Honors

PMA Majors who have completed superior work in PMA and Honors prerequisite courses may consider applying for Honors in the spring of their junior year. Completion of an Honors Project is required to earn the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honors in PMA. Requirements for admission to the PMA Honors Program include a GPA of 3.5 in PMA major courses, an average of 3.0 in all courses and completion of specific, recommended courses in the student’s area of Honors study. 

Honors projects are possible across the spectrum of creative and analytical work. Projects in performance, film/media production, and design require a written analytical component in addition to the creative project. The PMA Director of Undergraduate Studies encourages interested students and new PMA majors to review the PMA courses required for Honors in different areas of study and to meet to discuss specific required courses.

Honors Committee

To participate in the Honors Program, students will need to secure two PMA faculty members to serve on their committee, one to serve as the committee chair and one to serve as a minor committee member. (See the below timeline.) Students may ask a third faculty member to serve on their committee, especially if they are double majors or work across disciplines. Students need to have secured an Honors Committee prior to submitting the Honors Application form.

Honors Credit

Students register for 4 credits of PMA 4950 in the fall of their senior, and 4 credits of PMA 4951 in the spring of their senior year. Students receive a grade of "R" for the fall course if they continue with PMA 4951. If a student decides at the end of fall semester not to continue with the Honors project, or if the advisor determines that the student has not made satisfactory progress, PMA 4950 will be changed to an independent study course, and the advisor will assign a letter grade for the work completed.

Oral Defense

After the Honors student has completed their Honors project, they are required to schedule an oral examination with their committee members. Once the date and time have been determined, the student must confer with Donna Miller to schedule a room. The Honors Committee chair will assign a grade for PMA 4950/4951.

Honors Project Guidelines

Honors theses are possible in the following fields. Students should consult with their advisor about what course work they should complete to prepare for their honors project. Students interested in more interdisciplinary work crossing the subfields below should consult with their advisor.

DANCE

• At least 30 minutes choreography with a public performance component, plus 20-30 pages of expository and analytical writing
• Original scholarly essay of approximately 60 pages

FILM/MEDIA 

• 15-30 minute narrative, documentary or experimental film, plus 20-30 pages of expository and analytical writing 
• an installation, plus 20-30 pages of expository and analytical writing 
• Long short film (30 pages) or feature screenplay (90-110 pages), plus 20-30 pages of expository and analytical writing
• Original scholarly essay of approximately 60 pages

THEATRE/PERFORMANCE 

• Directing a production, plus 20-30 pages of expository and analytical writing 
• Original one-act play (30-50 pages), a full-length play (90-110), plus 20-30 pages of expository and analytical writing 
• Performance: original monologue with performance, plus 20-30 pages of expository and analytical writing 
• Designing a fully produced PMA production, plus 20-30 pages of expository and analytical writing 
• Original scholarly essay of approximately 60 pages

Not all performance-based Honors projects are assured Department resources. Students can choose to present Honors work outside of the Schwartz Center. 

Honors Timeline Summary: Performance Project 

Sophomore Year: 

• Consider Honors and review required courses 
• Discuss your interest with the PMA Director of Undergraduate Studies 

Junior Year: Fall 

1. Decide on a project. 
2. Find an advisor. 
3. Discuss your project and the application process with the DUS. 

Junior Year: Spring 

1. By March 6: Submit Honors Application Form with the help of your honors committee chair. This should include all courses your committee will require prior to beginning your Honors project. 
2. By the end of March, the Department’s decision will be communicated to the applicant. 

Senior Year: 

Fall: 
The Honors student will work on preparing their Honors project as well as writing their analytic paper. 

Spring: 
February 1 of senior year: a complete outline of the remaining work due to the committee. 

March 15 of senior year: full draft due to the committee. Exceptions will be made for thesis projects with a late March or April performance slot. 

April 1 of senior year: edits/suggestions received from committee

May 1 of senior year: final draft/product due. 

By May 15: Oral exam to be scheduled and completed. Thesis should be sent digitally to the Department Registrar at dm246@cornell.edu.

Samples of honors projects are available for review. Please see Donna Miller, Graduate/Undergraduate Field Administrator, dm246@cornell.edu.