Faculty Resources

The Honors Program is dedicated to working with our faculty to provide an Honors experience for the students. The purpose of the Honors Program is to challenge students to go above and beyond* by fostering intellectual curiosity. The faculty on this campus helps us accomplish this. 

*Above and beyond is defined as students stretching and reaching beyond the norms of the classroom or project.

What is an H-option?

  • An H-option is a small, independent project that moves an Honors student above and beyond the course.
  • An H-option should add value to both the Honors student’s pathway and the course.
  • To start the discussion with a faculty member, an Honors student should come prepared with an idea of a project or topic.
  • A faculty member should consider any project with a clear, defined outcome that a hard-working Honors student can complete, satisfactorily, in 15 to 20 hours of time outside of class.
  • Faculty members are not required to do H-options; depending on the project, the Honors student or faculty member may decide it is not a good fit for the class.
  • H-options can happen inside or outside of the course.

H-option outcomes and timeline

  • Appropriate outcomes for an H-option are a paper (all types, dependent on field), presentation (audience can be variable depending on topic), exhibit, performance, poster, peer-faculty discussion, peer-led discussion, lab report, analysis, observation combined with reporting, portfolio, video, works of art, design mock-up, etc.
  • An H-option contract is due to the Honors office by Week 6 of the fall/spring semesters. The Honors student is responsible for submitting this contract. In summer, this contract will be due by the 1st week of a summer course.
    • An H-option contract describes the work to be completed. The faculty mentor will be sent a copy immediately on submission.
  • The Honors student and faculty member should agree on a timeline; the course H-option, ideally, should be completed before finals week.
    • Exceptions can be made if the student is to deliver an outcome during finals week.

Including H-options on the syllabus:

  • If a faculty member wants to include the H-option in the syllabus, the H-option can be up to 10%of the student's grade.
    • 10% is the maximum; 5% is the minimum.
  • If a faculty member wants to use a rigorous grading methodology on the H-option, the Honors student should obtain a B or above.

H-option Examples by Subject