned. The Examining Committee is chaired by the Supervisor.

B.4 The Supervisor, in consultation with the Student, is responsible for setting up a structure of meetings and assignments necessary to the successful completion of the thesis. These meetings should take place at least every two weeks.

B.5 The thesis is to be approximately 40-50 double-spaced typed pages in length. In addition, it is to have a bibliography and table of con­tents. Although the thesis need not be based on original research, it should pose a question and answer it (i.e., it must have a thesis). Although the thesis need not be "faultless" in order to proceed to oral, any faults will be taken into account by the Supervisor in assigning the mark for GNST 590, and by the Examining Committee in its advice to the Supervisor.

 

C. Preparation for Examination of the Thesis

C.1 The Supervisor, in consultation with the Student and the other Committee Members, is to schedule a date and time for the Oral Examina­tion, such date to fall within the period set by the Calendar for final examinations in the Winter term. The date is to be set at least two weeks before the Oral Examination. Once this information is available the Administrative Assistant will book the exam room.

C.2 The Supervisor will ensure that the “draft” copy of the Notice of Oral Examination (Form 2) is forwarded to the Administrative Assistant for the Honours Program no later than 2 weeks before the scheduled date of the Oral Examination. The Administrative Assistant will then prepare the formal/final Notice of Oral Examination (Form 2) and ensure that it is sent to the Supervisor, Student, Committee Members, Program Co-ordinator and the Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Culture.

C.3 The Student is responsible for providing each Committee Member with a copy of the thesis no later than 2 weeks before the scheduled date of the Oral Examination.

C.4 Each member of the Committee is responsible for completing Form 3 no later than the day before the Oral Examination and for submitting that report to the Supervisor so that it can be placed in the Student's file.

 

D. Oral Examination

D.1 The Program Co-ordinator or designate may attend the Oral Examination as an observer.

D.2 The Supervisor will chair the Oral Examination, which will last approximately one and not more than two hours. It is stressed that this is not to be treated as a thesis defence but rather as an opportunity to allow the Student to discuss and expand on her/his ideas.

D.3 At the end of the Oral Examination, the Student will be asked to leave the room while the members of the Committee review her/his written and oral performance.

D.4 Honours will be awarded if the student obtains a satisfactory grade (i.e.: not C- or lower) in General Studies 590 (Thesis: Directed Research) and has successfully completed an approved program equivalent to twenty full courses with a grade point average of at least 3.30 over the last fifteen courses.

D.5 First Class Honours will be awarded if the Student obtains a grade of A- or better in General Studies 590 and has successfully completed an approved program equivalent to twenty full courses with a grade point average of at least 3.70 over the last fifteen courses.

D.6 It is the duty of the Supervisor alone to assign the course grade for GNST 590. In arriving at that grade, however, she/he will take under consideration any written or oral comments made by any member of the Committee.

D.7 Normally, the oral performance of the Student is significant to the course grade only as the Student's discussion and responses reflect the quality of his/her written work.

 

E. Post-Examination Procedures

E.1 It is the responsibility of the Supervisor to notify the Honours Program Co-ordinator within one week of the Oral Examination of the final grade in GNST 590. This is to be entered on Form 4, which should be forwarded to the Administrative Assistant for the Honours Program. Copies will be sent to all members of the Committee. In circumstances where the thesis has been failed by the Committee, the Honours Program Co-ordinator is to be notified by the Supervisor immediately.

E.2 The thesis should not normally be revised after the Oral Examina­tion. However, it is the responsibility of the Student to make any minor corrections (e.g., typographical errors) in the thesis brought to her/his attention by the Committee and to submit a corrected copy to the Honours Program Co-ordinator within one week after the Oral Examination, to be placed in the Faculty library.

E.3 In exceptional circumstances, as with any other course, GNST 590 may be repeated. This will depend on the discretion of the Honours Program Co-ordinator.

 

F. Forms and Deadlines

The following deadlines constitute part of these Guidelines. Forms 2-4 will be forwarded to the Supervisor/Committee Members prior to their respective due dates. The Supervisor should ensure that all forms are returned to the Administrative Assistant for the Honours Program. All forms can be found here.

• Application For Admission to the Honours Program – as soon as possible, no later than June 1
• Interview with the Honours Program Co-ordinator – as soon as possible, and no later than June 1
• Form 1: Application for Admission for Honours Program with attached proposal and reading list – due as soon as possible and no later than June 1
• Final thesis proposal and updated bibliography – beginning of October*
• Form 2. Honours Committee Agreement Forms (two committee members) – mid-October*
• Form 3: Notice of Oral Examination -- due two weeks before Oral Exam
• Form 4: Report of Committee Member – forward to the Supervisor before Oral Exam
• Form 5: Final Report of Honours Supervisor -- due within one week of Oral Exam
• Form 6: Permission to publish - due within one week of oral exam (submit with final copy of thesis).
  

* For specific dates, please consult the Administrative Assistant for the Honours Program.