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Honors Option Contract
Overview
Honors education is characterized by in-class and extracurricular activities that are measurably broader, deeper, or more complex than comparable learning experiences typically found at institutions of higher education. Honors experiences include a distinctive learner-directed environment and philosophy, provide opportunities that are appropriately tailored to fit the institution's culture and mission, and frequently occur within a close community of students and faculty.
The Honors Option allows eligible students to earn honors credit in courses not specifically designated as “Honors.” It is activated when a student and an instructor draw up an agreement specifying work the student should do to earn honors credit.The student, instructor, and honors director approve the contract, and upon successful completion, the student receives an “Honors” designation for the course on his or her transcript. Honors Option courses count toward the five courses required to graduate in the Honors Program.
The Honors Option Contract is submitted using an online form available on the Honors Program page on the college website. At the end of the semester, the director asks the instructor to confirm that the project has been completed. If the agreement has been satisfied, the director informs the registrar’s office that the student should receive honors credit for the course. This designation will appear on the student's transcript midway through the next semester. Students must apply for membership in the Honors Program before submitting an Honors Option Contract.
In addition to successful completion of the honors option project, a grade of no less than B for the regular course work is necessary to earn the honors designation. The project should not be included in determining the final grade for the course, and, in cases where the contract is not fulfilled, the student can still receive regular credit for the course without penalty.
The Honors Option should allow students to pursue their intellectual interests and gain more knowledge about topics related to the course while fostering one-to-one interactions among faculty and students. Some examples of course enrichment for Honors Options are listed below. In addition to these, there are many other possibilities.
- A research paper
- A persuasive or reflective essay
- Additional experiments in a laboratory
- Written reviews of books or professional journal articles
- An oral presentation to the class or another appropriate audience
- A video, website, or web-based presentation
- Additional creative artistry
- A service-learning activity that is connected to the course's academic content
- A design project
In each case, the project should culminate in the production of some sort of “deliverable” that consists of—or is accompanied by —at least 1200 words of writing and appropriate academic documentation. This deliverable form of the project must be uploaded and shared using the student’s Canvas ePortfolio. More information on the ePortfolio can be found through the Honors Office, or the Canvas Honors Program course site.
The deadline to submit the Honors Option Contract is the end of the fourth week of the semester.
Eligibility
One of the following requirements must be met to enter the Honors program:
- 3.0 or greater Grade Point Average at Delgado or other college
- 3.5 or greater Grade Point Average from High School
- 22 or greater ACT and/or 1100 or greater SAT scores
- 113 or greater ACCUPLACER score
- Evidence of exceptional leadership or service
Online Contract Submission
Please use the online form linked below to submit your Honors Option Contract.
For more information or assistance with the online application or contract, please contact Prof. Steven Edwards at sedwar@dcc.edu or (504) 671-6373.