Honors Program

Purpose

The Honors Program in the College of Human Ecology is designed to provide enriching and challenging educational experiences as recognition for superior undergraduate students.

Objectives

• To recognize students for outstanding academic achievement
• To provide opportunities for increased interaction with faculty and other honors students.
• To provide opportunities for students to enrich their academic experiences.
• To foster an appreciation of and encourage participation in research in human ecology.

Benefits

Participants have the opportunity to:

• enroll in honors sections of courses.
• interact with faculty and graduate students.
• associate with honors students from across campus in courses and lectures.
• gain access to national scholarships, academic awards and seminars.
• design an independent honors project.
• have Honors Program printed on the transcript each semester of enrollment in the Honors Program.
• have Honors Program designated on diploma upon completion of requirements.

Admissions Criteria

Human ecology freshmen who have scored 28 or higher on the ACT test are eligible for membership upon entering K-State. All human ecology students who have completed 12 or more graded hours at K-State with a 3.5 cumulative grade point average shall be invited to join the human ecology honors program. Transfer students who have completed 12 or more graded hours at another institution with a 3.5 GPA shall be invited also. To enter the program, invited students complete an application.

Program Requirements

• Maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA. Any member of the Honors Program whose K-State cumulative GPA falls below 3.50 for two successive semesters will be dropped from the program. Students may apply for reinstatement when their cumulative GPA reaches 3. or above.
• Successfully complete a 2 or 3 credit independent honors project.
• Complete two semesters of service-learning with a member of the Human Ecology faculty.
• Hold a K-State cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50 upon graduation.

Honors Project

Honors students are required to complete a 2 or 3 hour honors project during their junior or senior year. The independent study may involve extensive reading in a selected area, field study, experience with a research project, or participation in an academic activity that will significantly increase the student's knowledge in a particular field. The project should emphasize one of the subject matter area represented in the College of Human Ecology. Each honors student will select a project topic and a faculty supervisor from one of these area:

• Apparel, Textiles and Interior Design
• Hospitality Management and Dietetics
• Human Nutrition
• Family Studies and Human Services
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• Human Ecology and Mass Communications

Honors Program Coordinator

Dr. Briana Nelson Goff
Honors Program Coordinator
Associate Professor and Interim Assistant Dean
College of Human Ecology
Kansas State University
119 Justin Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-1490

University Honors Program

Implementation Plans

1. During the first month of each semester, the Dean's Office will compile a list of participants and students eligible for membership. In addition, the Dean's Office will:
   1. distribute the list of honor students, addresses, majors and advisers to department heads, Advisory Committee members and advisers of eligible students;
   2. invite prospective members and update the membership list;
   3. inform current members of their status regarding continuing membership and honors project enrollment.
2. The college will host a welcome reception for College of Human Ecology honor students during the fall semester.
3. One time a year, honors students will be recognized at a special event. An example would be an evening with the Alumni Fellow in a faculty member's home.
4. The Dean's Office will prepare a memo for Honors Program participants identifying special opportunities to be distributed 1-2 times per semester.
5. Department heads will work with honors students to assist them in securing faculty supervisors for honors projects.
6. Honors project course numbers are the following: AT 499; IDH 499; HMD 499; HN 499; FSHS 300; FSHS 499; DED 420; MC 499.
7. Honors students should expect to devote 80 hours to completing a 2 hour project and 120 to complete a 3 hour project.
8. Honors students are encouraged to complete honors projects during the fall semester to enhance their eligibility for national competitions and for participation in the annual College of Human Ecology Honors Symposium to be held each spring. Projects completed the preceding spring may be considered for the symposium.
9. A selection committee composed of two faculty from Academic Affairs Committee and two faculty from Student Affairs Committee will select outstanding projects for the symposium.
10. Proposed changes in the Honors Program requirements and implementation plans will be submitted to the College of Human Ecology Academic Affairs Committee for review.

Guidelines

Every Semester

• Enroll in DHE 000 to record Honors Program membership.

Freshman & Sophomore

• Enroll in honors sections of courses.
• Earn course credit by examination.
• Register for an academic minor or secondary major.
• Consider options and determine location for service-learning experience.

First Semester Junior

• Read and research potential honors project ideas by reviewing on-going faculty research, industry materials, class topics and internship experiences.
• Discuss ideas with faculty and potential sponsors.
• Participate in service-learning with a member of the faculty.

Second Semester Junior

• Confirm faculty supervisor and determine project parameters.
• Participate in service-learning with a faculty member.

Senior

• Obtain permission to enroll in appropriate problems course for two or three credit hours.
• Finalize enrollment in the course.
• Complete project in consultation with faculty supervisor.
• After completed project has been graded, submit project to honors program coordinator.
• Investigate opportunities for publication or presentation of the project.