Honors and Awards

Departmental Honors:
The requirements for Honors include a 3.25 GPA in Philosophy courses, an "A" on the B.A. Essay, and the Department's recommendation. Details may be obtained from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

The Manley Thompson Book Prize
Every student who writes a Senior Essay and receives departmental honors will receive a book with a commemorative book plate.

The Lee Family Foundation Essay Prize:
Through the generosity of the Lee Family, a prize of $1,000 will be awarded in each year for the best essay on any subject in philosophy. The Lee Undergraduate Essay Prize is open to students currently registered in the College of the University of Chicago. The essays will be judged by a committee of Philosophy Department faculty. Essays must not exceed 8,000 words. Essays will be due early in spring quarter.  Two hard copies of essays must be submitted at Stuart Hall 202 by the announced deadline. Please do not submit essays via email.

The Lee Family Prize for Highest Grade Point Average:
A prize of $3,000 will be awarded to the graduating philosophy student who has the highest overall grade point average, as determined by the College registrar's office.

The Dunn Summer Research Grant:
One or two grants of $3,500 will be awarded annually to support summer research on a philosophical topic (such as preparation for writing a BA essay or work on a writing sample for applications to graduate programs).  Applications will be due in the middle of the spring quarter, and will consist of a research proposal of less than 500 words, a letter of support from a faculty member, and a record of the applicant's grades.

The PRISM Summer Research Award:
Students who have officially declared their major in Philosophy are eligible to apply for a PRISM summer research award.   Grant amounts will vary but will not exceed $1500. 

Summer Research and Travel Awards Available to Students of Ancient Philosophy:
Students who have a special interest in ancient philosophy are eligible for any one of three summer research and travel awards available to outstanding undergraduate students of classical languages, literature, or civilization. The awards are offered by the Classics Department. The Arthur Adkins Summer Research Fellowship (worth up to $5000) is targeted to third-year undergraduates with an interest in the ancient world who are bound for graduate school. The John G. Hawthorne Travel Prize (worth up to $4000) is awarded annually to an outstanding undergraduate student of classical languages, literature, or civilization for travel to Greece or Italy or for study of classical materials in other countries.  The Nancy P. Helmbold Travel Award (worth up to $2500) is awarded annually to an outstanding undergraduate student of Greek and/or Latin for travel to Greece or Italy. 

Oliver Cromwell Cox and Ernest Everett Just Award:
The Office of the Deputy Provost for Research and Minority Issues will award annually for the next four years a $500 prize to the undergraduate senior thesis recommended for departmental honors from any discipline that best exemplifies the aspirations and achievements of Oliver Cromwell Cox and Ernest Everett Just, graduates of the Division of Social Sciences and the Division of Biological Sciences, respectively. In recognition of the distinct areas of study of the named honorees, college honors level theses from all disciplines are eligible for nomination. This is a faculty or preceptor-nominated award.

Nicholson Undergraduate Travel Grant:
Open to University of Chicago undergraduate students from the Humanities and Social Sciences Divisions and the New Collegiate Division are eligible. A senior project proposed by any Humanities, Social Sciences, or New Collegiate Division undergraduate who is within a year of graduating, provided that the student requires research – whether in the form of archival, visual, or oral materials – in the British Isles to complete his/her senior thesis. Applicants need not have the British Isles themselves as the subject of their research. We will happily support work on Africa, South Asia, East Asia, North America, the Middle East, or the West Indies that requires substantial research in the British Isles. Research in and projects on Ireland also meet our requirements. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate their need to conduct research on their senior project in the British Isles.

More information on Fellowships and Awards is available on the Dept's Wiki page.