Education, Upper-Division Honors Program with Licensure

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Program Objectives

The Education Honors Program is intended to achieve the following objectives:

Encourage academically talented students to pursue teaching as a profession
Demand rigorous academic written work from honors students, including a capstone action research project during the final two semesters of the licensure program
Support reflective professional practice
Enhance existing educational coursework by developing opportunities for independent research and/or involvement in faculty research
Foster close relationships between an honors faculty adviser and honors students

Admission to the Program

The Education Honors program is open to all honors students in good standing in the CSU Honors Program or students admitted to the University Honors Program as juniors with an interest in pursuing teaching as a career.

Advising

A COEHS Honors Liaison, designated by the Associate Dean of Student and Alumni Services and External Relations, will meet with each student admitted to the education honors program to identify an honors adviser (also a full-time tenure track faculty member with graduate faculty status) appropriate for the student’s intended licensure program. The honors adviser will meet with the honors student to select and develop contract course proposals and to identify a faculty member for an honors research project. As a result of close interaction with and supervision of the honors student, the honors adviser will be able to write a detailed letter of recommendation reflecting the student’s achievements. In addition, the adviser will assist wherever possible in helping the honors student pursue appropriate employment opportunities after graduation.

Program Requirements

The College Honors Program requires that students complete at least 12 credits of honors work as follows:

Honors Experiences (9 credits). Each honors student will work with an adviser to select a minimum 9 credit hours of Honors experiences. These can include any combination of the following:
1. Contract Course: Any 300-level or 400-level college course taught by a full-time faculty member can be modified to become an honors course. The student, with the adviser’s assistance, will draw up a proposal for increasing the rigor of a course. Course proposals should be approved by the course instructor, honors adviser, and college Honors Liaison.
2. Graduate Course: Students taking cross-listed classes can complete 500-level requirements for honors credit.
3. Honors Research: This is research conducted jointly with a full-time faculty member, which may include the honors adviser. Students register for EDB 451 - Individual Projects in Education , 1-4 credits. Course can be repeated for credit. At least 2 credits of this experience are recommended to help students prepare for the Action Research Project during the final two semesters. Students may submit proposals to present their work at regional and national research conferences.
Action Research Capstone Project (3 credits). Each honors student will complete an action research project investigating classroom practices, proposing a plan of action, and evaluating and reporting on intervention. The summer prior to practicum, honors students will generate 2-3 potential topics with the assistance of their honors adviser. During practicum, students will select a topic, design a study, pilot and revise their project methodology. During student teaching, students will register for EDB 495 - Seminar in Classroom Inquiry . They will implement their proposed plan of action and write up its outcome by the end of student teaching. The project must be presented to a committee including the mentor teacher, honors adviser, student teaching supervisor (if the honors adviser is not the supervisor), and the Honors Liaison.
Honors Requirement for Student Teaching. In addition to the written requirements, education honors students must demonstrate exceptional teaching practice. Honors students will be supervised by their honors adviser. Documentation of teaching practice must include “outstanding” (3.5-4.0) evaluations from both the honors student’s mentor teacher(s) and supervisor. Such evaluations are required for eligibility for the “University Honors” distinction to be posted on the student’s diploma and transcript but are not required to receive a passing grade in student teaching.