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Engineering Honors Program

Presentation for First-Year Students

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College of Engineering

  • What is Honors?
  • Benefits of Honors
  • Honors Paths
  • Graduation Requirements
  • First Year Requirements
  • Q&A

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Today’s Agenda:

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College of Engineering

The University Honors Program promotes the intellectual and personal development of undergraduate students through an enrich​ed academic experience and integration of curricular and co-curricular programming.

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What is Honors?

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College of Engineering

Students in the Honors program:

  • Can take Honors-level coursework. Honors classes are more challenging and allow students to go deeper into material, are taught by faculty members, and have smaller class sizes.
  • Can work towards graduating with one of two Honors diplomas. Engineering students can graduate with Honors in Engineering, or with Honors Research Distinction
  • Receive the benefit of priority scheduling. Scheduling well ahead of non-Honors peers allows students to create academic schedules which allow you to meet Honors requirements.

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What are the benefits of being in Honors?

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College of Engineering

Honors students in the College of Engineering can pursue 2 different Honors paths:

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Honors Contract Honors Research Distinction

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The 2 Honors Paths

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College of Engineering

The Honors Contract requires students develop a well-rounded portfolio of experiences which demonstrate an ability to succeed in advanced coursework, go above and beyond inside and outside the classroom, develop leadership skills, and volunteer in the community.

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Honors Contract

Schedule A:

Coursework

18 credit hours

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Schedule B:

Investigational Studies

Minor, internship, research, study abroad

Schedule C:

Leadership/Service

Officer in student org

Volunteering

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College of Engineering

The Honors Research Distinction path does not require students complete the Honors Contract Requirements. Rather, students work with a faculty member on a research project over multiple semesters. This project culminates in a thesis and oral defense.

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Honors Research Distinction

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College of Engineering

Honors Contract

  • With Honors in Engineering

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Honors Research Distinction

  • With Honors Research Distinction in Mechanical Engineering

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Latin Honors

  • > 3.5 GPA: Cum Laude
  • > 3.7 GPA: Magna Cum Laude
  • > 3.9 GPA: Summa Cum Laude

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Diploma Designations

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College of Engineering

Honors Contract Yearly Benchmarks

Year 1

  • Read the Honors Contract and Research Distinction Info Packets
  • Complete the Staying in Honors Quiz (on the Engineering Advising website)
  • Submit Contract in Honors Contract Portal
  • Schedule A: complete 6 credit hours (6 points)
  • Earn a 3.4 CPHR or higher at the end of spring semester

Year 2

  • Schedule A: complete 3 additional credit hours (9 points total)
  • Schedule C: complete 2 points of Volunteer Service (20 hours)
  • Earn a 3.4 CPHR or higher at the end of spring semester

Year 3

  • Schedule A: complete 3 additional credit hours (12 points total)
  • Schedule C: complete 2 additional points of Volunteer Service (20 hours)
  • Earn a 3.4 CPHR or higher at the end of spring semester

Year 4

  • Complete all requirements of the Honors Contract by 2nd Friday of graduating semester:
    • Schedule A: 18 points
    • Schedule B: 15 points
    • Schedule C: 12 points
      • Minimum 6 points Leadership and 6 points Volunteer Service
    • 5 points float between Schedules B and C to reach 50 points total
  • Submit final verifications for contract experiences no later than the 2nd Friday of your graduating semester
  • Earn a final CPHR of 3.4 or higher

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College of Engineering

Honors Research Distinction Yearly Benchmarks

Year 1

  • Read the Honors Contract and Research Distinction Info Packets
  • Complete the Staying in Honors Quiz (on the Engineering Advising website)
  • Declare intent to do research by emailing Mike at Knisley.33@osu.edu
  • Earn a 3.4 CPHR or higher at the end of spring semester

Year 2

  • Attend an undergraduate research forum
  • Submit a paper outlining your research interests, potential project topics, and potential faculty member advisors
  • Earn a 3.4 CPHR or higher at the end of spring semester

Year 3

  • Submit your research proposal
  • Earn a 3.4 CPHR or higher at the end of spring semester

Year 4

  • Take 6 credit hours of research coursework
  • Complete Enhanced Honors Experience
  • Present at an undergraduate research forum
  • Write thesis
  • Defend thesis
  • Submit thesis
  • Earn a final CPHR of 3.4 or higher

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College of Engineering

  1. Visit the Engineering Advising Website:

https://advising.engineering.osu.edu/

  1. Read the Honors Contract Info Packet
  2. Read the Research Distinction Info Packet
  3. Complete the Staying in Honors Quiz (not due until end of Spring Semester)
  4. If you are thinking about doing an Honors Contract, be sure to schedule accordingly for Spring Semester

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What should I be doing NOW?

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College of Engineering

  1. Visit the Engineering Advising Website:

https://advising.engineering.osu.edu/

  1. Read the Honors Contract Info Packet
  2. Read the Research Distinction Info Packet
  3. Complete the Staying in Honors Quiz
  4. Have a 3.4 GPA
  5. Honors Contract:

Submit in Honors Contract Portal

Complete 6 credit hours of Honors classes

Honors Research Distinction:

Declare research intent by emailing Mike at Knisley.33@osu.edu

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Year 1 Requirements:

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College of Engineering

  • You can switch between the Honors Contract and Honors Research Distinction at any time
  • You can log into the Honors Contract Portal at any time to update your plan
  • When you complete an Honors Contract experience (internship, study abroad, volunteering, leadership role in student org, etc.) you need to verify it by the end of the semester.
  • You verify experiences by having a supervisor or faculty/staff advisor email Stephanie at rinehart.232@osu.edu confirming you completed the experience. For example:
  • “Dear Stephanie, this letter is to confirm Brutus Buckeye’s position as fundraising chair for the Engineering Student Alumni Organization. He held this position during the 2022-2023 academic year and organized the annual 5K charity run in spring 2023.”
  • If not verified at the end of the semester you completed the activity, the absolute latest you can verify Honors Contract experiences is the 2nd Friday of your graduating semester

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A few more details:

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College of Engineering

This is confusing – who can help me?

224 Bolz Hall

Engineering Academic Success and Engagement (EASE) office in OnCourse

Honors Research

Mike Knisley

Knisley.33@osu.edu

Honors Contract

Stephanie Rinehart

Rinehart.232@osu.edu

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College of Engineering

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Questions