Honors Contract Courses

UT Tyler Honors College

Students on the Research Track will choose two courses—typically junior and/or senior level—in which they will complete additional work under "contract" with a faculty member. Contracts may include an additional project, additional readings, additional meetings with a faculty member, additional research time in the faculty member's lab, etc.

Students will sign a contract at the beginning of the course with the faculty member specifying what they are "contracting" to do in addition to the normal requirements of the course. The Honors College staff will work with honors students and their major adviser to select the right courses and approve the contract.

Please complete the online contract course form. This form includes responsibilities of both students and faculty. It also serves as a FAQ.

General policies:

• The course must be 3000 or 4000 level and approved by a member of the Honors staff.
• Students and faculty should plan to meet at least two times (after the initial meeting) during the course of the semester to discuss the Honors contract components of the class.
• The student’s grade should reflect the regular work done in the course (i.e. exams, papers, labs, etc.) Honors credit will be awarded by the faculty member upon satisfactory completion of Honors elements.
• Honors elements should be graded on a pass/fail basis, independent of the regular graded coursework.
• Once the Honors staff has confirmation of completion of Honors elements, s/he will contact the Office of the Registrar to ensure that an Honors designation appears on the student’s transcript.
• In order to earn Honors contract course credit, the student must earn a grade of B or higher, as well as complete the contract work.
• If a student is unable to complete the honors elements of the contract, s/he should consult the faculty member and the Honors staff to discuss options. Failure of the Honors elements should not be the basis of an incomplete.

Honors student’s rights and responsibilities:    

• To contact a faculty instructor and communicate interest as early as possible in the semester. 
• To submit the Honors Contract Course Agreement no later than the third Monday after the start of classes (after speaking with faculty member). 
• To be proactive in developing and articulating the additional work to be done in this Honors contract components of the course. 
• To complete the assignments. 
• To communicate with the faculty member and the Honors staff throughout the semester.    
  

Faculty instructor’s rights and responsibilities:    

• To accept or decline to work with a student on an Honors contract course. 
• Faculty may decline for any reason. 
• To meet with the student at least three additional times outside of class to discuss Honors contract work. 
• To guide students in articulating and completing contract work in this class. 
• To hold students to the Honors Contract Course Agreement.       
• To fill out a progress report mid-semester and final evaluation.

Fall 2024 Contract Course Timeline

September 9: Contract course proposal form is due from students (see link above). *HIM nursing students do not need to fill out a contract course proposal form.

October 10: Honors staff will send faculty members a midterm form to complete. Faculty will evaluate students on their communication and progress thus far in the semester.

December 9: All projects should be turned in to the faculty member unless prior arrangements have been made.

December 10: Final evaluation forms sent to faculty.

** Nursing students complete contract courses through Honors in the Major.

 

Faculty Expectations

 Here is a short video outlining expectations for faculty role in contract courses: