Honors Program Information and Requirements

First Year/Incoming and Transfer Students

If you have an overall GPA of 3.75 upon high school graduation or incoming from your previous college coursework, you will receive an invitation to the program after you have been admitted to SUNY Canton. You will be asked to email honors@canton.edu to confirm your interest and receive the contract to join. You will need to maintain a 3.25 GPA overall to continue in the program. If you think you are eligible but did not get an invitation, please email honors@canton.edu.

Sophomores and Juniors

If you have a 3.75 GPA at SUNY Canton and have completed at least 30 credits, you will receive an invitation to the program at the start of your sophomore year, and again at the start of your junior year. You will be asked to email honors@canton.edu to confirm your interest and receive the contract to join. You will need to maintain a 3.25 GPA overall to continue in the program.

If you have at least a 3.25 GPA at SUNY Canton and have completed at least 30 credits, you can join the program without an invitation in the following ways: (1) A faculty or staff member can nominate you; (2) You can nominate yourself. Please submit the completed nomination form to honors@canton.edu. You will need to maintain a 3.25 GPA overall to continue in the program.

Seniors

With only 30 credits left, you might not have time to complete five Honors-contracted courses, and instead might opt to complete an Honors Thesis or Honors Capstone. If you have at least a 3.25 GPA and interest in completing the Honors program, you should reach out to your advisor and honors@canton.edu to confirm that completion of the Honors Program is possible.

There are two tracks to complete the Honors program:

Track 1: Breadth and Enduring Questions (i.e., “Honors-Contracted Courses”)

Students in this track complete “Honors-contracted courses” with approval from their faculty and the Honors Program Chair.

2-year programs:

1. Complete three Honors-contracted courses that conform to the Honors Committee guidelines.
2. Complete one professional presentation that summarizes and outlines the scope of your work across the Honors Program (e.g., SUNY Canton Scholarly Activities Celebration, other conference or formal meeting).

4-year programs:

1. Complete five Honors-contracted courses that conform to the Honors Committee guidelines.
2. Complete two professional presentations, one of which must summarize and outline the scope of your work across the Honors Program (e.g., SUNY Canton Scholarly Activities Celebration, other conference or formal meeting).

Track 2: Research and Creative Scholarship (i.e., “Honors Thesis or Capstone”)

Students in this track complete a single thesis or capstone course for credit (minimum 3 credits). The course/project must be approved by the Chair/Director of your department and the entire Honors Committee. The final artifact cannot ONLY be a presentation; it must include a research paper or physical artifact, plus significant intellectual investment (e.g., analysis and critical thinking, background research). If you start in Track 1, you can move to Track 2 with approval by your Department Chair/Director and the Honors Program Chair.

1. Create artifact of academic significance (e.g., research thesis, working engineering technology, creative work, etc.)
2. Present work at a professional presentation (e.g., SUNY Canton Scholarly Activities Celebration, other conference or formal meeting).

An Honors-contracted course is a class under contract with your professor to complete an additional project related to course content and your academic interests. You must complete and have the form signed by the SUNY Canton census date, which is the end of the third week of classes. In the fall, this means by 4pm on Wednesday of the third week. In the spring, this means by 4pm on Friday of the third week.

You receive a pass or fail for the honors project, which does not impact your grade in the course; all standard course material must be completed as per the syllabus. If you fail the course, you do not pass the Honors project.

To meet the academic rigor and depth expected of honors-level work, the project must be approved by the Honors Program Chair. Here are the standards:

1. Academic Rigor: The agreed upon project must enhance the intellectual challenge of the course (e.g., additional readings, writing, or analysis)
2. Independent Study with Regular Faculty Interaction: The agreed upon project must include the student working independently beyond the standard course material, and the contract should outline when and how the student will meet with their instructor to discuss progress, feedback, and guidance
3. Assessment and Learning Outcomes: The agreed upon project should be assessed using advanced criteria that emphasizes analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, rather than rote learning or comprehension, and the contract must outline specific learning goals and deliverables that differentiate the project from standard course expectations. Please submit your completed contract to honors@canton.edu by the SUNY Canton census date.

An Honors Thesis or Capstone is a minimum 3-credit project that is approved by your faculty supervisor, your Department Chair, and the Honors Committee. It cannot be a course that is required of all students unless it can be demonstrated that it is differentiated and elevated from the standard course work required (e.g., all students do a capstone design project, but the Honors student writes a companion research thesis). You must complete and have the form signed by the final day of classes in the previous semester. For a fall-start project, this means you must have the form submitted by May. For a spring-start project, this means you must have the form submitted by December.

You receive a standard A-F grade on the Honors thesis/capstone.

To meet the academic rigor, original thought, and depth expected of a thesis or capstone, the project must be approved by the Department Chair, and the Honors Program Committee. Here are the standards:

1. Original Research or Creative Work: The project must demonstrate original inquiry, analysis, or creativity, which can include primary research, interpretation of existing work, or substantial creative project or technology
2. Mentorship: The student must work closely with an advisor or committee, receiving guidance on methods, content, and academic standards
3. Rigor and Depth of Artifact: The work must show mastery of subject matter and engagement with scholarly literature or practice. A written work is generally expected that adheres to academic integrity policies and proper citation practices.
4. Project Objective or Research Question: The project must be built around a well-defined question, hypothesis, or creative aim, guiding the structure and purpose of the project
5. Defense and Assessment: The project must be presented in some public forum and evaluated for its overall scholarly merit, with assessment criteria that emphasizes originality, depth, quality, and scholarly merit Please submit your completed contract to honors@canton.edu by the SUNY Canton census date.

Beyond the learning experiences you will enjoy, you will have the chance to connect with like-minded students, register for courses earlier than your peers, be recognized across campus for your activities, and receive an Honors designation at graduation/on your transcript, among other opportunities. Sometimes, an Honors designation is required for entry into certain graduate programs; you should reach out to your academic advisor to be sure.

• Honors Program Nomination Form
• Honors Program Contract Form
• Honors Course Contract Form
• Honors Thesis/Capstone Contract Form