Juniors and Senior MCDB majors who have completed all university-level coursework, including all preparation courses and requirements for the major may be considered for MCDB Departmental Honors or Highest Honors if they complete the requirements listed below.

To be eligible for MCDB Departmental Honors, students must:

• Have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in the upper division major courses;
• Complete at least three quarters (12 units) of Honors Research (MCDB 198A/B/C) with a faculty mentor who is on the list of MCDB Approved Research Faculty Mentors, or has been approved through the MCDB Undergraduate Office;
• Submit a final Research Honors Thesis;
• Complete one seminar (MCDB 191, MCDB 145, 180A or 180B, BMD RES 193H or 194H)  Note: BMD RES 193H & 194H are not accepted as an MCDB elective but one of these seminars will fulfill the seminar requirement for departmental honors.

On recommendation by the student’s Faculty Research Sponsor, and with approval of the thesis by the departmental honors committee, students are awarded either:

• No honors
• Departmental Honors