What is the SE Honors Program?
- SE Honors is an opportunity for students to work closely with faculty on research, while learning best practices of research design, data collection and the presentation of findings.
- This program is a year commitment, three-quarter long course sequence for Social Ecology seniors who are conducting thesis projects.
- SE Honors participants present their projects in the Spring during the symposium with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).
Should I participate in the SE Honors Program?
- If you have an interest in creating/expanding research, collaborating with faculty and your fellow peers, and learning how to best approach challenges within society, the SE Honors Program would provide that opportunity.
- Participating in this program will help students apply the materials that they have studied in texts and during lectures into original research projects.
- This experience can greatly increase a student's chances of successfully being admitted into a Ph.D. program and provide a platform for students to hone their scholarly, professional and personal relationships.
Program Eligibility
(REQUIRED)
At the time of application,
have the following complete/in-progress
- complete of all lower-division Social Ecology courses required for your major:
- all majors: CRM/LAW C7, UPPP 4/5/8, SOCECOL 10, SOCECOL 13
- CLS major: CRM/LAW C10, PSCI 9/11B/11C
- PSCI major: PSCI 11A, PSCI 11B, PSCI 11C
- US major: PSCI 9/11B/11C, UPPP 4, UPPP 5, UPPP 40
- earn a 3.5 GPA or higher in at least 4 of your Upper-Division Major courses
- maintain at least a 3.2 overall UCI GPA
- letter of support from Social Ecology faculty mentor
- your faculty mentor needs to be ladder-rank, tenure-track, or tenured to be eligible to serve as your mentor for the program
- cover letter [1-2 pages]
- research proposal [3-5 pages, double spaced, 12-pt, Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins]
(OPTIONAL)
Excellence in Research in
Social Ecology Eligibility
- Earn an overall 3.2 UC GPA in your junior year. Earn a B or above in the following:
- SOCECOL 10, SOCECOL 13, SOCECOL 111W, and SOCECOL 190
- Work with faculty mentor during at least one quarter by the end of your junior year:
- Enrollment into PSCI 196 / SOCECOL 198 / SOCECOL 199
- Completion of SE Honors Program.
- See Excellence in Research website for more information.
Application Timeline
Week/Quarter of 3rd Year
Preparation
FALL
- Begin draft of research proposal.
- Identify potential faculty mentor.
WINTER
- Meet with faculty mentor.
- Finalize research proposal.
- Compose cover letter.
Week 1: SPRING
SE Honors application opens. Have the following documents ready to upload:
- Letter of support from faculty mentor.
- Research proposal (3-5 pages)
- Cover Letter
Application Deadlines
- The Application Priority Deadline for the 2025-2026 program is June 30, 2025 (11:59pm PST)
- The Final Deadline for the 2025-2026 Application is August 29, 2025 (11:59pm PST)
Application Resources