Instructions for Honors Contract

For those of you who need to add an Honors contract to a 300- or 400-level course this semester (to convert an ordinary course into an Honors course), please reach out to your professor and see if they are willing to work with you and, if so, what ideas they might have for the contract.* Be sure to discuss the following two questions with your professor:

1. How does the contract modify the course? What additional and/ or different work will the student complete? (Please be specific)
2. How will the contract enhance the student’s learning beyond what would be achieved in the standard course? (Please be specific about the “learning outcome” for the contract, which ideally will be slightly different from the outcome for the rest of the course assignments.)

If you have some ideas yourself about a project that is creative or experiential in some way, feel free to make a suggestion to your professor. Honors contracts do not need to involve simply more of the same type of assignments in the course—and it could be helpful to your professor if you make a suggestion about the type of creative project you would enjoy. You may also reach out to librarian Ben Richards who could provide suggestions of projects involving technology in CSU Library’s Digital Design Studio. Also see the separate handout on Innovative Honors Contracts for ideas.

Remember that your professors are busy, and this is extra work for them. Please be respectful of their time and expertise and be sure to thank them for working with you.

Once you have agreed on the contract, *please fill out the electronic form (available under Forms in the Honors College website),* including your professor's correct email address, so that we can confirm completion with them at the end of the semester. You should submit this form by the end of the second week of classes.

Once the semester is over, the Honors College reaches out to all professors to make sure the projects have been completed, then works with the Registrar to update Degree Audit.

If you have any further questions about the process, please reach out to your Honors College advisor.

*Note: In some departments (e.g. SWK), the Honors contract assignment is already set in some course syllabi.