Requirements and Program Features
GPA Requirements
The average GPA for Honors College students is 3.75. Honors students need to maintain a GPA of at least 3.3 to stay in good standing with the Honors College. Students whose GPA drops below 3.3 but stays above 3.0 will be put on probation; they will have one semester to bring their grades up in order to be reinstated as an Honors student in good standing. Students whose GPA drops below 3.0 are dropped from the Honors College. They can apply for readmission to the college if their GPA goes back up to 3.3.
Honors Contracts
Most honors credit in upper level courses is earned through honors contracts. These are agreements between student and professor that specify the extra work the student will complete to earn honors credit for a course. These typically involve a research paper, a group project, a class presentation, artwork, a business internship, or other challenging project related to the subject matter of the course.
Honors contracts are worked out between the student and the professor and are approved by the departmental honors advisor. They are ordinarily used by students pursuing departmental honors recognition in their major fields, but they can be used in any upper level class.
Community Service
The Honors College is strongly committed to community service as an integral part of an excellent educational experience at a public university. It is part of educating the whole person for future leadership. All honors students must complete 10 hours of community service annually for a total of 40 hours in their undergraduate tenure. The community service requirement can be fulfilled by activities in connection with a course, through a recognized campus office, or through an on-or off-campus project.
An Honors Experience
Honors students are required to participate in two honors experiences in their undergraduate years. These are activities or work that develop leadership skills, enrich intellectual life on campus, build community, contribute to cultural diversity, or enhance students’ international experience. Examples are serving as an officer in a student organization, attending honors approved cultural and intellectual events, and organizing activities and events that encourage civic engagement.
The Honors Thesis
Honors students seeking departmental honors must complete a senior honors thesis requiring advanced work in their academic field. A thesis project can take various forms: lengthy research paper, public performance, documented lab experiment, computer program, work of art, or even a two-page mathematical proof. Typically the senior thesis is earned through three credit hours of independent study. Whatever form it takes, it should be a demanding exercise equivalent to the work required in a three-credit course at the upper level. Students who complete an honors thesis usually work closely with senior faculty. Many honors thesis projects involve original research that is eventually published.
Staying in touch
Honors students are a community on the Eastern Michigan University campus. They are required to take at least one three-credit Honors course every second semester. They have access to Honors College lounges and study facility at Starkweather Hall. They stay in touch through email and periodic academic advising appointments. The Honors listserv regularly distributes information about deadlines, registration information, fellowships, honors experiences, and other honors opportunities.