Seniors embark upon their final stretch at UD

By: Michelle Bauman

Posted: 1/29/08

This week marks the beginning of the final semester for the Class of 2008. Although Graduation lingers on the horizon, the Seniors are far from done with their academic work. Depending on their major, Seniors may be required to take multi-day exams, write complex theses, or complete other Senior Projects. This is an overview of this semester's senior projects:

Art: Studio Art Seniors will present their own artwork in exhibitions around campus in April. Art History Seniors will give a public lecture on a topic of their choice in the Art History Auditorium.

Biology: Seniors must give a comprehensive oral presentation on a topic of their choice. This involves researching an area of recent interest in biology, examining primary literature on their subject, presenting new discoveries and providing background information from the last 4 years.

Chemistry: Seniors must take a comprehensive written exam covering general, analytical, organic, physical and bio-chemistry. They also must complete a research project.

Classics: By the first week of spring semester, seniors must take a 3-part comprehensive exam covering ancient history, philology, and literary criticism. Also, by the end of spring semester, they must complete a senior project consisting of a 20-25 page paper and an oral presentation.

Drama: Seniors take comprehensive exams one semester and spend the other semester directing Senior Studio play. Two seniors are preparing their studios this semester.

Economics: Seniors take a comprehensive written exam, which covers cumulative information from the last 4 years. The exam is taken 3 hours per day for 2 days.

Education: Seniors take comprehensive exams, consisting of both a 2-hour written exam and an oral exam at end of their student teaching semester.

English: Seniors complete a Senior Novel Project that involves studying a major novel, writing a documented critical essay, and a public oral presentation. Seniors must also take a 6-section comprehensive exam covering literary terms, poetry identification, and four written essays on literary history, critical theory, and genres.

Math: Seniors must take comprehensive written and oral exams. Students working on a BS must also complete a research project in the form of a written paper, product, or experiment.

Modern Languages: Seniors must complete a 25-page thesis in one of four fields: literature, history, art history, or Spanish linguistics. This semester, students will write only on literature and history. With the permission of the instructor, students may opt instead to write an Honors Thesis, which is twice as long and includes a public presentation.

Philosophy: Seniors must take a written comprehensive exam covering the entirety of the student's coursework as well as a departmental reading list. The major also requires a follow-up oral examination, as well as a senior thesis.

Physics: Seniors must take written/oral comprehensive exams. Each senior conducts research, through UD or another institution, on a certain topic and presents the findings in a thesis of about 40 pages.

Politics: Seniors must take a written comprehensive exam consisting of a 4-hour in-class test and an 8-page take-home essay. In addition, seniors may take an optional half-hour oral exam to pass with honors. As an alternative to the comprehensive exam, students with instructor approval may write a 25-30 page thesis.

Psychology: Seniors review literature in their area of study, and gather and analyze data in order to complete an 80-90 page thesis which they have been working on for several years. This thesis is cumulative in nature, incorporating psychology from the last 4 years of study.

Theology: Seniors must complete a 15-30 page thesis and pass both written and oral comprehensive examinations.