The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Honors Program Handbook Effective Autumn 2013 We bring Knowledge to life. The Ohio State University

Table of Contents The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Honors Program..4 The Honors Committee...4 Objectives of the Honors Program..4 Philosophy of the Honors Program...4 Undergraduate Program...4 Agriculture-Graduate (B.S./M.S. Combined) Program.5 Benefits of the Honors Program...5 Admission Criteria.....6 Entering Freshman 6 Transfer Students.6 Currently Enrolled Students.6 Agriculture-Graduate (Combined B.S/M.S.).6 Reviewed Applications..7 Continued Enrollment in the Honors Program...7 Individual Honors Curriculum.7 Undergraduate..7 Agriculture-Graduate (Combines B.S./M.S.) 8 Honors Courses..8 Honors Course Requirements.....8 Grading.9 Areas of Study..9 Honors Scholarships and Grants.9 Scholarships...9 Honors Small Grants 9 The Honors Project...10 Examination 10 Agriculture-Graduate (B.S./M.S. Combined) Exam 11 Submission of Honors Thesis to University Libraries...11 Honors Research Distinction.....11 With Distinction in Honors Research 11 2 P a g e

Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude 11 Changing Approved Programs...12 Withdrawal from the Honors Program 12 Appendices.13 A: Individual Honors Curriculum Form.....13 B: Request to Revise Honors Program Form... 18 C: Honors Program Timeline...19 3 P a g e

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Honors Program The Honors Committee The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Honors Program is administrated by the College Honors Committee. The Committee is composed of each Departmental Honors Program Coordinator, one undergraduate student from the Honors Program, and the College Honors Program Director. Objectives of the Honors Program The CFAES Honors Program is designed for high ability, high motivated students pursuing Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Food Science, and Nutrition. The objectives of the program are to: Academically challenge the Honors Students with a curriculum of greater breadth and depth than the standard B.S. program; Develop the analytical and critical thinking skills of the Honors Student through an independent Honors Project; Foster an interest in pursuing advanced degrees and research careers; Reward outstanding scholastic achievements with scholarships and other awards; and Provide a scholarly environment in which Honors Students can interact with each other, college faculty, and staff outside of the classroom. Philosophy of the Honors Program The Honors curriculum should be selected for students who recognize their abilities and seek to develop them more fully by undertaking a variety of challenging academic experiences, such as honors courses, accelerated and advanced courses, and higher level research experiences often times reserved for graduate students. Undergraduate Program The individual curriculum in agriculture should be designed to challenge superior ability students who wish to obtain a B.S. in Agriculture, B.S. in Construction Systems Management, B.S. in Food Science, or B.S. in Nutrition degree. It is based on the concepts of flexibility in course selection; enrollment in Honors, accelerated, or advanced courses; and an Honors Project. An Individual Honors Curriculum should be designed as a superior academic program, which utilizes course flexibility to exceed the minimum requirements of standard academic programs, while at the same time providing a liberal education for the Honors Student. This course flexibility enables the Honors Student to achieve breadth and depth in the academic program and to define academic growth in a more personal way. 4 P a g e

Agriculture-Graduate (B.S./M.S. Combined) Program The Combined B.S./M.S. Honors Program allows a continuity of curriculum development into graduate education. Students are enrolled concurrently in the Graduate School and College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Science. This program permits the logical development of course work without strict regard to prerequisites and class standing of students. The purpose of the combined program is to give outstanding students an opportunity to pursue two degrees simultaneously by reducing the amount of time normally required to complete both sets of degree requirements. Students interested in information on the Agriculture-Graduate Program should make contact with the College Honors Director, Room 100 Agricultural Administration Building, 614-292-6891. Benefits of the Honors Program Individual Honors Curriculum Honors Students create their own individualized curriculum in consultation with their Faculty Advisor, which provides greater opportunity for individual development in the student's area of interest. Scholarships Undergraduate Honors and Agriculture-Graduate Combined Scholarships are awarded to participants whose Honors Project Proposals submitted to the Honors Committee are deemed most outstanding. These scholarships are "merit-based" and evaluated on the basis of the research proposal. The stipend varies based on the quality of the research proposal. Honors Courses Students are requested to schedule Honors Courses and/or upper division courses to meet requirements in the GEC section of the Honors curriculum. Generally, more than 300 courses are available throughout the university as Honors courses each year. Individual Advising Students are assigned a Faculty Advisor within their department of major when they first enter the college. The advisor and student work together in planning the Individual Honors Curriculum and Honors Project Plan. A Project Advisor may also be selected to serve as a mentor for the Honors Project Priority Scheduling Honors Students enjoy priority scheduling, making them among the first to schedule courses each semester. This privilege enables students to meet the expectations and requirements of the Honors Program. This priority scheduling is only a benefit when students schedule early in their assigned window. Special Recognition Students completing Honors Courses have these courses designated on their transcripts with an "H" next to the course number. Students who complete their Honors Program with at least a 3.4 CPHR, and satisfactorily complete the Honors Thesis and Exam will graduate "with distinction" in their major area of study. 5 P a g e

Career Preparation Students in the Honors Program learn to solve problems, communicate effectively, think logically and analytically, and are self-educating. Honors Students are more likely to be better prepared than non- Honors students to meet the stiff competition in graduate or professional schools. Admission Criteria Entering Freshmen To be eligible for the University Honors program, entering freshmen must show academic success in high school by having ACT/SAT scores of 31/2400 or higher respectively, and a high school class rank in the upper 5% of their graduating class. Students must also complete an Honors Affiliate Application through the University Honors Center. During the freshman year, University Honors Affiliates must then decide to enter a College s Honors Program. To enter the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Honors Program, those students admitted as a University Honors Affiliate as freshmen must have a 3.4 CPHR, and must submit an Individual Honors Curriculum by the Friday before spring break of the first year of enrollment at Ohio State. They should have completed at least 15 hours of OSU coursework. Students should consult with their Faculty Advisor as they are preparing their proposed curriculum. The Individual Honors Curriculum must be reviewed and approved by the Faculty Advisor, Departmental Honors Program Coordinator, and then forwarded to the CFAES Honors Director s office. Those students who do not submit an Individualized Honors Curriculum by the Friday before spring break will lose Honors status until it is submitted. Students not admitted to the program as freshmen may acquire Honors status upon approval of the Individual Honors Curriculum and must maintain a 3.4 CPHR. Transfer and Currently Enrolled Students Transfer students from other colleges at Ohio State, or colleges and universities outside of OSU, should have attained a comparable academic standing as entering freshmen. Transfer students will need to submit an Individual Honors Curriculum for review and approval by the Faculty Advisor, Departmental Honors Program Coordinator, as well as the College Honors Director, and have earned at least a 3.4 CPHR at The Ohio State University. The Honors designation will be posted upon approval. The best opportunity, however, to gain the most from the Honors Program is to be admitted prior to the junior year. Agriculture-Graduate (Combined B.S./M.S.) To be eligible for the Combined Graduate Program, the student must have completed 90-semester hours of coursework and have a 3.5 CPHR average in all coursework. Students must submit a revised Individual Honors Curriculum identifying graduate courses with an asterisk (*), and including the signature of the Departmental Graduate Studies Chair. Signatures are required from the Graduate Committee Chair, Assistant Dean of Agriculture, Graduate School Dean, and the Registrar before the program is official. Graduate school fees are charged effective the semester of admission. 6 P a g e

Reviewed Applications Applications are reviewed throughout the semester and academic year. Students who have an approved Individual Honors Curriculum on file will receive the Honors designation as long as they continue to maintain progress. Special computerized degree audits for Honors Students will be available for those who have an Individualized Honors Curriculum on file in the College Office. Continued Enrollment in the Honors Program To remain in the Agriculture Honors Program, a student must not fall below a 3.4 CPHR for more than 2 consecutive semesters To graduate in the Honors Program, a 3.4 CPHR or above is required in all coursework, in addition to the completion of the Individual Honors Curriculum and the Honors Project. Students applying to the Honors Program can pick up an Individual Honors Curriculum form from the College Office, 100 Agricultural Administration or print it from the CFAES Honors Website (cfaes.osu.edu/honors) and submit it to the Faculty Advisor, Departmental Honors Program Coordinator, and College Honors Director for review and approval. The Individual Honors Curriculum Undergraduate The first step in preparing the Individual Honors Curriculum (Appendix A) is for students to prepare a statement presenting her/his academic area(s) of interest, as well as short-term and long-term plans. The student should develop their Individual Honors Curriculum in consultation with a Faculty Advisor, using the future plans statement as a reference point. It is recommended that all Honors Students have depth in Honors or advanced level courses in Foundations, Quantitative and Logical skills, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, History, Arts and Literature, as well as major and minor areas. Honors Students are encouraged to include a Diversity/International experience as part of their curriculum. This can be met through several options, including, but not limited to, coursework, study abroad, etc. If a student includes a study abroad program into their curriculum, they must have an alternative plan in the event they should not participate in the study abroad. A yearly plan showing how the Honors or Honors embedded courses will be met within the first three years should be included. The student s statement explaining what makes their request an Honors Curriculum will be reviewed carefully. Flexibility in departmental curriculum is anticipated and encouraged, as long as the curriculum results in a more challenging and rigorous list of courses. After the student completes the Individual Honors Curriculum, it must be reviewed and approved by the Faculty Advisor, Departmental Honors Program Coordinator, and then forwarded to the CFAES Honors Director s office. The student will then be notified of approval or suggested modifications regarding their Individual Honors Curriculum. Students and Faculty Advisors should feel free to contact a member of the Agriculture Honors Committee, the Departmental Honors Program Coordinator, or College Honors Director if they have questions about preparing the Individual Honors Curriculum. 7 P a g e

Agriculture-Graduate (Combined B.S./M.S.) The student is to obtain the necessary application forms and instructions from the Honors Director in the College Office. Completion of the undergraduate phase of the program will be approved by the Departmental Honors Program Coordinator. The Master's phase of the program is the responsibility of the Departmental Graduate Committee, the Graduate School, and the student. Honors Courses Honors Course Requirements A number of courses in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences have been developed for students in the College Honors Program or for students who are eligible for membership in the Honors Program. Students admitted to the program need to complete FAES 4590H during the Autumn semester of the junior year. This course will assist the student in the Honors Project Proposal writing stage. Each student must list a minimum of six (6) semester hours of Honors Research Project (4999H) in the major area of the application. It is strongly recommended for students to split the 6 hours over two semesters (3 hours, 3 hours). The Honors Project alone will not make the curriculum uniquely different from the regular B.S. degree requirement. Upper division courses (Microbiology 4000, Molecular Genetics 4500, Biochemistry 4511, or 5000- level courses and above) taken within the first 2 years of college beyond high school graduation may substitute for an Honors course. Each Honors Curriculum should include at least: a. FAES 1100H b. Department of Major 4999H Research Project c. A minimum of six (6) Honors or Honors embedded (max. of 2) courses must be taken within the first 3 years of college beyond high school graduation. Of these 6 courses, at least 2 courses must be outside of CFAES. At least 2 courses must be taken in year one of college, and at least 2 courses must be taken in year two of college beyond high school graduation d. At least the minimums in each category of the General Education Curriculum, as shown on the application, must be taken. Students are encouraged to strengthen the General Education where appropriate. e. A 4-year plan showing how you will meet the requirement of 6 Honors or Honors embedded courses in the first three years or equivalent. f. A study abroad (minimum 6 weeks in length) may substitute for one Honors course. A list of all Honors Courses is published each semester online through the Master Schedule of Classes. Students and Faculty Advisors will find this list particularly helpful in selecting honors courses in the General Education Curriculum areas. 8 P a g e

Grading Honors Courses move at the pace of good students, while emphasizing work of high quality. Faculty members are chosen for their ability to challenge talented students. The grading in Honors Courses neither penalizes nor unduly rewards students for the Honors status. Generally, good students do their best work in the classes that they find most interesting and most challenging. Areas of Study Agribusiness and Applied Economics Environment, Economy, Development, & Sustainability Plant Health Management Agricultural Communication Environmental Science Plant Pathology Agricultural Systems Management Environmental Policy and Decision Making Professional Golf Management Agriscience Education Food, Agricultural, & Biological Engineering Sustainable Plant Systems* Animal Sciences Food Business Management *Agronomy specialization Community Leadership Food Science and Technology *Horticulture specialization Construction Systems Management Forestry, Fisheries, & Wildlife *Landscape design & management Culinary Science Meat Science *Turfgrass science specialization Entomology Natural Resource Management Honors Scholarships and Grants Scholarships Early each spring semester, the Honors Committee announces the guidelines and deadlines for Honors Students to submit their proposals for consideration for awarding Honors scholarships. The quality of the Honors Project Proposal is the primary criterion on which scholarships are awarded. Honors Small Grants The announcement mentioned in the section above will also include information about the awarding by the Honors Committee of small grants in conjunction with the Honors Project to assist with certain expenses associated with the conduct of the project. Small grant monies are released to the department in which the Honors Student is majoring to assist the department with deferring these expenses. 9 P a g e

The Honors Project Each student in the Honors Program must complete an Honors Project. The conduct of the Honors Project is one of the most important differences between a student's experiences in Honors versus one of the regular academic programs. It is an opportunity to develop and conduct research or a developmental project in the student's area of interest, with the guidance of their Faculty Advisor or other faculty with expertise in the area. The research or developmental project will be a rewarding and productive experience only if the student is sufficiently motivated and prepared. Each Honors Student must prepare a proposal prior to conducting a project. The proposal must be discussed with the student's Faculty Advisor (and Project Advisor if different from the Faculty Advisor) to give the student the benefit of the expertise of the faculty regarding current literature and research in the student's area of interest. A properly prepared proposal requires considerable thought about establishing project objectives, procedures, time, and facility priorities. Projects are normally initiated during the junior year and conducted during the senior year of the undergraduate program. The Honors Project is completed when the written report, the Honors Thesis, has been prepared in conjunction with a required oral experience. The style of the final report depends upon the student's Honors Thesis Advisor and the departmental requirements. The Honors Thesis should be submitted to the University Libraries Knowledge Bank. It is the responsibility of the student and Departmental Honors Program Coordinator to be sure any recommended changes are included and a final copy is submitted by the deadline. Examination The oral portion of the exam can be met by any of the three following options: 1) a traditional exam, approximately one hour in length; 2) participation in the CFAES Undergraduate Research Forum AND the Denman competition (held each spring); or 3) a presentation at a scientific meeting. If the traditional exam is selected, there must be three faculty members on the Examining Committee including, the Honors Thesis Advisor(s), the Departmental Honors Coordinator, and one other faculty member. If the traditional exam option is selected, the Honors Student must submit a copy of the final report to the Examination Committee at least two working days prior to the oral examination. If either the Denman competition or scientific presentation is selected, then the Honors Thesis Advisor(s) evaluates completion of the project indicating if the student is awarded with or without distinction. The student s performance on both portions of the exam and the quality of the project will be considered in determining a recommendation of with or without distinction in the major(s). The recommendation should be confirmed by the signature of the Honors Thesis Advisor and Departmental Honors Program Coordinator. The examination is normally held the last semester of the senior year, or at the appropriate time for a student in the Agriculture-Graduate Program. Questions are not meant to ferret out details, but to test a student's judgment and understanding of the field of study, including the project or thesis. The examination is arranged by the student's advisor. In advance of the examination, the Honors Director will send the Honors Thesis Advisor the appropriate form(s) for certifying the results of the examination. After the examination, the advisor will complete the 10 P a g e

form and return the original to the College Honors Director. The Honors Thesis Advisor should notify the student of the outcomes. Agriculture-Graduate (B.S./M.S. Combined) Exam The final examination for the Master's degree will be conducted according to the regulations of Graduate School. Submission of Honors Thesis to University Libraries Students are required to submit their final Honors Thesis directly to the University Libraries Knowledge Bank. The Knowledge Bank contains collections of reports, presentations, publications, and policies and procedures related to The Ohio State University's implementation of an institutional repository. Students will be required to submit their final Honors Thesis in the searchable Knowledge Bank (kb.osu.edu) for future references. Please contact the College s Honors Director for more information regarding the submission processes. Procedures for Honors Thesis submission are available at http://library.osu.edu/sites/kbinfo/honors.html. Honors Research Distinction "With Honors Research Distinction" To graduate "with Honors Research distinction the student must: a. Complete the Honors Project to the approval of the Honors Thesis Advisor and the Departmental Honors Program Coordinator. b. Have followed the approved curriculum with at least a cumulative point hour ratio of a 3.40. c. Be recommended by the Examining Committee. The Examining Committee will consider the student's performance in the examination and the quality of the project in determining recommendation with or without distinction in the major(s). Cum Laude** (3.50 3.69) Magna Cum Laude** (3.7 3.89) Summa Cum Laude** (3.9 and higher) ** Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude are based on the cumulative point hour ratio at the completion of the semester proceeding the semester of graduation. In order to be considered, a student must have taken at least 60 hours at The Ohio State University. 11 P a g e

Changing Approved Programs After a student s curriculum is approved, any changes should be evaluated and approved by the Faculty Advisor, Departmental Honors Program Coordinator, and the College Honors Director prior to taking the course identified as the substitution. The appropriate Request to Revise Agricultural Honors form (Appendix B) must be approved as stated above and filed in room 100 Agricultural Administration. These forms are available in Room 100 and on the CFAES Honors website (cfaes.osu.edu/honors). Changes in the Agriculture-Graduate Program, which involve courses on the Individual Honors Curriculum, should also be submitted on the Request to Revise form. Courses for graduate credit may be changed with the approval of the Departmental Graduate Committee without the approval of the Agriculture Honors Committee. Withdrawal from the Program A student wishing to withdrawal from the Honors Program may do so by indicating this desire in a letter to the Departmental Honors Program Coordinator with a copy to the College Honors Director. Realize that the student is responsible for meeting the standard degree requirements after withdrawal from the Program. 12 P a g e

APPENDIX: A 13 P a g e

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APPENDIX: B 18 P a g e

FRESHMAN YEAR Autumn o Complete FAES 1100H o Prepare your Draft Honors Program Curriculum APPENDIX: C CFAES Honors Program & Project Timeline Spring o Submit your Honors Curriculum by the Friday before Spring Break if you have a 3.4 CPHR or better for Admission to CFAES Honors Program SOPHOMORE YEAR Spring o Register for FAES 4590H to be taken in Autumn Semester of your junior year JUNIOR YEAR Autumn o Complete FAES 4590H o Research Proposal Ideas Due at beginning of semester o Research Proposal Draft due at end of semester o Prepare proposal for OARDC Seeds Grants Due beginning of January http://www.oardc.ohiostate.edu/recgp/ Summer o Begin to consider area of research project o Be in contact with Dr. Pat R. Whittington and Research Adviser Spring o Beginning finalizing proposal for submission for Honors Scholarship Competition o Submit Research Project Proposal for Scholarship(s)/Grants Due last Friday of March SENIOR YEAR Start research project no later than beginning of Autumn of Senior Year Enroll in 4999H Honors Project for no more than 6 hours during Senior Year (3 per semester) January o Submit abstract for CFAES Undergraduate Research Forum o Begin writing Research Project Thesis Spring o Submit abstract for Denman o Compete in CFAES Undergraduate Research Forum o Compete in Denman o Finalize Research Project Thesis o Complete Honors Exam (see below) Schedule Honors Exam (3 options) Compete in Denman Oral Exam Present at a Scientific Meeting o o Present Poster at Denman Reviewed by Faculty Committee o o o Schedule exam 2 weeks prior to due date Submit Honors Thesis to Faculty Committee 1 week prior to exam Oral exam ~1 hour in length o Present paper or poster at peer reviewed scientific meeting o Reviewed by Faculty Committee Submit Examination Report and Final Honors Project Thesis to Dr. Whittington and Knowledge Bank (thesis only) no later than the 12 th week of class of Graduating Semester. The Knowledge Bank can be located at: http://library.osu.edu/sites/kbinfo/honors.html. You must register before submitting. 19 P a g e

College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences The Ohio State University 100 Agricultural Administration Building 2120 Fyffe Road Columbus, Ohio 43210-1066 Tel: 614-292-6891 Web: http://cfaes.osu.edu