Honors in Geography
The Department of Geography and Planning offers an honors program to provide qualified students in the department with an opportunity for advanced research. In order to graduate with “Honors in Geography" or "Honors in Planning," a student must:
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.45 overall and in Geography and Planning courses,
- Take a total of nine semester hours of Geography and Planning honors courses at the 3000 level or above with a grade of "B" or better in each course. All GHY/PLN courses at the 3000 level or above are appropriate for honors contracts.
- Complete three credits of GHY4510 or PLN4510- Senior Honors Thesis. The honors thesis must be approved by two readers, with the thesis director from the Department of Geography and Planning. The second reader can be from within or outside the Department of Geography and Planning.
Thesis Hours
GHY/PLN 4510: Senior Honors Thesis (1-4)
When Offered: Fall; Spring
Independent study and research for an end product, the honors thesis; directed by a member of the geography faculty, supported by one additional faculty member who may be external to the department.
NOTE: Enrollment by qualified applicants only. For enrollees, this course may substitute for a Geography & Planning free elective or other course as agreed upon by the Geography & Planning Honors Advisor.
Prerequisite: completion of an approved honors sequence of at least 6-hours of honors courses
The Geography and Planning Honors Contract Application is available here.
For more information regarding the Honors College at Appalachian, please contact Dr. Maggie Sugg, Department Honors Director, at kovachmm@appstate.edu.
Honors College
Honors College of Appalachian: "All students wishing to graduate with University Honors from the Honors College must complete a minimum three-hour Honors College Thesis. These intense, individually designed and directed experiences demand a great deal of both the student and his or her thesis committee, but the rewards are just as great. As a smaller version of a master's thesis, this experience should immerse the students in the field they are researching and provide them an immediate and intimate engagement with the material they are studying."
Honors College Thesis vs. Departmental Honors Thesis
It is possible to use the same thesis to satisfy both the Honors College and Geography & Planning honors graduation requirements, if students are pursuing both programs. The thesis must meet all Honors College thesis guidelines, as well as the department’s requirements. Where conflicts appear, the student must check with both the Honors College and Geography & Planning for the acceptable format.