Student Resources

Social Studies Division Moderation and Senior Projects
The Social Studies Division organizes all Senior Project and Moderation boards through a single, centralized process. Please consult the information below for instructions on how to schedule a Moderation board, a Senior Project midway, or final board, as well as how to request a Senior Project adviser. If you have questions about this process, please contact your academic adviser or Melissa Germano at [email protected].

Moderation Process

Moderation boards in the Division of Social Studies for spring 2025 will be held during the Division of Social Studies board week, May 7–13, or on dates specific to the program you are moderating into.
Your Moderation board will include your academic adviser and two additional faculty members. Program directors will be responsible for assigning the additional faculty members to each student’s Moderation board, dividing assignments across the faculty and when possible taking student preferences into account. If you intend to moderate into a program in the Division of Social Studies this semester, you must do the following:
  • Make sure your major is accurately recorded with the registrar. If you need to update your major. You can find all forms for the registrars office here.
  • Submit your two short Moderation papers—a critical evaluation of your work to date and your plans for the future—to the registrar by February 5th. You do not have to submit these papers to your Moderation board at this time, nor do you have to submit your program-specific Moderation assignment to the Registrar. Visit the Registrar’s website for more information about the Moderation papers.
  • Complete a Moderation board Google form by February 26th. This form will ask for your availability on the day of your Moderation. To be clear: Program directors will take your preferences into account when assigning faculty to Moderation boards, but students do not get to choose who is on their board. You must complete this form by the deadline if you intend to moderate this semester. 
  • Check the website for your program to see the requirements for specific program Moderation exercises and deadlines. 
Joint Moderations will be coordinated through the seven core disciplinary programs of the division. Interdivisional program directors should communicate in advance with program directors of disciplinary programs about including program faculty members in interdivisional program boards. 

Senior Project Process

Senior Project Boards

Senior Project boards will be held during the Social Studies Division board week, May 7–13.
  • Midway Boards
    Your Senior Project board will consist of your Senior Project adviser and two other faculty members. Program directors will be responsible for assigning additional faculty members to each student’s Senior Project board, balancing assignments across the faculty and taking student preferences into account. The Division of Social Studies will schedule your midway Senior Project board. If you intend to start your Senior Project this semester, you must do the following: 
    • Complete a Senior Project board Google form by March 5. This form will ask you who your Senior Project adviser is and for the names of several faculty members you would prefer to be on your Senior Project board. You do not have to have discussed your project with these faculty members. 
    • It will also ask you for your availability during the Social Studies Division board week, so we can schedule your board. To facilitate scheduling, please provide your maximum availability during board week. 
  • Final Boards
    Your Senior Project board will consist of the same faculty as your midway board in the fall. If you need to add a third member, change a board member, or don’t remember who is on your board, please discuss this with your adviser. The Division of Social Studies will schedule your Senior Project board. 

    Please complete a Senior Project scheduling Google form by March 5. This form will ask you for your availability during the Social Studies Division board week, so we can schedule your board. To facilitate scheduling, please provide your maximum availability during board week. 

Senior Project Advising

Rising Seniors
Senior Project advising is assigned through a centralized process at the divisional level. To be assigned a Senior Project adviser, please complete this Google form by April 23, 2025, if you are planning on starting your Senior Project in the fall 2025 semester. The Senior Project advising form will ask you to briefly describe the topic you plan to work on for your Senior Project and to list the faculty members, both from your program and the division, you are interested in working with on your project. Students do not get to select their Senior Project adviser. Program directors will make Senior Project advising assignments and will take your preferences into account when possible. You must complete the Google form by the deadline to have your preferences taken into account.