English Honors Program

Undergraduate English majors who qualify may join the English Honors Program, either in addition to or exclusive of enrollment in the Helen Hardin Honors College (University Honors). Students who complete the English Honors Program as well as the regular college requirements are recognized by having their degree presented "With Honors in English," a separate distinction from "University Honors." There many more exciting benefits to being part of the English Honors Program that you can read about here!

Application Requirements

3.25 or higher overall GPA

Completed English Honors Program Admissions Application

Copy of a strong paper written for a college-level English course

Graduation Requirements

3.25 or higher Overall GPA, and 3.25 or higher cumulative GPA in all coursework counting toward the major
ENGL 4995, English Honors Research

Students engage in individual, intensive study of a unique problem or issue in English Studies, culminating in a prospectus for their Honors Thesis.

ENGL 4996, Honors Thesis
- Working with a Director, and eventually with a Second Reader, students draw upon the research they did during ENGL 4995 as they write a substantial paper that makes an original contribution to the field.
6 additional hours of upper-division Honors credit in English
- These can be completed by enrolling in Honors sections of the required Core classes in English, ENGL 3210, 3220 and 3227, or any upper-division English course with an Honors section.
- You may contract for Honors credit in any upper-division English course for which no Honors section is offered in a given semester. University Honors students should use the online form; students enrolled in only English Honors should use the English Department's paper form. For details and further information, see our page on contracting for Honors in English courses.
- If you have taken Honors courses at another university, please contact the English Honors Director to discuss substitutions.
- You must earn a B or better for a course to earn Honors credit.

Please note that the English Honors Program stands alone from and complements the University Honors Program. For English Majors enrolled in the Honors College, the English Honors Program provides extra advising and course opportunities. You may elect to participate in one or the other of these programs, but you are encouraged to make use of both.

English Honors Program Forms

Program Application
Thesis Application
Thesis Acceptance Form
Contracting for Honors Form (only for use of English Honors students who are not enrolled in University Honors)

(All forms will open as a fillable .pdf form. Please enter your information and obtain signatures from the required individuals. Completed forms may be emailed to englishhonors@memphis.edu or given to the English Honors Director.)

English Honors Theses

Contracting an English Course for Honors Credit

The Contracting an English Course for Honors Credit webpage provides additional details regarding contracting an English course for Honors credit, such as:

Which courses students can contract
Which faculty members can sponsor a contract
Contract policy information
Contract approval process
Contract request timeline
Contract criteria
Submission instructions

Helen Hardin Honors College

The overall goal of the Helen Hardin Honors College is to cultivate a community of intellectually curious and motivated students, while providing opportunities for success while at the University of Memphis and after graduation. There are many advantages associated with membership in the Honors College, which you can read about on the Helen Hardin Honors College webpage.

Sigma Tau Delta

Membership in the Psi Omicron chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, is open to qualified undergraduate and graduate students by invitation. More information on Sigma Tau Delta is available here. Send any questions to englishhonors@memphis.edu.

Contact the English Honors Director

Dr. Cristina Maria Cervone
englishhonors@memphis.edu