Distinction in Research and Creative Works is a university award for select undergraduates, granted at commencement, which appears on the transcript and diploma. Graduating seniors must apply to be considered for the award, and the application must be supported by a letter from a faculty member (or Center director). The most common path of application will be to the student's major department. A student whose research or other creative project is in a field outside of his/her major should submit an application to the academic department or program most closely associated with the subject matter of their project.
Eligibility for the award extends widely to include a variety of research, design, and other creative projects, as well as persistent dedication to research. Projects completed in part or entirely at other institutions or with community partners will be eligible for consideration.
Applicants must be a senior in good academic standing. The award will be granted only to projects that produce a concrete outcome - e.g. an essay, invention, design, musical composition - and demonstrate commitment and/or achievement above and beyond the norm. Students who complete senior theses or other required senior capstone projects are eligible - but do not qualify automatically - for consideration for this university distinction.
Responsibility for judging applications and determining those that merit the distinction award rests with the undergraduate degree programs or departments. Departments may designate additional requirements as well.
For more details, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Lida Oukaderova.
Requirements for Art History
Option 1: Art History Honors Program Students
Students who have completed a significant amount of research required for a successful honors thesis and who have gone above and beyond the regular theses requirements, completing a work of extraordinary quality.
Option 2: Students not completing the Art History Honors program
Students who have completed a significant amount of research for a seminar, independent study course, or independently have produced a research paper of extraordinary quality.
Students wishing to be considered for the Distinction in Research Award should submit the following materials:
- the application form via the link below;
- a short description of how their research qualifies for the award and how it contributes to the study of art, architecture, or film;
- the honors thesis or a research paper produced for a class or independently;
- official or unofficial transcript;
- a letter of support from their advisor testifying to the extraordinary quality of the work
DEADLINE: Applications closed for 2024
***If your thesis or research paper file is too large to be uploaded into AdobeSign, upload an empty Word doc into the form and separately email your file to arthist@rice.edu with Subject Title: "Full Name - Distinction in Research & Creative Works Award - Research Paper"
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