Website: https://arts.stanford.edu/for-students/academics/honors-in-the-arts/

The Stanford Arts Institute offers an interdisciplinary Honors in the Arts program, open to undergraduates in any major. Over their senior year, Honors in the Arts students develop a creative thesis project that goes beyond the traditional boundaries of their major. The program supports collaborative or individual projects that combine critical and creative capacities. All students will work with a faculty advisor and graduate student mentor, and participate in a weekly workshop with a cohort of interdisciplinary peers.

Honors in the Arts can be completed in addition to honors work in a student’s home department or alongside another capstone program, such as the Senior Reflection in Biology.

Admission

Students interested in pursuing Honors in the Arts apply in the spring of their junior year. Students should visit the Honors in the Arts website for more information on application procedures and eligibility requirements. 

How to Apply

Admission to the program is competitive. Application materials include:

  • Honors project proposal, which addresses the following:

    • Project concept: what is the project, and why is it important? Details should include scope, timeline, and intended outcome

    • Description of the disciplines involved in the project and why it cannot be completed in your major department.

    • The relevance of Honors in the Arts to your education at Stanford

  • Evidence of disciplinary preparation, including a description of your background in the disciplines that will be drawn upon for the project and a list of at least three courses that prepare the student for the project

  • Statement on program fit: why is HIA the right program for you and your project?

  • Unofficial transcript

  • A completed Faculty Reference Form (provided in the application)

  • Portfolio of relevant work. The details for the portfolio vary depending on a student’s primary medium of expression

  • The name and contact of a faculty member or instructor who has agreed to complete a reference form on your behalf

  • An advisor consent form signed by an eligible Stanford faculty member willing to supervise your project

See the Honors in the Arts website for additional information on applying to the program.