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Honors Program

Information for Faculty

Criteria for Honors-Designated Courses


Only courses that do not have prerequisites are eligible for Honors designation. Honors courses are intended, and must be developed and conducted, to demand more challenging involvement than regular courses. They must be demonstrably more challenging than regular courses and provide multiple opportunities for students to take greater responsibility for their learning. Honors courses should be distinguished by a difference in the quality of the work expected more than by the quantity of the work required. Honors courses should cover the material in greater complexity, novelty, acceleration than do other courses.

 

Criteria used to determine if a course rises to an honors level course


  • The pace of the course is accelerated to leave time for increased depth and breadth of content coverage
  • Assigned readings are diverse, challenging, and reinforce the rigorous application of concepts
  • Higher expectations for student performance in reading, writing, problem-solving, logical thought, analysis, synthesis, and oral presentation

 

Procedures: New Honors Courses and Honors Versions Of Existing Courses


Faculty members may initiate a proposal for a new Honors course, using the standard New Course Proposal Form(s) and an Honors Course Proposal Form. Once approved by the department, the proposal must then go to the Curriculum Operations Committee for approval. Once COC approval has been extended, departments may offer the honors course or version in accordance with the appropriate rotation. Departments should plan to submit proposals at least one year prior to the beginning of the semester in which the course is to be first offered.

 

Oral Defense Forms


This form is to be filled out by the Honors Adviser in consultation with the Scholar’s Honors Board. Completed copies should be sent to the Academic Dean of the College, the Registrar, and the Chair of the Scholar’s department. One copy also should be placed in the Scholar’s Honors file.