2004-2005 EIU Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Honors College
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Bonnie Irwin, Dean
Margaret Messer, Assistant to the Dean
Judith Sunderman, Academic Advisor
General Mission
The Honors College is a center for academic excellence and leadership within the University. It strives to encourage academically talented students to work, study and develop to their full potential by providing suitable courses of study in an appropriate environment of small classes taught by excellent faculty. The Honors College encourages undergraduate research and rewards intellectual development. It reaches out to secondary schools throughout the State of Illinois and also to the campus itself to encourage interested and qualified students to embark on intellectual adventure. All of this is to provide exceptional academic options to students whether they enter the college as a freshman or later in their undergraduate careers. The Honors process is developmental in nature and is dedicated to nurturing students intellectually, so that they are equipped upon graduation to successfully pursue their interests. This provision of an integrated academic experience plays a central role in Eastern Illinois University’s reputation both in and outside the State as a university acclaimed for its accomplishments in teaching and research as well as the successes of its graduates.
EIU offers academically talented students the opportunity to take part in four programs: University Honors, is a lower-division general education program; Departmental Honors is an upper-division discipline-specific program; Undergraduate Research offers students a professional collaborative research experience; and the National Scholarship Program sponsors and mentors students for nationally competitive fellowships. The Honors College offers qualified students a unique opportunity to develop their potential for intellectual and personal achievement. The Honors College promotes leadership and active learning both inside and outside the classroom, through academic and non-academic experiences in a variety of environments.
University Honors
The University Honors Program offers enriched and rigorous alternatives of General Education courses and a limited number of other courses outside of general education. Honors classes are small course sections taught in a colloquium style format by professors who are distinguished in their field. Completing courses in the Honors format provides an enhanced educational experience that prepares students to compete at the highest levels for career opportunities and graduate school. Students must take a minimum of 25 hours in Honors courses primarily during their freshman and sophomore years.
Admission Criteria
Entering freshmen must meet two of the following criteria for admission to University Honors:
- ACT composite of 26 or higher or SAT of 1100 or higher.
- Upper 10% of the high school graduating class or a 3.5 high school grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
- Permission of the Dean of the Honors College.
Continuing EIU students may be admitted after meeting the following criteria:
- Attain a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale for at least 12 hours of course work undertaken at Eastern.
- Permission of the Dean of the Honors College.
Freshmen transfer students may petition for admission after a transcript evaluation.
- Attain a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale for at least 12 hours of course work undertaken at the transfer institution.
- Permission of the Dean of the Honors College.
Departmental Honors
The Departmental Honors Program encourages students to pursue areas of personal interest by delving deeply and independently into a topic. Students take advantage of departmental resources to research, explore, investigate, and analyze information on a subject appropriate to the discipline. Coursework advances progressively culminating in a senior thesis. Departmental Honors prepares students for the competitive environment after graduation by promoting focus and independent exploration within a field. The program requires a minimum of 12 hours of credit. A senior thesis written under the supervision of Honors faculty is required.
The following departments sponsor Departmental Honors Programs:
- Biological Sciences
- Chemistry
- Communication Disorders Sciences
- Communication Studies
- Economics
- English
- Family and Consumer Sciences
- Foreign Languages
- Geography
- Geology
- History
- Industrial Technology
- Journalism
- Math
- Music
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Recreation Administration
- Special Education
- Theatre Arts
Admission Criteria
Departmental Honors Programs are open to students who meet the following criteria:
- At least 12 hours of course work undertaken at Eastern Illinois University with a 3.5 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).
- The permission of the Dean of The Honors College and the Departmental Honors Coordinator.
Transfer students who have not completed 12 hours at Eastern Illinois University may obtain provisional admittance with the recommendation of the Departmental Honors Coordinator.
Presidential Scholars Program
Incoming freshmen who have demonstrated academic excellence may apply for a 4-year scholarship. Minimum qualifications:
- 30 ACT and a 3.5 GPA or top 10% of the high school graduating class.
- 28 ACT and a 3.75 GPA or top 5% of the high school graduating class.
While in the program scholarship recipients will complete HON 1191, Honors First-Year Seminar, participate in a sophomore or junior year experience, and benefit from enhanced faculty mentoring. To retain scholarship eligibility, students must have good standing in the Honors College.
Incoming Freshmen Scholarships
Incoming freshmen students who have demonstrated excellent scholarship as measured by ACT and high school class rank or GPA are eligible to apply. Amounts vary.
Continuing Student Scholarships
Honors students who have demonstrated academic excellence at Eastern Illinois University may apply. Must reapply annually.
More information and applications are available at http://eillinoisadmin.acalog.com/entities/www.eiu.edu/~honprog
Housing
McKinney, Ford, and Pemberton Halls have been designated as Honors Halls. Honors students who wish to surround themselves with other academically superior students in an atmosphere conducive to learning, may request these halls.
Undergraduate Research
Eastern Illinois University and The Honors College are committed to promoting the highest quality research opportunities for students. The Honors College advocates faculty mentoring of student research believing that such activities enhance the experience of both faculty and students by fostering collegial relationships and supporting teaching-learning experiences. Research experience is gained by working with a veteran faculty investigator who is responsible for supervising the project. Students are co-authors of publications and come away with a heightened awareness of the kind of work required in graduate study and in the professional world.
Each semester, the Undergraduate Research Council provides grants to students and faculty mentors in support of professional collaborative research. Any student currently enrolled at Eastern Illinois University with a minimum 3.0 GPA or higher may, with a faculty mentor, submit a proposal. Students are held to professional standards and are encouraged to present findings at conferences and professional meetings.
National Scholarship Programming
The Honors College supports students for National Scholarship Programs by sponsoring, mentoring, and nominating students for nationally competitive programming and by referral to faculty scholarship advisors.
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