University Honors & Undergraduate Research Program

Honors contracts are an opportunity to enhance course learning and explore research skills as part of a student’s coursework. Students work with faculty members in their enrolled courses to do an independent assignment that supplements their regular coursework.

By completing Honors contracts, students can explore related specific topics of a class that is of particular interest or engage in a deeper examination of the course. Through contracts, students develop critical thinking, writing, and other skills.

With the approval of the course instructor, almost any academic class can be contracted for Honors credit. Students should consider the following when deciding on an Honors Contract:

1. Interest in the subject matter, since you will be doing extra research and writing
   1. Be creative about the topic or work you would like to explore during the course of the class.
2. Check in with the professor to see if an Honors contract is acceptable in their class.
   1. The project should:
      1. Focus on enriching your learning and skills in terms of depth and/or complexity, through the use of higher cognitive abilities of analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and creation.
      2. Promote an avenue for faculty mentorship through regularly scheduled meetings to check in on project
      3. Include a clear mode of assessment or evaluation expectations
3. Ability to do well in the overall class, since a minimum of a B is required to earn Honors credit.

The time/workload is usually about 10% more than that of a standard student. In a 3 CR class, for example, students attend class and complete readings, projects, papers, and study time totaling about 150 hours during the semester, so an Honors Contract should be about 15 hours of additional work—just an hour a week.

Due to the time commitment, students may complete no more than two contracts in a semester

Types of Honors Contracts 

Honors contracts relate and supplement regular course material at a more advanced level, which accounts for the additional time that students are expected to spend on these projects. The goal of contracts is for students to synthesize, create something new, or analyze ideas from a unique perspective. An Honors contract must have an end-product of which can include analytical reports, presentations, multimedia campaigns, among others.

1. Supplementary project or activity
   1. Conduct individual research project related to course topic and produce a final report or product
   2. Assist faculty with research related to course topic (must have a final product or reflection on collaboration)
   3. Orchestrate/produce an event related to course topic
   4. Prepare and present a class lecture Experiential learning project related to course
2. Extension of current course assignment
   • Essay, presentation, or research paper of greater length or complexity

Contract Process Overview 

1.  At the start of the semester, talk with your professor about being a UHURP student and ask if they are willing to offer an Honors contract.
   1. Sample emails are provided on Blackboard as an initial outreach template.
   2. After you have made contact with your faculty, meet with them to discuss a possible project. During meetings, students and faculty collaborate to design appropriate activities that meet a high standard as part of being an Honor student.
2. Discuss what the activities/tasks for your contract will entail. Remember that you should do about 15 hours of additional work throughout the semester.
3. Complete with your instructor the Honors Contract by the third week of class.
4. Submit your Honors Contract Form to our Blackboard Dropbox. Wait for approval decision to start working on your project, this can take up to 3 business days.
   • The UHURP staff will review your contract proposal and evaluate it as Approved, Approved with Minor Revisions, Needs Revisions, or Not Approved. Criteria for proposal includes clarity, academic relevance, and quality.
5. At the end of the semester, have faculty complete the Honors Contract Assessment Form. Form must be submitted alongside your final product to the UHURP Blackboard Group.
   • Reminder: you must pass the class with a B to receive Honors credit.