Honors 499 General Overview

Independent Study Credit

HONORS 499 Deadlines

Winter 2024

Winter 2024 Due Dates (Previous Quarter)

By… You must have…
5pm on the first day of Week 1
Wednesday, Jan 3 @ 5:00pm
Submitted a complete application for any HONORS 499 projects happening this quarter
5pm on Wednesday of Week 1
Friday, Jan 5 @ 5:00pm
Received a confirmation email stating that the Honors Program has approved or denied your application
8am on Friday of Week 1
Tuesday, Jan 9 @ 8:00am
Received a confirmation email stating that your course instructor approved or denied your application
5pm on Friday of Week 1
Tuesday, Jan 9 @ 5:00pm
Received an email from the Honors Program confirming that you have been registered for the HONORS 499 credits.
5pm on Friday of Finals Week Completed your HONORS 499 work
Monday following Finals Week Received a final grade from your instructor (no additional evaluation required)

Spring 2024

Spring 2024 Due Dates (Upcoming/Current Quarter)

By… You must have…
5pm on the first day of Week 1
Monday, Mar 25 @ 5:00pm
Submitted a complete application for any HONORS 499 projects happening this quarter
5pm on Wednesday of Week 1
Wednesday, Mar 27 @ 5:00pm
Received a confirmation email stating that the Honors Program has approved or denied your application
8am on Friday of Week 1
Friday, Mar 29 @ 8:00am
Received a confirmation email stating that your course instructor approved or denied your application
5pm on Friday of Week 1
Friday, Mar 29 @ 5:00pm
Received an email from the Honors Program confirming that you have been registered for the HONORS 499 credits.
5pm on Friday of Finals Week Completed your HONORS 499 work
Monday following Finals Week Received a final grade from your instructor (no additional evaluation required)

Summer 2024

Summer 2024 Due Dates (Next Quarter)

By… You must have…
5pm on the first day of Week 1
Monday, Jun 17 @ 5:00pm
Submitted a complete application for any HONORS 499 projects happening this quarter
5pm on Wednesday of Week 1
Wednesday, Jun 19 @ 5:00pm
Received a confirmation email stating that the Honors Program has approved or denied your application
8am on Friday of Week 1
Friday, Jun 21 @ 8:00am
Received a confirmation email stating that your course instructor approved or denied your application
5pm on Friday of Week 1
Friday, Jun 21 @ 5:00pm
Received an email from the Honors Program confirming that you have been registered for the HONORS 499 credits.
5pm on Friday of Finals Week Completed your HONORS 499 work
Monday following Finals Week Received a final grade from your instructor (no additional evaluation required)

Through Honors independent study, Interdisciplinary Honors students can undertake a self-directed project under the supervision of a University instructor. This work should reflect qualities of scholarly effort beyond the ordinary. It is assumed that instructors will not accept this contract if s/he is unable to give the time and effort necessary to supervise, examine, and support the Honors student’s work during the quarter. In short, both student and instructor are committing themselves to extra efforts and to a more demanding pursuit of the subject. Unless both are prepared to make this commitment, the independent study option should not be undertaken.

A student may take a maximum of 5 credits of HONORS 499 each quarter. If HONORS 499 credits are taken to fulfill the Interdisciplinary Honors Core requirements, they must be decimal graded, and are considered a part of the maximum 15 allowed “Honors credits by contract” (this category includes Ad Hoc, HONORS 499, and graduate courses). HONORS 499 credits will only count in the “Additional Any/Electives” category of the curriculum. They do NOT count towards a student’s required HONORS prefix coursework or towards the Areas of Knowledge.

Independent study or research occurring within a departmental is not eligible for HONORS 499 credit. HONORS 499 proposals should be original independent study proposals reflecting interdisciplinary learning and inquiry, with credit only applying toward the Honors curriculum requirements.

Independent study proposals are due by 5pm on the first day of the quarter. Late proposals will not be considered. We encourage you to begin this process and submit your application well in advance of the beginning of the quarter, as registration requires both Honors and faculty approval of your proposal. Should you wait until the deadline to submit your proposal, your instructor may not have time to approve the project by 8:00 a.m. on the first Friday of the quarter, which allows us to register you before the add/drop deadline. Failure by you or your instructor to meet these deadlines may result in you accruing a late registration fee or not being approved to do Honors independent study.

Please remember that Independent study requires significant work on your part and if you delay, you risk the instructor and the Honors Program declining to work with you on this independent endeavor.

Process

To arrange an Honors Independent Study (HONORS 499):

  1. Email or meet with an Honors adviser to discuss your independent study idea and whether or not it is appropriate to do as HONORS 499. This should take place at least five weeks prior to the quarter you wish to undertake the work. Independent study or research occurring within a departmental is not eligible for HONORS 499 credit. HONORS 499 proposals should be original independent study proposals reflecting interdisciplinary learning and inquiry, with credit only applying toward the Honors curriculum requirements.
  2. Approach an instructor and discuss the concept of Honors Independent Study and your specific project ideas. Again, this should take place at least five weeks prior to the quarter you wish to undertake the work.
  3. Submit your HONORS 499 proposal as soon as possible, but no later than 5pm on the first day of the quarter.
  4. You will receive an email from the Honors Program once we have reviewed your project. If approved, your instructor will be prompted to review the proposal as well. It is your responsibility to ensure that your instructor has approved the project by 8:00 am on the first Friday of the quarter. Once both Honors and instructor approval are received, we will register you for HONORS 499 credit. Should the Honors Program or your instructor not approve your project, you will receive an email allowing you to revise your original application.
  5. Complete your project as outlined on your proposal.
  6. Review the proposal with your instructor at the end of the quarter and remind her/him to submit the final electronic grade sheet.

See examples of past applications