2008-2009 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2008-2009 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Honors College


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Robert Burns, Dean
OFD 107, 605-688-6361
Box 550, Brookings, SD 57007-1998
E-mail: robert.burns@sdstate.edu

Committee

Distinguished Professor Robert Burns, Dean. Honors College Committee Members: Larry Janssen (ABS), April Brooks (A&S), Kathryn Penrod (E&C), Donna Flint (ENG), Joyce Fjelland (NUR), Chandradhar Dwivedi (PHA), Stuart Anderson (student), Vacancy (FCS, GS).

Program

Graduation with “Honors College Distinction” is earned by completing the requirements listed in the curriculum plan given below. The Honors College is dedicated to supporting the highest quality academic and enrichment opportunities for motivated and academically suited students who seek a high level of rigor and a personalized focus in a program featuring a carefully designed, yet flexible, curriculum and attention to growth experiences outside the classroom. Qualified students are encouraged to enroll in Honors designated sections of general education courses the first semester of their university experience.

Enrollment Requirements for Honors Courses
Qualified students may enroll in general education sections designated as Honors or Honors Colloquia without making formal application to the Honors College. To be eligible for enrollment in an Honors section, a student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students entering as freshmen must rank in the upper 10% of their graduating class or have a score of 27 or higher on the composite ACT or combined SAT at the 90th percentile.

Honors College Continuing Enrollment
Students who wish to progress toward graduation with Honors College Distinction must apply for continued enrollment, generally at the end of the freshman or beginning of the sophomore year. An application form is available from the Honors College Dean.

Graduation with Honors College Distinction
To graduate with Honors College Distinction, a student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher as of the beginning of the semester of graduation. A minimum of 27 Honors credit hours is required including 15 credit hours of Honors general education courses, 3-6 hours of Honors Colloquium, 3-6 credit hours of Honors Independent Studies, and 3-6 hours of Honors upper division contract courses. Credit hours earned in Honors Colloquium and Honors Directed Studies beyond the minimum of 3 credit hours can be applied toward Honors College requirements in lieu of Honors upper division contract course credits.

Honors Courses

  1. Departmental Honors Courses. Departmental Honors courses are departmental general education courses or special sections of departmental courses that have received approval for the Honors course designation.
  2. Honors Orientation (HON 100). Recommended for first semester Honors students.
  3. Honors Colloquia. The Honors Colloquia are semester-long interdisciplinary seminars with reading lists, lectures, discussions, examinations, and/or papers. The colloquia may be used to satisfy electives for the bachelor’s degree and may be taken in any sequence. Each colloquium may be repeated once as the topic and reading lists change. Honors College students are encouraged to take more than the one required colloquium.
  4. Honors Independent Study. In the junior year, Honors College students should propose their independent study projects. The Honors College office will supply a set of instructions. The proposed study must be approved by the University Honors College Committee.

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