Graduating with
Honors
Students must satisfy all program requirements to become a candidate for graduation with an Honors designation. Please note that the assessment of your candidacy does not happen until after the end of the semester in which you graduate. This is usually, and ideally, the same semester you complete your thesis. If not, the Honors Program will defer the assessment of your thesis until you are ready to graduate.
The requirements are:
1. Twelve (12) credits of required courses: two upper division seminars (HON 491 Junior Seminar; HON 495 Introduction to Research) of three credits each; and two sections of supervised research or creative work (HON 496 Senior Honors Project) equivalent to six credits. In some cases waivers may be allowed or alternative coursework/experience may substitute for these requirements with prior agreement by the Director of the Honors Program.
2. Maintain an average GPA of at least 3.0 in their major and in their junior-senior years, with at least one of those averages in the top 25% of the graduating class from their college (see table below).
3. Give two public oral and poster presentations: one of a proposal for Senior Honors Project and one of the completed Senior Honors Project. Presentations may be given at the Fall Forum or Spring Symposium sponsored by the Honors Program, or at a national academic or professional conference. In case of the latter, documentary evidence of your participation will be required.
4. Submit to the Honors Program by the published due date: one bound copy of your Senior Honors Project observing the specific page length and formatting requirements as published by the Honors Program:
5. Submit to the Honors Program by the last day of exams in the semester of graduation, the following supplementary materials (for an explanation of these requirements see below):
-digital copy of your Senior Honors Project
-digital copy of an abstract of your Senior Honors Project (1 page single
spaced)
-digital copy of your final poster presented at the Fall Forum or Spring
Symposium (PDF original or JPEG photo of your display)
-academic Curriculum Vitae (CV)
-personal statement on “My Experience in Honors” (max. 500 words)
-completed Exit Survey
-information for "Recent Graduates" on Honors Program webpage
These digital files must be submitted on a CD or DVD in standard file format (PDF preferred).
Note: The personal statement and survey are confidential and not formally evaluated for the degree, but are used for program assessment purposes.
For explanation of these requirements see below.
The GPA requirement
You must average at least 3.0 in both your major and in your junior-senior years at UHM. Moreover, one of those two averages must be at least as high as that of the top 25% of the graduating class in your college (i.e. either the class as you enter the Program or the one you grad with, whichever is lower). As a rough guide, here are the top quartiles for August 1, 2008.
|
College |
GPA top 25% |
|
Arts & Sciences |
3.52 |
|
Business Administration |
3.56 |
|
Education |
3.87 |
|
Engineering |
3.41 |
|
Medicine |
3.53 |
|
Nursing |
3.67 |
|
SHAPS |
3.65 |
|
Social Work |
3.61 |
|
SOEST |
3.20 |
|
Travel Industry Management |
3.22 |
|
Trop. Agriculture & HRD |
3.38 |
Evaluation of Honors Candidacy
The evaluation of a candidacy for Honors consists of the following elements, each explained in more detail below:
1. Written evaluations of the student's performance by instructor in HON 495 or
equivalent course.
2. Written evaluation of the Senior Honors Project made by a committee
comprised of the faculty advisor and at least two other faculty members.
3. Evaluations of poster and oral presentation of the Senior Honors Project
by faculty judges.
4. Evaluation of candidate's engagement in campus and community as
demonstrated by the CV
Emphasis is place upon the thesis (about 2/3) .
Candidates for the Honors degree will be evaluated by the Honors Council which will determine which of the designations will be awarded: "No Honors," "Honors," "High Honors," "Highest Honors."
The appropriate designation appears on a diploma made especially for graduating honors students as well as on the transcript and gives an excellent indication to prospective employers, graduate programs, and professional schools of a student's willingness and ability to accept a challenge beyond the ordinary. Honors students are also given a special notice in the Commencement Program and a gold cord to wear with their gowns.
1. Written Evaluations of HON 495
HON 495 is taken for CR/NC and instructors submit written evaluations for each student on their written work, presentations and class participation. An explanation of our grading philosophy is provided in the document “Grading policy for HON 491 and HON 495.” Detailed comments are accompanied by a summary assessment of "No Honors," "Honors," "High Honors," "Highest Honors."
2. Written Evaluations of Senior Honors Project
The Senior Honors Project is assessed by a committee consisting of the project advisor and two readers. The committee reviews a final draft of the Project and makes its assessment in a written reported submitted to the Honors Council. If appropriate, the committee may use the rubric, “Evaluation of Senior Honors Project,” provided by the Honors Program. Detailed comments are accompanied by a summary assessment of "No Honors," "Honors," "High Honors," "Highest Honors."
Please note that in the case where the student’s project is also part of the requirement for the degree in a major, such as in Global Environmental Studies and History, the project must satisfy the department before it can be considered for Honors.
3. Evaluations of poster and oral presentation of the Senior Honors Project
Poster and oral presentations are evaluated by faculty judges according to a rubric that is used at the Spring Symposium and Fall Forum. Detailed comments are accompanied by a summary assessment of "No Honors," "Honors," "High Honors," "Highest Honors." Students must submit their posters in digital format as part of the graduating requirements. The poster may be used to in assessment of the degree.
4. Engagement
Students completing the Honors Program and earning Honors degree should display exemplary qualities in scholarship, be engaged in leadership and service on campus and in the community, and be committed to excellence in their personal development. Students are expected to provide evidence of their engagement in the CV.
Explanation of documents to provide to the Honors Program
An academic Curriculum Vitae contains more detail about educational qualifications and experience than a typical resume, and it serves the purpose of documenting your qualifications for graduate school or academic employment.
Since the Honors Council may use your CV in assessing your candidacy, and since the Honors Program may use it for program evaluation purposes, we ask that you provide a CV in a standardized form and format.
For guidance in preparing a CV tailored to your particular professional needs, you may wish to consult the following sources:
UHL (2007) Graduate & Professional School Information: Writing an Academic resume. http://www.unl.edu/careers/grad/acadresume.shtml
Kuther, T. (2008) Writing Your Curriculum Vitae. About.com: graduate school. http://gradschool.about.com/od/curriculumvita/Writing_Your_Curriculum_Vitae.htm
Pontow, R. (2005) Resume writing tips for preparing a curriculum vitae. http://www.free-resume-tips.com/resumetips/curriclm.html
Colorado College (nd) Guide to curriculum vitae. http://www.coloradocollege.edu/careercenter/publications/pdfs/Curriculum%20Vitae.pdf
2. The personal statement (max. 500 words)
In your personal statement on “My Experience in Honors,” we hope that you will frankly discuss both what you have gained from your time in the Honors Program and how you contributed to the Honors Program. We hope to learn from your perspective and we want to use what you have written as the basis of discussion about our mission and how well we attain it.
3. Exit survey or exit interview
All graduates must complete an exit survey and/or attend an exit interview with the Director of the Honors Program before the Honors Council meets to determine the award of Honors degree, usually about two weeks following the official end of the semester. You will be asked to reflect on your academic training and personal development while in the Honors Program. The information you provide is strictly confidential and is is not used to assess you personally. It provides us with useful feedback that we can use for evaluation and assessment purposes.
Please complete the survey form and send it or bring it to the Director of the Honors Program. Please make an appointment to drop off your materials and pick up your cord for Commencement.
Exit survey (MS Word Doc)
4. Information for "Recent Graduates" on Honors Program webpage
We would like to include some information about you on our webpage on Recent Graduates. Please fill out the form and, if you are willing, please also provide us with a recent photograph. You can send updates any time that you like and we would be happy to include these in your bio.
Information Form (MS Word Doc)
Commencement
Once you have submitted the required documents and/or met with the Director of the Honors Program, you will be issued the Honors cord that you will wear at the Commencement ceremony. As an Candidate for the Honors Degree, you will be listed in the Commencement Program as such, and will be asked to rise to receive acknowledgement during the Ceremony. According to long-standing tradition your name will be read individually, though at Spring Commencement, which it is typically larger, you may receive only group acknowledgement on the pretext that the mention of your individual names is too time-consuming.
