FAQs
General Information
Am I eligible?
At the beginning of each semester, emails are sent to each eligible student. The requirements are 12 credit hours and a GPA of 3.25. If you do not meet these requirements but wish to do an Honors project, you may talk to a faculty member and see if they will recommend you, and you can do a project.
How do I participate?
Approach a faculty member (one with which you are currently taking a course) about doing an Honors Project with them. Together, determine the scope and depth of the project and follow the directions on the Application Form page. During the semester, work on your project and complete it, and your faculty advisor will give you a grade.
What are the deadlines?
The deadlines for the application and for dropping the Honors Section are given in Deadlines.
Why should I participate?
The best answer is personal satisfaction. Completing an Honors Project will enhance your education at CCRI and allow you to work with members of the faculty who you normally wouldn't be able to work with. It won't hurt your transcript either, since all Honors Courses are listed on your transcript. Participating in the Honors Program will enhance your transfer appeal to other universities. In addition, if you complete four Honors Projects, you become an Honors Program Graduate, an honor recognized at graduation and during the awards ceremony, and noted on your transcript (and it looks good on your resume!). Also, participating in the Honors Forum will give you similar benefits.
Can I do an Honors Project in any of my classes?
Yes! You can do an Honors Project in any class that you find interesting and want to investigate in more depth. The class does not need to be in your major, or during the day, or with a full-time faculty member.
What is an Honors Program graduate?
A graduating individual who completed at least four honors projects. Honors Program graduates get special recognition at awards night and graduation.
What is the Honors Forum?
The Honors Forum is a showcase of Honors Projects at the end of each Spring semester. It is a chance for you to present and show off your Honors Project that you put so much time into.
Why should I participate in the Honors Forum?
First of all, you get to display the hard work that you did on your Honors Project over the course of the semester. It gives you a good opportunity and practice to learn to present your ideas to others and discuss and defend them. You can see what other students did as well. Also, participation is a good addition to your resume.
Who do I contact with questions?
Please contact the Honors Coordinators with any questions you may have. We are here to help you! Email is generally the best way to get hold of us.
Application
Is it possible to do an independent study with Honors?
Yes. Sometimes students want to do a project with a professor they are not currently taking classes from, and sometimes students want to do a project that is well above and beyond the regular Honors requirements. In either case, you can sign up for an independent study course with a faculty member, where you create a whole new course. Remember, though, that you will be expected to do the extra work required of 1 or 2 or 3 or more credits. To do this, you will need to complete an independent study application and a separate Honors application to do an Honors project with that independent study.
How do I fill out the application form?
The directions are given under Application Form.
Can I turn in the application late?
No, the application deadline is set so all the paperwork can be done in time.
Can I mail, scan or fax in the application?
No. Applications will go through DocuSign.
School Paperwork
What if I change my mind during the semester and don’t want to do an honors project?
You must let the Honors Program Coordinators know before the "last day to withdraw and receive a W" as designated by the registrar each semester (listed in Deadlines). If you do not let the coordinators know before this date, you will need to officially petition the college to drop the honors portion of the class.
Do I need to pay extra tuition because of the extra 0.5 credit?
No, the 0.5 credit for each honors project is a gift from the College and does not count towards tuition payment. However, if you do an independent study course and attach the Honors project to that, you will need to pay for the independent study course, since it is signing up for another class.
Once my application is approved, what happens?
Students receive a completed copy once approved. The coordinators will then send completed and approved applications to the registrar, who will create and add you to a new 0.5 credit Honors course. Because of these steps involved, it might take until after mid-term grades for the changes in your course to be reflected on your schedule on MyCCRI.
Do I get a separate grade for the honors portion of the class?
Yes. You will receive 2 grades, one for your normal classwork, and one for your Honors project.
What happens if I transfer?
The CCRI Honors Program has articulation agreements with the RIC and the URI Honors Programs. You may be accepted into their honors program, provided a portfolio assessment.
Projects
How much time should the project take me?
Using the extra 0.5 credits as a guideline, you should spend about 20 hours on your project. Most students spend more time on their project. This means that you cannot do your project the night before it is due or even during the last week. It is something you should work on throughout the semester.
What are some project formats people have done?
Examples of project formats include but are not restricted to research papers, PowerPoint presentations, poster presentations, displays of artwork, teaching lesson plans, computer programs, lab experiments and write-ups, evaluation of survey results, etc. You can use any format, provided it is appropriate for the project you are doing. We strongly encourage you to participate in the Honors Forum at the end of the Spring semester.
What are some example projects?
Some example projects are listed in example projects.
What are some examples of projects that have been rejected?
Not many projects are rejected, and those that are rejected are generally given advice on how to change the project so it can be approved. For example, for an Honors project, a student wanted to tutor other members of his class. While this is a wonderful thing to do, it is not a significant academic undertaking. It was suggested that the student research ways to learn the material and write a manual on how to better study and learn the subject for the class.
Can I do one project for two courses?
Each Honors project must be its own project, with a separate final product. However, you can have a project that continues from one semester to the next, as long as there is a final product for each individual Honors project.
Other Questions
How do I know if my project is approved?
Students receive a completed copy once approved through DocuSign.
How many honors projects can I do per semester?
You can do up to two honors projects during the Spring and Fall semesters. During the Summer semester, you can do one project per session.
Can I do a project without a faculty advisor?
No, you need a faculty advisor.
What if my professor doesn’t want to participate?
This can happen as many professors do not feel they can devote enough time to you to make your project worthwhile. Although not ideal, it is possible to have a faculty advisor who is not your professor. So, if this happens, you can ask your professor for a recommendation of another professor who they think might do it, or you can ask the department chair for any recommendations.
Can I do a honors project in a summer course?
Yes! However, because of the compressed schedule, you need to be sure to start at the beginning of your course. The application is due on Monday of the second week of classes.
What happens if I don’t complete the project?
If you talk with your professor, you may be able to arrange to receive an incomplete for the Honors class. This way, you will have the opportunity to finish the project on your own time. Standard college rules for an incomplete apply. However, if you do not talk to your professor because you did not satisfy the requirements for the Honors project, your professor may instead give you an F or W. It is important to keep in contact with your advising professor!
Are there any recognitions of my work?
The Honors courses you have completed are noted on your transcript. If you do four Honors Projects, you will be an Honors Program Graduate and get a special medallion and recognition during the awards ceremony and for graduation. Participants in the Honors Forum receive a certificate of recognition. You can list all this on your resume.
Can I publish my honors work?
Yes, There are several honors journals in which undergraduate students at CCRI can submit their honors work for publication. Each journal has a different focus. They are:
UReCA: Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity
UReCA is the online, undergraduate, peer-reviewed journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council. UReCA publishes student research and creative activity and is produced and edited by honors students from across the nation.
Scribendi scribendi.unm.edu
Since 1987, Scribendi has provided opportunity for undergraduate students to showcase their creativity and to explore the publishing world. Scribendi publishes poetry, creative nonfiction, short fiction, visual art, photography, foreign language literary submissions, and open media.
Journal of Reflective Inquiry https://jori.ncsu.edu/
The Journal of Reflective Inquiry (JORI) strives to promote the exploration of research beyond traditional results-oriented academic publishing. Through publication, JORI invites learners to investigate the research process and its societal implications.
Is the Honors Program affiliated with Phi Beta Kappa?
No, they are two separate entities, although they share many students.