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Honors Baccalaureate Degree Pursuit of an Honors Baccalaureate degree at Eastern is a special privilege reserved for the most highly motivated of campus citizens, all of whom have a grade point average of at least 3.25 at the time of admission into and throughout participation in the program. This requirement will be firmly enforced. Any student with the proper grades may submit the honors contracts upon completion of at least 44 credits. The Honors Student may be any individual possessing sufficient motivation to nominate him or herself; faculty do not nominate students to the program. All students are encouraged to consider the prospect of earning an Honors Baccalaureate degree. Background information such as high-school grade point average or other university admissions criteria are not pertinent to admission into the Honors Program. This program is built upon student initiative. All responsibility for filling out the contracts, submitting them properly, and fulfilling them, rests with the student. Please note that no faculty member is required to endorse an honors project. A faculty signature signifies the professor's promise and official commitment to the student in his or her efforts to complete the program. Faculty endorsement also indicates the professor's faith in the student that he or she is worthy of the program. Any student considering undertaking this challenge will be certain to spend ample time seeking out a variety of opinions and ideas from his or her faculty well in advance of submitting the contracts. A comfortable relationship built upon good communication between student and professor is essential for successful initiation and completion of the honors projects. In his article, "Exploring Values, Issues, and Controversies," Richard Cummings quotes: "'Ours is not a mission to sequester a few cynical intellectuals in some self-imposed prison of ivory; instead, ours is a pleasant duty to humility and an idealistic responsibility to equality. Honors learning is a celebration of the honor to be alive, the honor to be aware...'" He further states: "Successful honors programs are dominated neither by the faculty nor by the students, but their relationship becomes a synergistic one in which effective outlets are established for them to express their concerns about, and appreciation for, each other."
Honors Contract information The student will submit all of the honors contracts, with endorsing faculty members' signatures, before being identified as an Honors Student. Required components for completion of the Honors Baccalaureate degree, in addition to all regular degree requirements: 3 academic projects Campus leadership Community service learning 1 pre-professional conference presentation/participation, such as the Spring Symposium (no contract required, although proof of participation must be submitted) A total of 5 contracts outlining the above components are to be submitted. An academic honors project should: --cover material in greater depth than in regular class assignments --challenge the student in more sophisticated and complex ways than regular class projects --require of the student the greater share of responsibility for learning and discovery --provide the student with unusual opportunities to explore the subject matter in exciting ways The Honors Student will complete three contracts for three academic projects, which are to be submitted in the format most appropriate to the discipline and subject matter (art, research paper, experiment, performance, multi-project, etc.) Each project is to be different (two may not be combined into one); each may be completed as a supplement to regular class work, or they all may be individualized projects, which is strongly encouraged, but not required, for at least two of the items below. The three academic project contracts comprise each of the following: 1. An expanded project based on an upper-division course's content. For example, a student may write a 25-page paper for a course requiring a 15-page paper of all enrolled. Extra course credits will not be awarded for this extra honors effort.
2. A unique project in the student's field of specialization. Field research is strongly encouraged. If the discipline is not a research-oriented area, then a unique project not normally carried out in Eastern's regular offerings is recommended, to be conceptualized by the student, in consultation with faculty. The honors student may receive upper-division credits for this, to be determined by endorsing faculty.
3. An interdisciplinary project, incorporating the student's major field and one other discipline. The honors student may receive upper-division credits for this, to be determined by the endorsing faculty.
The campus leadership component requires: --Substantial involvement in any aspect of campus service which demonstrates individual initiative on the part of the student. (For example, a regular tutoring assignment through the Learning Center does not fulfill this requirement, even if it is performed for no pay. However, a tutoring assignment combined with the production of a supplement to course materials, such as a collection of original study aids to be kept on hand for future use, or a tutoring assignment combined with the offering of extra sessions that demonstrate a commitment and effort beyond that which is normally expected of tutors, will fulfill this requirement. Tutoring is by no means the only area of campus leadership that is applicable toward this requirement for completion of the Honors Program. Initiation of any new event, program or service for the university, and especially for the students, is strongly encouraged. Possibilities are endless, from offering an INTACT class, to bringing an interesting speaker to EOU through the Lectures Committee. Creative, constructive thinking is key.) --Endorsing teaching or administrative faculty will determine with the student how much time and/or labor constitutes "substantial" effort. The community service learning project requires: --That the student seek out (independently or with the help of the Cornerstones Office) a service opportunity, preferably not directly related to his or her major, in the community beyond the EOU campus. This is not an internship; it is engagement in service to others. --At least 40 hours of unpaid service of any nature appropriate to the agency. --Two brief papers (or projects in other formats to be approved in advance with the Cornerstones office), including a "preflection," and a final "reflection" linking the service experience with the academic experience. (This requirement may be fulfilled in conjunction with enrollment in SSCI 207 Community Service Learning, although the hours of service for this requirement are greater than those required for SSCI 207, and the two 2-5 page papers/projects must be submitted independently of all written work done for the SSCI course). How do I enter this program? Please follow these steps: 1. Set appointments and circulate among the faculty and administrators who will be your sponsors for the projects listed on the enclosed contracts. Discuss thoroughly your specific plans and your reasons for engaging in this challenge. 2. Fill out the contracts with as much information as is available at this time. Note that the academic projects do not require a detailed description until the term and year of completion. It is understood that changes in plans may arise. 3. Compose a formal cover letter for your contracts, introducing yourself to the Honors Committee, explaining why the Honors Program is right for you, based on the information provided in this packet. Share any relevant information about yourself. (1 page, max.) 4. Submit the cover letter and all contracts, together (even if full information is not yet in place for some of the projects), to: Honors Program 5. As you fulfill the contracts, provide written updates, abstracts or other proof of timely progress to the address listed above. 6. Please keep in touch with the Honors Program, updating any changes in e-mail or other contact information. Questions may be directed at any time to: Dr. Elizabeth Boretz eboretz@eou.edu
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