Honors Contract for a Regular Course

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Calvin College encourages students of high academic aptitude and initiative to undertake honors work in any course, contingent on the professor’s agreement. To be eligible for honors work in a regular course a student must normally have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher, prior experience in at least one honors or AP course, and the permission of the professor. The specific requirements for honors credit must be negotiated between the student and instructor as early as possible in the course, preferably within the first month. Copies should be retained by both parties to avoid misunderstanding.

Honors work normally involves independent research and/or writing in addition to or instead of the normal requirements of the course. Students are encouraged to propose a specific honors project to their professor. The best honors work results in a “product” that strengthens the student’s aptitudes and makes a substantive addition to her/his portfolio.

Specific requirements are negotiable, but we recommend:

  • at least two conferences between student and professor to plan and discuss the honors work;
  • work that is qualitatively distinctive (by probing the course content more deeply and independently than is expected of others), not merely added reading or writing;
  • opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in the course in ways that might not be required of other students (e.g. by evaluating secondary literature or by laboratory work);
  • opportunity to share the results with the class (e.g. by presentation or web posting);
  • if appropriate, opportunity to serve as the professor’s research or teaching assistant.

STUDENT NAME: ___________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________
Phone & e-mail: _____________________________________________
Major / Program: ____________________________________________
Cumulative GPA: ____________________________________________
Previous honors or AP courses & grades:_________________________

COURSE & SECTION:

REQUIREMENTS for HONORS:
Special reading/research:

Special writing/reporting:

Special meetings with professor:

Method of evaluation:

Minimum grade in class to qualify for honors credit:

SIGNATURES:
Student: _________________________________ Date: ____________

Professor: ________________________________ Date: ____________

(Both parties should keep a copy of this contract. Please send one copy of this form for information to the Honors Program Director, Prof. Ken Bratt, who is also willing to consult with professors about honors contracts—kbratt@calvin.edu).