Undergraudate Honors Program (HES 386)
Download Honors Program Application Form >>

Purpose

HES majors who are interested in obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors in Health and Exercise Science may apply to the HES honors program. The purpose of this program is to provide students with the opportunity to complete directed study and research with a faculty honors advisor. Successful completion of this project allows the student to graduate “With Honors”.

Why Should I Participate in the Honors Program?

There are many benefits to participating in the Honors Program. You will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty advisor in an area of mutual interest. With your advisor, you will conduct an in-depth literature review and develop a research question. Through the process of designing an independent study to address your research question, you will develop critical thinking skills and learn to present your ideas in an organized and insightful manner. Graduating with Honors will demonstrate to future employers and advisors your commitment to the field, as well as your ability to conduct advanced research and writing projects. In addition, working with a faculty advisor will allow the mentor to get to know you better, which will ultimately help him/her to write a more comprehensive letter of recommendation.

How do I participate in the Honors Program?

Students should make plans to participate in the Honors Program during the semester which is three semesters prior to their intended graduation. For example, students who intend to graduate during the spring semester of their senior year should make plans to participate in the Honors Program during the spring semester of their junior year.
This involves the following steps:

1. During the spring semester of your junior year, you should ascertain whether or not you meet the requirements for admission in the Honors Program (these are listed below).
2. During the spring semester of your junior year, you should approach a faculty member who is conducting research in an area in which you are interested and you should discuss the possibility of having him/her advise your project.
3. After contacting the faculty member, you should set-up an appointment with the Honors Program coordinator (Dr. Shannon Mihalko). At that time, you will be asked to complete an application for the Honors Program.

Minimum Requirements for Admission

1. Acceptance by the Honors screening committee who will evaluate academic competence and personal qualities (these include, but are not limited to: leadership, professional involvement, professional goals, and integrity)
2. The ability to achieve an overall GPA of 3.00 at the end of the senior year
3. The ability to achieve a GPA of 3.3 for all Health and Exercise Science courses at the end of the senior year
4. The identification of an advisor and area of study for a research project

Minimum Requirements for Graduation with Honors

1. Maintenance of professional and personal qualities
2. An overall GPA of 3.00 at the time of graduation
3. A GPA of 3.3 for all Health and Exercise Science courses at the time of graduation
4. Participation in periodic Honors Seminars your Senior year (see Dr. Mihalko for details)
5. Successful completion of a senior research project by April 15th. This will include both an oral presentation and a written report. A 15-min oral presentation will be made to faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students explaining the purpose of the research, methods, results, and a short discussion of the findings. The written report will be approximately 8 to 12 pages in length and will be written in thesis format following APA guidelines. Individual faculty advisors will provide guidance in the development of the research topic, the oral presentation, and the written report.

Registration

Students will apply to the HES faculty to be considered for the Honors program. Honors applications may either be obtained from Dr. Mihalko (Gym 305) or printed off the web. Applications must be submitted by the end of final exam week.

Download Honors Program Application Form >>

Upon acceptance, students will register for 1.5 hours of HES 382 Individual Study during the semester immediately prior to the semester in which the student will graduate. In addition, students will attend periodic seminars with the Honors Coordinator.
Once the student has successfully completed the first semester of Individual Study, students will register for 1.5 credit hours of HES 386 Honors during their final semester.
Note: Students will not be allowed to pre-register for either of these courses. Instead, students are expected to add these courses during the drop/add period at the beginning of the relevant semester. Students will need to bring an Add slip for Dr. Mihalko to sign during this drop/add period.