The Honors program offers exceptional students the opportunity to undertake a high-level independent research and/or creative project during the senior year. A CMA Honors thesis may be creative, critical, or a combination of both. Projects must be rigorous, in-depth, and demonstrate a student's ability to sustain an argument, an aesthetic principle, or narrative arc in a substantial form. Students consult with an honors thesis advisor while designing their individual projects in media production and/or studies.<br><br>Keeping in mind that every project has its own parameters and justifications, in general, we offer the following guidelines: critical theses should be between 5070 pages, screenplays should be feature-length, and film and video work should be either of a substantial length (at least 3050 minutes) or composed of a suite of thematically-related shorter works. Students may also devise a project that combines creative and critical modes of writing and filming. Other formats are welcome and should be discussed with the advisor before submitting the application. All final theses must be accompanied by a ten-page minimum written statement that situates the work within the context of extant scholarship, film and media theory, history, and aesthetics (as is appropriate to each project) and describes the project's ambitions.