Honors Thesis
English 483, 484 Honors Thesis in Creative Writing
The Program in Creative Writing offers a four-credit course, EN483 in the fall and EN484 in the spring, for students who are majoring in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing. Enrolling in EN483/484 is the only way to earn honors in Creative Writing. Colby bases Latin Honors and Distinction in the Major on grade averages rather than the completion of a certain kind and amount of independent work.
To apply for honors in ENCR, students must have a 3.5 overall GPA and a 3.5 in the major at the end of their junior year. They must have completed EN378, EN379, or EN380 with a grade of A- or better in the semester before the thesis project begins. Creative Writing faculty will make exceptions to these rules by special permission only.
After completing the sequence of workshop culminating in EN378 or 379 or 380, students need to submit applications to the director of the Creative Writing Program: Professor Adrian Blevins.
1: For Spring (EN484), submit an application by October 31st.
2. For Fall (EN483), submit an application by April 15th near the end of your junior year.
Applications should include a statement of intent, a proposed reading list, and a writing sample (3-5 poems, a complete short story, or a complete essay) as outlined in the thesis proposal guidelines (download PDF).
Creative Writing faculty will meet to review all submissions to decide who would benefit from writing an Honors Thesis. This is a competitive process and the faculty are limited in how many theses they can accept; it is possible that not all applicants will be accepted. Faculty will decide who will be the thesis advisor for each accepted student, and students may not necessarily be able to work with their first choice of advisor. Students must arrange to have another faculty member in the Creative Writing program, English department, or in an approved affiliated department as the second reader of their thesis.
Students must submit a draft of the finished work to their advisor one week prior to the last day of classes in either semester; the advisor will indicate to the student when a draft needs to go to the second reader. Students must submit finished work by the last day of classes to their instructors and second reader and an additional copy to the English Department secretary for binding. Students should consult their instructors for guidelines on how to format the final copy of their thesis.
The English Department will provide a third reader to resolve any grade disputes between an honors thesis instructor and a second reader.
We do not count words, but most prose manuscripts should be between 60 and 70 pages in length; poetry manuscripts should include at least 20-30 pages. All work should demonstrate independence, originality, and thoroughness. A grade of B+ or higher is necessary for the thesis project to be considered an Honors Thesis; otherwise, the course is converted to an Independent Study.