Senior Capstone Project

Program Description

All Anthropology Majors complete their degree with an Independent Research Project called a Senior Capstone Project (3 Credit Hours). Choose one option below (Honors Thesis (6 hrs), Senior Capstone Seminar, Internship, Study Abroad, Field School, or Laboratory research experience (3 hrs) in consultation with the departmental advisor. Options may differ slightly within each concentration.

  • ANTH 498 Senior Capstone Project (3 Credit Hours)

Program Requirements

To fulfill the Senior Capstone Project requirement, students must choose one of the options below (Honors Thesis, Senior Capstone Seminar, Internship, Study Abroad, Field School, or Research) in consultation with the departmental advisor:

Honors Thesis (6 Credit Hours)
  • ANTH 494 Honor Senior Thesis I  (Fall Semester)
  • ANTH 495 Honor Senior Thesis II  (Spring Semester)
Internship (3 Credit Hours)

This is a portfolio and report associated with an approved departmental internship

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study
Research and/or Field School (3 - 6 Credit Hours)

This is data analysis and a research report associated with one of the following:

  • ANTH 444 Methods in Bioanthropology
  • ANTH 445 Research in Bioanthropology
  • ANTH 454 Archaeological Field School
  • ANTH 455 Lab Analysis in Archaeology

Undergraduate Thesis

LAS students may submit their thesis and thesis certification form to LAS and the Library for incorporation into the digital repository. Details about submitting and formatting a thesis can be found in the attached Thesis Submission Guide along with the thesis certification form (red bordered form) that we will continue to use.

Important Information about IDEALS:

IDEALS is the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship. There are two options for online access to your undergraduate thesis in IDEALS, the Library's online repository:

  • U of Illinois access with a NetID and password (Only current affiliates of the university will be able to read your thesis document.)
  • Embargo permanently (Only the metadata about your undergraduate thesis will be visible e.g., your name, thesis title, etc. and your final document will not be available for download by anyone.)

Please consult with your faculty advisor before making a final decision. Please be sure that you and your faculty advisor also review the IDEALS license agreement. Regardless of the option you choose, your metadata will be indexed by online search engines including Google and Google Scholar. If you want to share your thesis with someone from outside the institution, you will need to send the document.

You own the copyright to your undergraduate thesis, which means you can change the status of your thesis in the database at any time by contacting ideals-gen@illinois.edu.  

Program Contact Information

Dr. Petra Jelinek, Director of Undergraduate Studies 
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109 Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217)-265-0969
Email: elinek@illinois.edu

Dr. Maritza Quiñones, Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109F Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 265-8042
Email: quinonem@illinois.edu

Honors Program

Program Description

An honors thesis presents the results of two consecutive semesters of original research undertaken in the student’s senior year, under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The quality of the thesis is assessed by how the work offers a thoughtful argument, is well formatted, clearly written, well organized, and engages with relevant anthropological literature. Each student is then certified for graduation with “Distinction,” “High Distinction,” or “Highest Distinction.”

Anthropology majors have the opportunity to graduate with honors distinction. Eligible students should apply by the end of their junior year.

Program Requirements

Honors Program Eligibility

In order to achieve distinction, high distinction, or highest distinction, an anthropology major must meet the following requirements:

  • Attain an Anthropology GPA of 3.25 or higher
  • Attain a UIUC GPA of 3.5 or higher
Honors Thesis Program Form Requirements and Guidelines
Honors Program Courses
  • 3 Credit Hours of ANTH 494 Honors Senior Thesis I 
  • 3 Credit Hours of ANTH 495 Honors Senior Thesis II 

LAS College Honors

Program Contact Information

Dr. Petra Jelinek, Director of Undergraduate Studies 
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109 Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217)-265-0969
Email: elinek@illinois.edu

Dr. Maritza Quiñones, Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109F Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 265-8042
Email: quinonem@illinois.edu