Honors by Contract
For FALL 2009, please follow the links below for Honors by Contract:
The University Honors Program at East Carolina University customarily offers academically-talented students the possibility of taking most of their General Education requirements in small sections (average 18 students) with other good students (SAT approximating 1200; 3.5 high school GPA; top 10% of the class or 3.3 college GPA) and proven faculty. Our usual offerings include 35-38 sections of some 20 different courses each semester. Approximately 1200 students average two honors courses per semester. If they complete 24 s.h. of honors courses with all A's and B's and accumulate a 3.3 GPA, they earn General Education Honors. If they also complete a senior project (6 s.h.) with a 3.5 GPA, they graduate with University Honors.
Occasionally, when a student joins the program late or has a major that does not offer many Honors courses, the student may need courses at a time when no Honors sections are being taught (e.g., summer sessions). We encourage students not to get in this predicament, but if they do, we allow them to earn "Honors by Contract". In such cases, the following steps are applicable.
Students discuss the option with the course instructor before pre-registration or registration, as the instructor is not obligated to do "Honors by Contract".
- If the instructor agrees, then he/she and the student will decide together on an appropriate project that will merit Honors credit. The Honors component might consist of a paper in a course that requires no paper of other students; a more in-depth paper; reading an extra book and writing a paper about it; a journal; giving a presentation before the class; or even teaching one or more sessions of the class.
- Final approval must then be given by the director of the University Honors Program.
- The instructor determines how the Honors by Contract will affect the student's final grade.
We greatly appreciate the cooperation of the faculty in helping students complete their Honors requirements. Please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance.
