Honors

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Why should I do an honors thesis?

Graduating with Honors and writing a thesis can help you stand out from other job applicants, can get you published, is incredibly beneficial if you are considering graduate school, and the research can be practical and life changing.

Elle (Schlageter) Haley (IAFS ’22) completed the research for her Honors Thesis on a boat in the Mediterranean Sea as she helped rescue refugee migrants with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF – also known as Doctors Without Borders). You can read her paper here. After Elle graduated from CU Boulder, she returned to the Mediterranean Sea with MSF where she continued to assist in refugee rescues.

About the IAFS Honors Program

Majors in the International Affairs Program have the opportunity apply for the IAFS Honors Program to graduate with departmental honors with three grades: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. Honors are awarded by the University Honors Council on the basis of: overall academic record, performance in the writing of an honors thesis, and performance in an oral exam. Please refer to our IAFS honors standards for specific information. Please review the specific requirements and application process for the IAFS Honors Program below. 

The Honors Program Director is Dr. Molly Todd, please email Dr. Todd or IAFS@colorado.edu with any questions about the IAFS Honors Program. 

Please note: While the Arts & Sciences (A&S) Honors Program sets the foundation for the process of graduating with Latin Honors, including requirements and deadlines, the IAFS Honors Program has established the additional requirements and application process as a departmental honors program (outlined below). Students should also visit the Your Thesis Journey section of the A&S Honors program website for a roadmap to writing and defending an honors thesis, including links to thesis registration forms, deadlines, info about general (interdisciplinary) honors, etc.

IAFS Honors Program Specific Details

Candidates for honors in International Affairs must have achieved the following by the time they register for the Fall IAFS 4800 course:

  • at least a 3.3 overall grade point average,
  • at least a 3.4 grade point average in International Affairs courses,
  • and must have 90 or more credits and should apply one academic year before they will be graduating.
    • For example, students graduating in Spring 2026 should apply in March 2025 to be part of the Fall 2025-Spring 2026 cohort.

Candidates for honors in International Affairs must also complete:

  • the International Affairs seminar IAFS 4800 in the Fall semester and thesis writing class IAFS 4810 in the Spring semester.
    • To review IAFS 4800 syllabi for examples of what the course entails, visit the IAFS Syllabi page.
    • IAFS 4810 may count towards your geographic concentration or functional area if the thesis topic is relevant.
    • Only students accepted into the IAFS Honors Program are able to register for IAFS 4800 and IAFS 4810.
  • an honors thesis in close consultation with a faculty member who serves as the primary thesis advisor. The primary thesis advisor, IAFS Honors Program Director and at least one other CU faculty member will form your thesis committee.
    • It is strongly recommended that you select a primary faculty advisor from the IAFS Faculty Committee. If your primary advisor is not a member of this committee, please choose a committee member from the IAFS Faculty Committee to serve as the additional faculty member on your committee.
    • For details on faculty eligibility requirements, roles, and additional resources, please review the Building your Thesis Committee section on the A&S Honors program website. Please reach out to the IAFS Honors Program Director if you have questions or need help forming your thesis committee.
  • a one-hour oral exam administered by your thesis committee, who will then make the recommendation for your Latin honors designation. 

The deadline to submit your application for the Fall 2025 Honors Program is Friday, March 7, 2025 at 5:00pm MST.  

Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status by Friday, March 21.

Please gather and complete the following before submitting your application:

Once your application materials are gathered, please complete the IAFS Honors Application Form (DocuSign PowerForm should be completed in one sitting). Once submitted, you will automatically be emailed a copy of the submitted application.

IAFS Honors Theses

Every year, IAFS honors program undergraduate students present phenomenal, high-level research theses. To see the wide range of topics and research completed by all IAFS honors students, you can visit the CU Library database of IAFS Honors Thesis. 

Below, we have some of our most outstanding IAFS honors theses. You are welcome to browse through and read one, and be in touch if you'd like more information on these topics or their authors.

College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) Honors Program

A&S students from any major who have an overall GPA of 3.3 or higher are also welcome to participate in the Arts and Sciences Honors Program.