Honors Points
Honors Points – College Scholars Program
The honors points system in the College Scholars Honors Program is designed to encourage and reward two important academic goals: breadth by taking honors seminars in several different categories to satisfy AXLE requirements and depth by doing independent projects (independent studies, enriching courses, departmental honors research).
To graduate with the “Honors in the College of Arts and Science” designation on the diploma, a student in the College Scholars Program must earn 15 honors points by achieving a grade of “B” or better in classes that earn honors points. Honors points are earned in the following ways:
1) Breadth: Honors Seminars
A maximum of 13 points earned by taking Honors Seminars can be applied.
3 points when an Honors seminar is taken for the first time in an AXLE area– Humanities and Creative Arts (Honors 1810W), Perspectives (Honors 1820W), Social and Behavioral Science (Honors 1830W), History and Culture of the United States (Honors 1840W), Mathematics and Natural Science (Honors 1850W) and International Cultures (Honors 1860W).
1 point for an Honors Seminar category that is taken for a second time (or third, or fourth, …).
2) Depth: Research
You must do a minimum of two independent projects to complete the College Scholars program. To encourage work in multiple departments, a maximum of 3 points from any one department can be earned.
1 point for an “enrichment project” in which student completes a research project in addition to the work required for the class. A proposal for an enrichment project, signed by both student and instructor, must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Program for approval within four weeks of the beginning of the semester. The work for the honors point should be in addition to the work assigned for the course and roughly equivalent to one-third of the work expected for the course. The student must earn a B or better in the class and the instructor must inform the Director in writing at the end of the semester that the work has been successfully completed.
1 point for a research, internship, or service project. Typically, independent study, departmental honors research, internship, or service learning courses which carry at least three (3) credit hours. The student should notify the Director by email that they are currently enrolled in, or are planning to complete a project for an honors point. The point will be given if the grade for the research course is a B or better. Some projects that do not carry credit hours can earn honors points, including research for pay, DIVE/OACS service projects, Wondr’y projects. Students should contact the Director for clarification and approval for honors points in these situations within four weeks of the beginning of the semester.
1 point for research intensive courses, such as designated honors sections of certain lecture courses, graduate-level courses, or other unique courses offered by the University, such as University Courses, etc. Students should contact the Director for clarification and approval for honors points in these courses within four weeks of the beginning of the semester. The point will be given if the grade for the research course is a B or better.
1 point for a summer research, internship, or service project. Students must complete a reflection paper about their experience by September 1. Details about the paper and the types of summer experiences that are eligible for an honors point are given in the Summer Enrichment Form.
Honors points will be posted on the Vanderbilt Brightspace system to facilitate the tracking of progress towards earning the 15 points needed to graduate with Honors in the College of Arts and Science.
