The following requirements must be met before an application for an honors project is submitted to the Department's policy and curriculum committee:

Your cumulative GPA index must be at least 3.0 (as shown on an attached transcript, to be submitted with your proposal);
Your GPA index in the major must be at least 3.5 (also as shown on an attached transcript, to be submitted with your proposal).
You have had a minimum of three 200 and/or 300-level courses in the major area completed with a grade of A or A minus to be approved.
You have a full-time faculty member serving as your project sponsor. This sponsor will guide you through your project proposal during the semester prior to your writing or completing the project ( also under the same professor's supervision). See DEADLINE
Your proposal package should contain:
5.1. A letter from your sponsor explaining the project's originality and why it can only be completed in the framework of an honors project.
5.2. A filled application form Application available here (pdf).
5.3. A detailed project (typically between 5-7 pages long) containing:
an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing the project.
a Project narrative( including information about the format, structure, type and length of the research paper, screenplay, etc) approximately 5 pages in length. This project should show evidence of extensive preliminary research 9 with appropriate use of initial bibliography and filmography listed). The project should be able to convey in a highly condensed form the nature of the final project. It should detail the methodology used whether close readings, statistical analysis, or archival research.
If the project is design or computer based the proposal should refer to its intended audience and provide sketches.
Relevant background reading and research materials including a detailed initial bibliography at least a substantive number of the books or articles should be incorporated in the proposal's conception.
A detailed project schedule that includes at least 3 dates in the semester in which you will submit written or creative work to your faculty sponsor.
An honors paper must be at least 25-30 pages.
5.4 You must enclose a current transcript with your application.
5.5 You must have the edited, final version of the project proposal signed at the bottom of its last page by a full-time faculty member to indicate s/he has read the proposal and accepts the commitment to work with you during the semester.
5.6 You must send a copy of all materials via e-mail to the chair of the Policy and Curriculum Committee. Check with the department office, 433 HN, in order to find out who the current chair is.

Here are models of how a typical proposal should be structured. (doc)

If you are graduating in the SPRING:

You need to meet and submit your proposal to your faculty advisor in the project by the First Monday in October in order to allow for any necessary revisions before submitting to the policy and curriculum committee. The faculty-approved proposal, along with a signed letter of support from this sponsor, should be submitted by you to the Committee by the third Monday in October. A final decision will be made by the Committee on the first Monday in November.

If you are graduating in the FALL:

You need to submit your proposal to your advisor/sponsor by the first Monday in March in order to allow for any necessary revisions before submission to the Policy and Curriculum Committee. The faculty-approved proposal, along with a signed letter of support from this sponsor, should be submitted by you to the Committee by the third Monday in March. A final decision will be made by the Committee on the first Monday in April.

The Policy and Curriculum Committee meets once a semester to consider the proposals after the faculty sponsors have approved them. The Committee often makes recommendations to the student and faculty sponsor as to the scope and potential for the project's successful completion. It is not uncommon for the Committee to request revisions on the project. Submission of the project to the Committee does not imply that the project will ultimately be accepted.

Your faculty sponsor will be given e-mail notification of the decision of the Policy and Curriculum Committee. The sponsor will then notify you of the Committee's decision so that you may then take the next appropriate steps. The Committee will not contact you directly. If approved, this e-mail notification should be shown to the Film and Media Studies main office in order for you to register for FILM/MEDIA 402 Honors Project. If the Committee requests revisions to the project, you and your faculty sponsor must work closely together on making those revisions. A revised version of the honors project must be submitted to the Committee no later than two weeks after notification. If this revised version is not accepted, then you are not permitted to do an honors project

The faculty sponsor reviews the project and gives the student a final grade. It is up to the student to maintain an active dialogue with their faculty sponsor throughout the semester. You may not make changes in terms of this faculty sponsor once the honors project has been approved, so it is important that you carefully choose your sponsor. Submissions of the project proposal must be given to your sponsor at least two weeks before submission date to the Policy and Curriculum Committee. Faculty members may refuse to sponsor projects that do not meet this requirement.