The Elementary Education Honors Program is designed to provide exceptional students an opportunity to conduct in-depth exploration and research of topics in education. This program is intended to support the general mission of the University Honors Program with the specific goal of providing students more interaction with faculty, opportunities for undergraduate research, and exposure to research activity expected of graduate programs.
Students who wish to work toward a B.S.Ed. degree with honors in elementary education should discuss the matter with the departmental undergraduate advisor and a representative from the University Honors Program. Lower division honors for freshmen and sophomores is managed by the University Honors Program and can be achieved through the registration for honors courses that are part of general education or major requirements.
Junior and senior elementary education majors can achieve upper-division honors within the program in collaboration between the department and the University Honors Program. For juniors and seniors to be eligible for upper-division honors, they must maintain a 3.20 overall GPA and a minimum 3.20 GPA in courses required in elementary education. Admission to upper-division honors program requires the approval of the departmental undergraduate advisor and a representative of the University Honors Program. Should the student’s GPA fall below the minimum requirements for an academic term, the student must achieve these standards no later than the end of the following semester to remain in the program.
Requirements for earning the elementary education baccalaureate degree “With Upper-Division Honors” include a minimum of 12 semester hours of honors courses numbered 300 or above within the major, including a seminar (outside of the major), and a capstone. The senior capstone counts toward the required hours of honors work and includes an individual research activity with a faculty member. Furthermore, the topic and scope of the independent research activity must be approved by the faculty project advisor and the college honors director. A final report of the activity is filed with both the department and the university honors program. Note: Most department honors courses are not separate courses but rather subsections of regular courses with an enriching experience. The honors student may contract an honors designation of those courses without explicit honors mini-sections.
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