MARSHALL UNIVERSITY HONORS COLLEGE POLICY HANDBOOK

MARSHALL UNIVERSITY HONORS COLLEGE POLICY HANDBOOK

PURPOSE This handbook offers basic information about the procedures and practices of the Honors College at Marshall University. The information presented here is subject to periodic revision. Because all students in the Honors College are students of the University, both this handbook and the Honors College operate under the policies and guidelines for undergraduate students at Marshall University. Students are strongly advised to consult regularly with the honors advisor and the College website (www.marshall.edu/honors) in order to remain informed of any changes in College or University policies. MISSION The Honors College at Marshall University fosters academic excellence in a community of learners whose undergraduate education is enhanced through innovative teaching and learning, an engaging interdisciplinary curriculum, creative and critical inquiry with talented faculty, and diverse leadership and service opportunities. LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon successful completion of the Honors College curriculum, students will demonstrate the flexible thinking required in integrative learning environments appreciate the challenges and rewards of interdisciplinary learning learn both independently and collaboratively demonstrate leadership in a variety of settings recognize their obligation to give back to the communities to which they belong exhibit strong critical thinking skills communicate effectively in both oral and written expression Approved by HCCAP November 2011 2

ADMINISTRATION The College is led by a Dean and two Associate Deans, one with primary responsibility to direct the Yeager Scholars Program. The staff will include a full-time Academic Advisor and administrative support as needed. POLICIES The Honors College achieves its mission through the implementation of policies contained in this document. The Honors College Curriculum and Policies Committee [HCCAP], formerly the Honors Council, serves as the governance body for the College and approves all policies and any changes to them. Voting membership consists of: one faculty representative from each college with undergraduate programming, appointed by the Dean of that college two faculty at-large, appointed by the Dean of the Honors College two student representatives: one from the Yeager Program, one from University Honors, appointed by the Dean of the Honors College the Provost or his designee the Dean of the College the Associate Deans, one of whom serves as chair the honors advisor The Honors College Deans ensure the maintenance of policies in a document showing the date of HCCAP action. The College will create and maintain the policies document in an easily updateable form available for public access on the Honors College website. Approved by HCCAP November 2011 3

ADMISSION The College admits students who meet its criteria for admission on a rolling basis after a student has been accepted to the University. Criteria for admission for entering freshmen are an ACT composite score of 26 or higher [SAT equivalent of 1170 on critical reading and math] and a 3.5 weighted grade point average. Current full-time Marshall students with an ACT composite score of 24 [SAT equivalent of 1090 on critical reading and math] who have completed two semesters of study and earned a 3.5 GPA in each will be invited to join the College at the end of their first year. Transfer students who have a 3.5 GPA from another regionally accredited institution of higher education and whose program of study allows for completion of College requirements may apply by letter to the Dean. Such applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The College retains the right to deny an applicant due to insufficient documentation or the mathematical impossibility of the student being able to graduate in honors with the necessary credits. RETENTION and PROGRESS Students must schedule an advising appointment in the College each semester in order to maintain their active status and be approved for early registration. The College will notify students in advance of advising dates and will provide information on seminars. A student must complete 24 honors credits to graduate in honors. Those credits may include honors seminars, honors sections of courses with multiple sections, honors option contracts in regular courses arranged by a student with an individual instructor, honors newsletter staff, Honors College Student Association Steering Committee, honors peer mentoring, study abroad, and independent study (see Curriculum, page 6). The FYS 100H requirement will be waived for students admitted in their second year. Requests for other exceptions to the Honors College curricular requirements must be made in writing to the dean. [revised November 2012] To remain in good standing, a student is expected to complete 9 honors credits within the first 56 hours of study. Exceptions may only be made with the Dean s approval. Students must earn a C or better in a course to receive honors credit. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 to remain in good standing in the College. Approved by HCCAP November 2011 4

The Honors College will review all honors students records after grades are posted each semester. Students on warning or probation will be notified about their status after the audit is complete. WARNING and PROBATION A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.3 for one semester will be placed on academic warning. This policy is distinct from GPA policies related to scholarship renewal (see Scholarships, page 7). A student whose cumulative GPA remains below 3.3 after a semester on academic warning will be placed on academic probation. If a student s GPA does not meet 3.3 at the conclusion of a semester on probation, the student will be dismissed from the College. Students on either academic warning or academic probation retain the privilege of early registration after advising. Dismissed students may reapply to the College once their cumulative GPA again reaches 3.3. Students may reapply for admission by letter to the Dean. GRADUATION The College ensures that all students graduating in honors receive recognition on their transcripts that they have graduated in honors. BENEFITS TO STUDENTS Students admitted to the Honors College are extended the following: Honors advising Early registration after advising Accommodations in honors housing if living on campus Extended borrowing privileges from the University libraries Access to the College computer lab and study lounge Opportunities for travel awards Approved by HCCAP November 2011 5

CURRICULUM All honors students must fulfill general University requirements as well as the specific requirements of their college and major. The Honors College Curriculum and Policies Committee [HCCAP] approves the College curriculum and any changes or revisions. The curriculum consists of honors seminars honors sections of courses offered by departments honors option contracts in regular courses (no more than one in a semester) participation on the honors student newsletter staff honors peer mentoring service on the Honors College Student Association Steering Committee (see HCSA bylaws online) independent studies in honors departmental independent studies in honors Students entering the Honors College beginning in the fall semester 2010 must complete: FYS 100 H First-year seminar 3 cr. HON 200 Second-year seminar 3 cr. 2 honors seminars of their choosing (3 cr. each) 6 cr. [revised May 2012] 12 additional hours of honors experiences 12 cr. [revised May 2012] 24 credit hours No more than 6 credit hours in administrative honors courses (newsletter, peer mentoring, HCSA steering committee) may be applied to honors experiences hours. [revised November 2012] No more than 6 credit hours in honors independent studies may be applied to honors experiences hours. [revised September 2014] SEMINARS UNIVERSITY HONORS HONORS SEMINARS The College through its Associate Deans receives seminar proposals from tenure-track and adjunct faculty with terminal degrees in their fields. Approved by HCCAP November 2011 6

Proposals must be interdisciplinary in focus and methods and must meet the criteria outlined on the submission form, including a course description, learning outcomes, pedagogies, assignments, and relevant designators. Seminars must offer discussion and/or fieldwork and/or group work as well as lecture and reading, and must involve writing. Attention to oral communication skills is encouraged. Seminars may be taught by an individual faculty member or a team of two professors, ideally from different disciplines. Seminars will carry three credit hours each. Enrollment is capped at 15 students. With the instructor s approval, up to three additional seats may be added. Upon application to and approval by HCCAP, a faculty member may teach an honors seminar three times within three years. Successive offerings require an updated proposal. [revised November 2012] STUDY ABROAD The Honors College strongly encourages students to consider studying abroad as undergraduates. To that end, the College will waive one three-credit honors experience for a study abroad experience for which the student receives academic credit [revised May 2012]. The seminar credit application form is on the Honors College website. SCHOLARSHIPS All students matriculating as first-year students beginning Fall 2011 are awarded an Honors College merit scholarship (John Marshall, Mary Willis Marshall, Board of Governors, John Laidley). Renewal of Honors College scholarships is dependent on maintaining a 3.2 GPA after the first year and a 3.5 GPA thereafter and on remaining in good standing in the Honors College. YEAGER SCHOLARS Yeager Scholars are expected to complete the Honors College curriculum and to graduate in University honors. The requirements for completing both the Yeager Scholars and Honors College curricula are fully outlined in the Yeager Scholars Handbook. Additional information regarding the Yeager Scholars program may be found in the Yeager Scholars Handbook distributed to Scholars upon enrollment. JOHN MARSHALL SCHOLARS Requirements for students awarded the John Marshall Scholarship depend on date of admission to the University. Students matriculating in Fall 2010 are required to take three honors seminars if not members of the Honors College. Students matriculating Approved by HCCAP November 2011 7

prior to Fall 2010 are required to take two honors seminars if not members of the College. John Marshall Scholars who are members of the Honors College are subject to the honors curriculum as outlined above. DEPARTMENTAL HONORS Departmental honors is an option not controlled by the Honors College but by an individual department. Departments may consult with the Dean of the Honors College when creating departmental honors tracks, but such opportunities remain the purview of the department. Tracks may be built on existing courses, including the capstone, or through the creation of new courses. Participation in departmental honors should be at the invitation of the departmental faculty. Departmental honors are distinct from the Honors College curriculum. GRADUATE COURSES Senior honors students may take graduate courses for honors seminar or honors experience credit. Students may take one graduate course at the 600 level for honors experience credit [rev. November 2012]. Please see the policy on Undergraduate Students in Graduate Courses in the Undergraduate Catalog. Approved by HCCAP November 2011 8