Students in both the BS and BA programs can also graduate with distinction. Distinction is conferred upon students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and who complete and defend a research thesis. Graduating with distinction could complement a degree with Honors, but Honors students do not automatically receive departmental distinction. Requirements to graduate with distinction are:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.4 by the end of senior year
• Minimum GPA from Earth and Environmental Sciences courses of 3.6.
• Completion of a Senior Thesis project. This is a research-based senior thesis completed in conjunction with a faculty supervisor. The thesis constitutes independent, hypothesis-driven research involving investigative tools and techniques in the Earth and Environmental Sciences.
  • Students must submit the written thesis to the department and give a public seminar reporting their results.
  • Students should register for EAR 409 (Senior Thesis in Earth Sciences) or EAR 499 (Honors Capstone Project) in the semester in which they plan to submit the thesis.
  • The same thesis project may be used both to earn departmental distinction and to fulfill the thesis requirement of university honors, but it must meet the separate requirements of each program.
• All else being satisfied, distinction is conferred following a vote of approval from the Faculty of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.