The information here is intended for currently enrolled students only.
Honors Contract FAQs
Some of the most common questions about the Honors contract process are given below, along with brief answers. If you have a question not included below, or if you require a fuller answer to any question that is included, please contact the Honors Program Director.
Can I sign onto an Honors contract in any course?
You must get the permission of the course’s instructor in order to sign onto a contract. Instructors are NOT REQUIRED to permit Honors contracts and the Honors Program permits them to enter into at most five (5) Honors contracts per course section.
Who is responsible for designing an Honors contract?
The student is expected to consult with the course’s instructor in designing the work to be included in a contract. However, it is the responsibility of the student to write the contract itself.
What kind of work can be required in an Honors contract?
Honors contract work must supplement and complement the work already required for the course. The work must not simply be “more”; rather, it must be meaningfully integrated with the course content and learning goals and the work the course already requires. Ideally, this work should encourage active, student-guided, experiential learning. See the Honors contract guidelines provided on the Honors website for examples of potential Honors contract projects.
The contract instructions ask me to identify “milestones” for my project, where I meet with my instructor. What do those meetings entail?
These “milestones” are meant as opportunities to meet with your instructor and ensure that you are making progress on your contracted work. You and your instructor should set clear expectations for those meetings ahead of time, and it is your responsibility (and not your instructor’s!) to be sure that you come to those meetings prepared and having completed all work expected of you by that time.
Who decides whether a proposed contract is approved?
Once a contract is written, it will be reviewed by the course’s instructor and the Honors Program Director. These reviewers will decide on the approval of the contract by consensus. Completed contracts should be submitted by the end of the second week of classes in a given semester.
Who decides whether I’ve successfully completed the requirements of an Honors contract?
The course’s instructor and the Honors Program Director will determine whether the student has successfully completed the contract’s requirements.
Can I pass the class I’ve got an Honors contract for without getting Honors credit?
Yes. The student may complete the course with any grade (including an A) without receiving Honors credit, if the requirements of the contract are not met.
Can I get Honors credit without passing the class?
No. The student must complete the course with a grade of B or better in order to receive Honors credit, whether or not they have completed all requirements of the Honors contract.
I have a friend who wants to do an Honors contract in the same class as me. Can we design one contract for both of us?
Not exactly. Multiple students may contract to do collaborative work for Honors credit, but every student must sign onto their own individual contract. The course’s instructor, if willing to consider Honors contracts, will then help the students to design a collaborative experience.
Is there a limit to the amount of Honors credit I can get by contract?
Yes. Students may successfully complete no more than two Honors contracts. At most 8 Honors credit hours may count toward the 21 hours required for graduation with Distinction as a University Honors Scholar, and at most 4 Honors contract hours may count toward the 11 hours required for graduation with Recognition as an Honors Scholar.