2008-2009 Academic Catalog - Queens University of Charlotte

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PROGRAMS for ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT
The Honors Program
The Queens Honors Program provides a high degree of freedom for academically talented and
motivated students. It is open to all students regardless of the major program of study and provides
qualified students with an opportunity to work at an advanced level on topics of interest in
seminars and in individually guided studies with faculty, leading ultimately to an Honors Thesis
or Project written under the direction of a faculty member.
The work in honors courses is designed to challenge gifted students and help them improve
their critical thinking skills, their research methods, and their ability to argue a claim persuasively.
This enriching experience is also excellent preparation for further study at the graduate
level.
The Honors experience begins with interdisciplinary seminars, followed by the Honors project.
Usually begun at the beginning of the junior year, the Honors project is an opportunity for
students to pursue a question or topic more deeply than otherwise possible in a normal fouryear
curriculum. Each Honors student chooses a faculty mentor to venture beyond the confines
of a standardized curriculum. The final step is for the Honors student to share what was learned
by giving back to a community (campus, civic or intellectual), and is often the most rewarding
element of the program. This could involve publishing work in a peer-reviewed journal, presenting
at a regional or national conference, mentoring K-12 students or leading a lunch discussion
for faculty and students. Upon completion of the Honors Program requirements the words
“With Honors” are added to the diploma. For more information see
http://www.queens.edu/honors/honors_program_requirements.asp.
THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
Admission to the Honors Program
A limited number of incoming students are invited each year to join the Honors Program during
the fall of their freshman year. Any student who has a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 after
any semester, including the first, may apply and will then be accepted into the Honors Program.
Students in the program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 for courses taken at Queens
to remain in the program.
Students with grades of Incomplete and transfer students in their first semester at Queens
are ineligible to participate in the Honors Program unless granted special permission from their
advisor and the Honors Director.
Retention in the Honors Program
A student in the Honors Program must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 hours and maintain a
cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher. If a student drops below the required cumulative
3.25 GPA after registering for an Honors course, the Registrar will drop the student from
the Honors course at the beginning of the term.
Requirements
The requirements for completion of the Honors Program and graduation with honors thesis are:
HONR 110 Freshman Honors Seminar (3 credit hours)
HONR 210 Honors Seminar (3 credit hours)
HONR 310 Introduction to Honors Project (2 credit hours)
HONR 320 Honors Project (2 credit hours)
HONR 410 Honors Project (2 credit hours)
HONR 420 Honors Service (2 credit hours)