ETHSO-IHN - Ethics in Society (IHN)

The honors program in Ethics in Society allows undergraduates to write a senior honors thesis within a community of interdisciplinary scholars. The course of study combines the analytical rigor of moral and political philosophy with the subject matter of each student’s major to develop a sophisticated understanding of social problems. Such problems can include: the nature and implications of treating people with equal dignity and respect; the scope of liberty; the legitimacy of government; and the meaning of responsibility. The program poses these issues and others in the context of debates that arise in our everyday public life. It thus extends moral concern and reflection across disciplines such as medicine, law, economics, political science, sociology, computer science, international relations, and public policy.

Students in the program write honors theses on such topics, employing moral and political philosophy to address practical problems. Previous theses have considered, for example, the just distribution of health care, obligations to future generations, the role of ethical values in education, the moral implications of genetic engineering, and the relationship between gender inequality and the structures of work and family. Students in the program have won scholarships to graduate study, including Marshall, Rhodes, and Fulbright fellowships. Others have taken the step from moral analysis to moral commitment, pursuing public service careers.

The honors program in Ethics in Society is open to majors in every field and must be taken in addition to a department major. Applicants should declare a major before applying to the program, should have an overall GPA of 3.3 or higher, and should plan to take all required courses for the program for a letter grade.

Courses cannot be double counted between the Ethics in Society Honors Program and other academic programs. Questions about this policy should be discussed with the Student Services Specialist.

Students cannot both earn a Minor in Ethics in Society and enroll in the Honors Program. Students must choose one or the other.

Students hoping to apply transfer credit and/or courses taken abroad towards the Honors Program must request approval with the Student Services Specialist. Syllabi/relevant coursework may be requested for this review process. 

The honors program application cycle begins during the fall quarter of students’ junior year. Students interested in writing a senior honors thesis in Ethics in Society are strongly encouraged to contact the Student Services Specialist, before their junior year to discuss the application process.