Honors Contract Procedures

The project associated with the honors contract must be mutually developed by the faculty member teaching the course and the Honors student.

Proposal

The Honors Contract Proposal Form should be completed online, by logging into MyCSU, and submitted for approval by the CSU Honors College Office six weeks into the semester in which the course is offered.

Approval

The CSU Honors College Dean has final determination of whether the proposed contract has the potential to meet the CSU Honors College learning outcomes and if completed, will earn honors course credit. If the contract is not approved, the CSU Honors College Office will consult with the faculty member teaching the course, with the Honors student, and with the department chair, advising them of possible revisions.

Progress Check

Two weeks before the end of the semester, the CSU Honors College Office will check with all faculty members engaged in Honors Contracts to determine the likelihood of students' contract completion. If the contract is likely to be completed, a new section of the course will be created for the student with an honors designation which is cross-listed with the original section and the faculty member will be the primary faculty of record.

Contract Completion & Evaluation

One week prior to the end of the semester, the CSU Honors College Office will send an Honors Contract Completion Form to all faculty members engaged in Honors Contracts along with the Honors Contract Faculty Evaluation Form. The faculty will complete both forms and return it to the Honors College Office no later than the last day of finals, and then submits the grade in ISIS under the newly created honors section.

The project associated with the Honors Contract must be completed and submitted to the faculty member no later than the first day of finals. The student will then complete the Honors Contract Student Evaluation Form, and if the Honors Contract involves any artifacts appropriate for archiving (e.g. term papers, videos) the student will submit a copy of the project to the Honors College Office. A copy of the student's work may be put in the student's file, or may put it on display in the library or on the Honors website for interested parties to view.

If the student fulfills the contract as specified, the course will be given the "H" designator or "Honors" will be added to the course description on the transcript. (The one exception occurs if the course is followed by a "U"; then the "H" can't be added. However, the student's yearly benchmark report card will reflect the fulfillment of the honors contract.) The course will not be designated with an "H" or termed Honors if the student does not fulfill the terms of the contract. Failure to complete the contract will not affect the student's grade in the course, only the student's designation of the course as Honors.

Contract Student Checklist

• Meet with course instructor to discuss contract idea
• Consider applying for external or internal funding to support your project
• Submit Honors Contract Proposal Form Online (Due six weeks after classes start)
• Consider applying to present your project at conferences
• Complete project (Due no later than the 1st day of finals)
• Submit any artifacts from contract & Honors Contract Student Evaluation Form to the CSU Honors College Office.

Policies for Honors Contracts

An Honors student may attach an Honors Contract to any upper-division course (3000 or above) in which they are enrolled. While courses are typically selected from a student's discipline, students may contract with any upper division course that contributes to their specific educational goals and is approved by the CSU Honors College Office.

To maintain the quality of Honors Contracts, no faculty member may engage in more than three contracts per semester in all courses taught.