Graduation with Distinction

Both the ENVIRON and EOS degrees offer a Graduation with Distinction option. Interested students with a 3.0 grade point average overall and a 3.2 grade point average in their major should apply at the beginning of their senior year by submitting the form for Graduation with Distinction to the Undergraduate Program Office by October 1. On the form, the student will describe the proposed research project and identify a primary faculty advisor who has agreed to supervise the research. The application form may be obtained online.

Participants write a substantial paper (25-50 page research paper) describing their completed research. Students must also deliver a presentation of their completed research, usually in mid-April, which is evaluated by the advisor and the Nicholas School faculty committee on graduation with distinction. Prior graduation with distinction research papers are located in the undergraduate program office.

Graduation with Distinction candidates normally enroll in an Independent Study course (ENV 191/192 or EOS 191/192) supervised by the research advisor; this course cannot be used to satisfy the major requirements. However, if a student conducts a larger, full-year research project and enrolls in two independent study courses, the student may count one of the two independent study courses toward the major requirements, if allowed by their major advisor. Note that the grade assigned by the faculty advisor for the independent study course is independent of the committee's determination of whether or not to award graduation with distinction.