Honors and Awards in Physics

Graduating with Honors in Physics

Students are encouraged to work toward graduating with honors as the culmination of their research experience. To be graduated with the designation "Honors in Physics", students must pass Physics 381, write a paper on the results of the research in that course, pass an oral exam on the research and related topics, and obtain a GPA of 3.3 in physics and 3.0 overall. Graduation with honors is an achievement noted on the Wake Forest transcript and is encouraged for physics majors.

Visit the Undergraduate Honors Research Topics page for past graduates and research topics. Detailed instructions for the student and adviser can be found here.

The Graduate School provides opportunities for advanced study in a number of focus areas in the Biomedical Sciences. These opportunities are accessed by undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and physicians. The Graduate School Office on the Bowman Gray campus now provides on-boarding policy for undergraduate students in good standing for research experiences or enrollment in graduate level courses as "unclassified" students. For more information, see the article on Undergraduate Enrollment Policy in Biomedical Sciences.

Speas award

The Speas Award is given in honor of William E. Speas who taught physics at Wake Forest from 1920 to 1959. The Award is given at the discretion of the faculty to the graduating physics major who best exemplified Professor Speas' spirit and enthusiasm for physics. The typical student who has received this award has had outstanding grades, has graduated with honors, and has demonstrated a genuine dedication to and enthusiasm for physics.  The award has a monetary component, and the student’s name is inscribed on a plaque permanently located in the lounge of Olin Physical Laboratory.

Sigma Pi Sigma Honorary Society

Membership in Sigma Pi Sigma is based on the student's GPA at the end of the spring semester. Undergraduate students inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma each year are listed in the following news articles.

2014 Honors, Awards, and Graduate Recognition Day

2013 Honors, Awards, and Graduate Recognition Day

2012 Honors, Awards, and Graduate Recognition Day

2011 Honors, Awards, and Graduate Recognition Day

2010 Honors, Awards, and Graduate Recognition Day

2009 Honors, Awards, and Graduate Recognition Day

2008 Honors, Awards, and Graduate Recognition Day

2007 Honors, Awards, and Graduate Recognition Day