Teach Honors
The Honors College seeks to not only improve and enrich the experience of our students, but also the experience of our faculty. Faculty members frequently herald the Honors teaching experience as the most enjoyable type of classroom experience. The classes are smaller, the students tend to be more engaged and faculty are given the latitude to experiment with new topics, methods and pedagogies.
There are numerous ways to engage academically in the Honors community. Suggesting an Honors version of an existing class in your department is an excellent way to not only engage with academically talented students, but to recruit these stellar students into your department. For those units that may not have the ability to offer stand-alone Honors sections, the Honors variant is an appealing alternative. The Honors variant enables a small group of Honors students to follow an Honors version of the syllabus while still participating alongside their non-Honors peers. Other faculty members may wish to propose an Honors topics course, available as 1.5-credit modules or 3-credit courses. Honors topics courses offer faculty an opportunity to teach courses in their area of expertise.
Beyond teaching an Honors course, faculty may engage with Honors students by volunteering as an honors faculty mentor through an Honors Independent Study. The Honors Independent study affords honors students the opportunity to participate more fully in the scholarly process of inquiry. In addition, faculty members may provide a valuable service by agreeing to oversee an Honors contract. The Honors contract option enables students to delve more deeply into the material presented in a non-honors class. By partnering with a faculty member, the student is able to identify areas of further study and the criteria to ensure the work is Honors caliber.
Please remember that all courses offered as Honors require a proposal and must be approved by the Honors College. Faculty members may submit proposals for modules, sections of existing courses and specialized courses that integrate the challenging and stimulating environment of the Honors College. To submit a proposal, please visit the Honors application portal; you will need your eID and password in order to access the application. Please be prepared to provide a course description, a draft of the syllabus, and an email or signed letter from your department chair documenting their support of your teaching this Honors course.
Proposal Deadlines
Fall Semester: January 15
Spring Semester & Intersession: June 1
Summer: January 10
Example: If you would like to propose a class for fall 2022, the proposal is due by January 15, 2022.
Example: If you would like to propose a class for spring 2023, the proposal is due by June 1, 2022
Example: If you would like to propose a class for summer 2022, the proposal is due by January 10, 2022.
Teaching an Honors version of an existing VCU course is an excellent way to engage academically talented students in the major. Instructors may wish to cover more material, go into greater depth, and converse with students at a level more commonly seen in graduate courses. Teaching an Honors section allows instructors to do just that.
Please remember that all courses offered as Honors require a proposal and must be approved by the Honors College. Faculty members may submit proposals for modules, sections of existing courses and specialized courses that integrate the challenging and stimulating environment of the Honors College. To submit a proposal, please visit the Honors application portal; you will need your eID and password in order to access the application. Please be prepared to provides a course description, a draft of the syllabus, and an email or signed letter from your department chair documenting their support of your teaching this Honors course.
If a department would like to offer an Honors section of an existing course on a regular basis, the department should work with the Associate Director of Academic Affairs to ensure that the Honors course “rolls over” each year. A new proposal is typically only required if a unit plans to make significant changes to how an Honors section is taught.
The deadline for new fall proposals is November 1 of the preceding year. The deadline for new intersession and spring course proposals is May 15 of the preceding year. The deadline for new summer course proposals is August 1 of the preceding year. For example, if you would like to propose a class for fall 2023, the proposal form is due by November 1, 2022.
Honors modules are designed to give students a brief but intense study of unique, interdisciplinary topics. These classes (typically five weeks long) reflect the particular talents and interests of the instructor, and students earn 1.5 credit hours per course.
Please remember that all courses offered as Honors require a proposal and must be approved by the Honors College. Faculty members may submit proposals for modules, sections of existing courses and specialized courses that integrate the challenging and stimulating environment of the Honors College. To submit a proposal, visit the Honors application portal; you will need your eID and password in order to access the application. Please be prepared to provides a course description, a draft of the syllabus, and an email or signed letter from your department chair documenting their support of your teaching this Honors course.
Proposal Deadlines
Fall Semester: December 1
Spring Semester/Intersession: June 1
Summer: August 1
Example: If you would like to propose a class for fall 2022, the proposal is due by December 1, 2021.
Example: If you would like to propose a class for spring 2023, the proposal is due by June 1, 2022.
Example: If you would like to propose a class for summer 2022, the proposal is due by August 1, 2021.
The Honors College faculty and staff are dedicated to developing a unique program of courses that challenges and stimulates students while encouraging open discussion and individual responsibility. However, at times it may be appropriate for an Honors student to convert a non-honors course into Honors. This process is achieved by working closely with a faculty mentor to develop an honors plan of study. The student and faculty member collaborate to adjust the standard class syllabus into an Honors version that includes more advanced work. The honors work associated with the class may be done in lieu of regular assignments or could be completed in addition to the regular assignments. Student and the instructor should determine and specify on the course contract what percentage of the final grade this honors caliber work will comprise. No more than six of the total credit hours required for graduation with honors may be taken as contract courses.
Students are instructed to first discuss the idea with their Honors advisors. They are then instructed to approach a faculty member to request that he or she work with the student to make the class honors-caliber. The Honors College fully supports the decision of a faculty member to decline. Although we hope that faculty members can occasionally find the time to work individually with a student within the context of an existing course, we understand that time may not permit. The Honors College also recognizes that some classes may not be appropriate for this course-conversion process.
Review the Contract Etiquette Guide, or view the audio tutorial, for insight into the contract process with the Honors student.
If you have any questions or would like examples of prior approved contracts, contact Senior Associate Dean in the Honors College Jacqueline Smith-Mason, Ph.D. or call 804-828-1803.
Please note that course contracts are not allowed for any of the core Honors curriculum courses (e.g., PHIL230, POLI365). In addition, because summer courses are considerably compressed due to time constraints, they are not eligible for the Honors course contract option.
Beyond teaching an Honors course, faculty may engage with Honors students by volunteering as an Honors faculty mentor through an Honors Independent Study. The Honors Independent study affords honors students to go everyone the role of a research assistant and participate more fully in the scholarly process of inquiry. In addition, faculty members may provide a valuable service by agreeing to oversee an Honors contract. The Honors contract option enables students to delve more deeply into the material presented in a non-Honors class. By partnering with a faculty member, the student is able to identify areas of further study and the criteria to ensure the work is Honors caliber.
The Honors Independent study (HONR 492) provides an opportunity for Honors students to learn more about a specific topic of interest that is not included among existing VCU course offerings. Study is conducted under the guidance of a VCU faculty mentor who assists in planning and implementing the course of study. The independent study topic is selected in consultation with the academic advisor to ensure that the proposed course of study is relevant to the student's educational goals.
The number of independent study credit hours for a single HONR 492 course may range from one to four credits. The number of credits are determined by the student’s advisor and the dean of the Honors College. Any single independent study class may not exceed four credit hours. Honors students may not register for more than nine total credits of HONR 492. Independent study credits may count toward graduation with University Honors.
Students are instructed to speak with an Honors advisor about the process before reaching out to faculty members. Once an appropriate topic is identified, students may request that you oversee and evaluate their work. It is important to note that the Honors Independent Study is designed to provide students the opportunity to pursue their own research questions, not to assist with the research of another. Although some major departments offer independent study for serving as a lab or research assistant, earning Honors Independent Study credit requires students to take ownership of the research process.
The role of the faculty mentor is to guide the student in the study of the topic, meeting with the student to discuss progress, working with the student’s Honors advisor as needed to develop criteria for evaluating the student’s work, and communicating the grade for the course to the Honors dean. The faculty mentor must agree to be available to the student throughout the duration of the course. The Honors College fully supports the decision of a faculty member to decline. The Honors College recognizes that faculty members may not have time or may feel unable to evaluate the student's proposed course of study.
Any assignments required for the project must be submitted to a faculty mentor at least two weeks prior to the end of the semester. The structure of the assignments will depend on the type of project and must be determined in detail as part of the proposal process. The faculty mentor will determine the grade for the course based on the evaluation criteria stated in the independent study proposal. To obtain credit and a grade for the independent study, students must submit the outcome materials specified in the proposal to a faculty mentor. The faculty mentor will determine the final grade and communicate that grade via official VCU email to the Honors dean, who serves as the instructor of record for all HONR 492 courses.
Review the HONR Independent Study audio tutorial for insight into the proposal process with the Honors student.
The Honors College Internship (HONR 493) provides an opportunity for honors students to engage in experiential learning. It is designed to provide students with real-world experience in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. The internship is conducted under the guidance of an employer who assists in planning and implementing the internship along with the approval of the Senior Associate Dean of the Honors College, Dr. Jacqueline Smith-Mason.
The internship is selected by the student in consultation with their academic advisor to ensure that the proposed internship is relevant to their educational goals.
Internship Options
Pre-Approved internships listed on Handshake
- This option has been constructed and coordinated with an employer.
- It can be completed for the experience or for HONR 493 credit.
- Faculty or employers who work with Honors students wanting HONR 493 credit for the internship need to make sure that the student completes all of the tasks required for the internship and sign off on the hours worked.
External Internships
- Students find and apply for these internships independently. They are not already affiliated with the Honors College.
- Students pursuing external internships for HONR 493 credit need to consult with Jared Johnson, Coordinator of Academic Affairs, to discuss the requirements for the written proposal in order to avoid any complications.
- Any faculty or employer working with an Honors student who wishes to complete an external internship for HONR 493 credit must assist the student with the construction of the internship proposal.
- Review the instruction guide to help facilitate the construction of the internship proposal for HONR 493 credit.The student is solely responsible for writing the proposal; however, they will need to write it in consultation with the employer.
- Once the proposal is accepted, the Senior Associate Dean will reach out to the student about their requirements for the course.
- Review the instruction guide for the requirements expected of students and employers.
Internship Policies & Notes
- HONR 493 is graded pass/fail.
- The Honors College Senior Associate Dean will determine the grade for the course based on the evaluation received from the employer.
- Students must work 50 hours for every credit hour of HONR 493 credit.
- Review the HONR 493: Internship audio tutorial for insight into the proposal process for students submitting a proposal for an external internship.
Faculty and employers can reach out to Mr. Jared Johnson with questions regarding facilitating HONR 493 internship options for students.
Prospective Employers
We are seeking future partnerships with employers in the RVA area to provide our students with a variety of internship experiences. Our students greatly enjoy experiences which engage them in opportunities to help address issues facing RVA in alignment with the Capital Regional Collaborative. Additionally, employers also find working with our Honors students to be very rewarding due to our students' work ethic, problem solving, and communication skills.
If you are a current employer and are interested in establishing an internship pipeline with the Honors College, please fill out our Employer Internship Proposal form.