March 2008
It's already time to start thinking about your Fall 2008 classes! As always, The Messenger brings you a special edition containing all of the information you, as an Honors Student, need to know about registering for Honors Classes.
In This Special Edition:
Fall 2008 Honors Classes and Seminars
Check the Honors website for up-to-the-minute (and frequently updated) lists of Honors Classes and the Honors Seminars including descriptions. You'll notice several new HNR courses this semester. This is where you should begin your course selection process! Below each course (in blue) is an indication of what Honors requirements that course fulfills. Take courses that interest you, and that help you fulfill major, college, and Honors Program requirements. Remember that Honors courses and seminars fill up quickly because they are small. Make sure that you select some back-up options in the event your first-choice honors courses and seminars happen to be full.
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Getting Started
Review the program requirements on the web: http://honors.syr.edu/Curriculum/Introduction.htm
Please be aware that we continue to add courses to the lists of approved presentation, collaborative, global, and interdisciplinary courses, so check these lists often.
We strongly urge you to come into the Honors Office for advising before you register for Fall 2008. Our program checksheet clearly lays out the requirements, and we can help you understand exactly where you stand and what your next steps should be. Most first-year students should probably register for at least one honors course in the Fall, but we want to be sure you are making choices based on a solid understanding of what you have left to do.
One option to keep in mind for Fall 2008 is registering for one of our 1-credit 200-level seminars, HNR 210, Arts in Society; HNR 220, Introduction to Political Culture and Practice; or HNR 230, Scientific Issues and Practice. These are engaging and valuable courses which, if you receive a “B” or higher, may be combined to count as one honors course. As of Spring 2007, all 200-level honors seminars are graded. You do not need to do any paperwork to receive a grade.
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Current Sophomores: Capstone Project/Depth Requirement Information
All current sophomores will fulfill the "depth" requirement by completing a capstone project in their major. You will begin that project in the fall of your junior year. To help you understand what it involves, we will hold information sessions on the capstone project on:
Wednesday, April 2, 5:15 - 6:30 p.m., Shemin Auditorium (Shaffer Art Bldg.)
Thursday, April 3, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m., Shemin Auditorium
Friday, April 4, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m., 105 Bowne Hall
Please attend one of the sessions, and bring your questions. The sessions will help you begin thinking about your project and how to plan for it.
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Juniors Doing Capstone Projects
Remember that your Capstone Project Update Form, signed by your Capstone Project Advisor, is due in Honors April 4. You can download a copy from the Capstone Information page on the web: http://honors.syr.edu/CapstoneProject/Information.htm
(see “Honors Capstone Project Forms”). Consult with your Capstone Advisor on how to approach this.
This form helps assure that you, your advisor, and the Honors Program are all “on the same page” about your progress, and the timeline for your future work. We want you to end this semester on track to continue your research over the summer, and come back next fall strongly positioned to complete the project successfully. (If you are studying abroad this semester, let us know and we can make special arrangements for you regarding this form.)
Feel free to contact Honors Staff with questions; you can email or stop by to see Steve Wright shwright@syr.edu , Carolyn Ostrander clostran@syr.edu, Hanna Richardson (hricha01@syr.edu) or Eric Holzwarth (eholzwar@syr.edu). We’re here to help, and look forward to seeing you complete your projects successfully.
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Seniors in Capstone/Thesis Project Honors
Seniors completing an Honors Capstone/Thesis Project should pick up a Proposal for Independent Study Courses form from the Honors office, take it to your thesis advisor and the two of you should fill out the form together, then get the signature of the Honors Deputy Director, Eric Holzwarth, on it. When you have gathered all the required signatures, the form goes to Steele Hall and the Registrar's Office will add XXX 499 (i.e., REL 499, TRF 499, PSC 499) to your schedule for three credits. This will show up on your transcript as Honors Capstone.
Please make note of the following important dates:
| Fri., Mar. 28 |
Draft of Capstone Summary due to Honors Reader. |
| Thurs., April 24 |
Two final copies of Capstone Project (including Capstone Summary) due in Honors office, including electronic version of abstracts and theses. |
Friday, April 25 2:15 – 5:00, Bowne 306A |
Rehearsals to help you prepare for capstone presentations |
Mon., April 28
5:15 – 7:15 p.m.
Bowne 304C |
Rehearsals to help you prepare for capstone presentations |
| Wed., April 30 |
Public presentations of Honors Capstone Projects |
| Friday, May 9 |
Honors Convocation in Hendricks Chapel followed by a reception in Heroy Lobby (arrive at the Noble Room in Hendricks Chapel by 4:30 in academic robe; procession at 5 PM) |
| Sat., May 10 |
College Convocations. Thesis Project students wear Honors Medallion with their academic garb. |
| Sunday, May 11 |
Graduation! University Commencement in the Dome! |
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Advising Reminder
You should follow the instructions regarding advising and registration that you will receive from your home school or college, from the Registrar, and from Honors.
Integrate your Honors requirements with your school or college requirements for your major(s). If you have questions about fulfilling your Honors requirements, make an appointment with Carolyn Ostrander, Steve Wright or Hanna Richardson by calling x2759 or by visiting the Honors suite in 306 Bowne Hall. You may make appointments at the front desk.
Please be aware that the following can be found on your MySlice menu:
View My Advisor
GPA Calculator
Advising Links
View My Advisor should indicate who your advisor is and his/her location. The GPA Calculator will allow you to run hypothetical situations with your grades this semester. Advising Links gives you quick connections to University information that may be useful for advising.
Note: If you change your major, make sure you submit the appropriate paperwork through your deans' offices. When you change your major, we strongly encourage you to request the Honors faculty advisor in that major, because that advisor is experienced in matching the opportunities in your college with the opportunities available through Honors. If you have found another faculty member with whom you want to work, please request that person and then rely on the Honors faculty advisor for Honors questions and concerns as they arise. You will also want to talk with one of the Honors staff advisors about your short- and long-range academic plans: stop by the Honors office to make an appointment if you haven't already.
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Early Registration for Honors Students
If you are eligible, your "initial access time" will occur during the Early Registration period for honors students on the morning of Thursday, April 10. Eligible students are those in good standing in the Honors Program who still have Honors requirements outstanding.
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Overload Schedules
While it is occasionally necessary to take over 19 credits, it should be undertaken rarely, if ever. The added stress of additional credits will likely affect your grade point average and general well-being.
Honors students with a cumulative gpa of 3.6 or higher will automatically be allowed to register for over 19 credits. This is intended to provide exceptional students the opportunity to take the number of credit hours they need for an appropriately challenging course load. Please do not abuse this privilege by signing up for more credits than you actually intend to use - you are taking space in classes from other students when you do so.
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Overload Rate Exemption
Those honors students who have a 3.5 cumulative grade point average are allowed to take 20 credit hours or more in a given semester without being billed for the extra tuition charge, provided that they have no outstanding grades of "I" (Incomplete). Students may be asked to sign a form of understanding after discussing the Overload policy with the Assistant Director for Data Management.
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Know Your Own Class Standing
Be sure to note your Projected Class Level, which will be listed on the
"View My Academic Information" link on MySlice. Also note the class-standing requirements for some courses listed in the Schedule of Classes and obtain permissions accordingly. Many honors students have accumulated enough extra credit hours to have a class standing ahead of their actual year in school (i.e., many first-year students have sophomore standing, many second-year students have junior standing, etc.). Honors students will need to obtain permissions when their official class standing is different from that required for the course. Do this ahead of your "initial access time" for registration!
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Reminders for Students Without Declared Majors
Sophomores, if you have a Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Award, the New York State Department of Education requires that you declare a formal major prior to the beginning of your junior year to be eligible for TAP. If you do not officially enroll in an approved program of study before the first day of classes of your junior year, you will lose your award for that semester. Junior year here is defined as the first semester after you have accrued 54 or more hours of credit toward a degree. For many honors students, that is the beginning of their fourth semester rather than the beginning of their fifth.
Juniors: Students with junior class standing who have not declared a formal major prior to registration for their second semester of their junior year will be blocked from registering. If you need help deciding on your major(s), come see Hanna, Carolyn or Steve.
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Remove All Holds
Make sure that you take care of any holds (advising, bursar, health, etc.) before your "initial access time." Otherwise, you will not be able to register.
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The Online Registration Process
Students are able to access registration information via a link in the student services pagelet in the MySlice portal. Through the "View My Academic Information" link you can view the following information:
Name
Semester
Career
Projected Level
Program/College
Plan Type
Plan (Major)
Sub-Plan
This page also has hyperlinks to the following:
View Holds
View Enrollment Appointment
Select Different Term
Registrar's Homepage
The above links will allow you to view any holds you may have, view the day and time of your enrollment appointment, view academic information for a different term, and visit the Registrar's homepage to access:
Registration instructions
A pre-plan your schedule worksheet
Advising statements from your home School/College
A PDF of the Fall 2008 printed Schedule of Classes
General information regarding registration at Syracuse University
Read and follow those instructions carefully, as well as any instructions you receive from your school or college. Note that your "initial access time" is not the only time you may register: it is the earliest time you may register. You may do so at any time following that as well.
If you have questions about your Honors registration status, please call Carolyn Ostrander at x2759.
If you have never registered online before, contact Carolyn Ostrander at x2759 if you would like help understanding the web-based registration system.
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Students Studying Abroad or Off Campus Next Year
Remember that, if you still need an Honors course, you can get credit for an honors course when you study abroad through completion of the SU Abroad Course Substitution process.
If you will be studying abroad or off campus during your junior year, be sure to attend one of the capstone information sessions to learn how to make progress on your capstone project while abroad.
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Honors Courses and Arts and Sciences Sequence Requirements
Students in the Renée Crown University Honors Program can complete A&S divisional sequences through the standard requirements outlined in the Liberal Arts Core Guidebook, and/or through one or more of the following*:
Any two 3-credit HNR prefix courses from the same division, for example:
Any 2-course combination of HNR 240, 340, or 440 including either taken twice
Any 2-course combination of HNR 260, 360, or 460 including either taken twice
Any 2-course combination of HNR 250, 350, or 450 including either taken twice
A departmental honors course plus any other course in that department*, for example:
FIA 105 or 106 honors plus any FIA course
ETS honors plus any other ETS course
Any ETS course plus any HNR 240 lit/writing course
PHI 109 or PHI 209 plus any other PHI course
(PHI 109 and 209 already constitute a sequence)
Any honors REL course plus any other REL course
AP credit plus any departmental honors course in the same department*, for example:
AP PSC 123 plus honors PSC 129
A departmental course plus any honors course in a related area*, for example:
FIA 105 or 106 plus HNR 240 or HNR 440 arts topics
MAX 132 or PSC 124 plus HNR 360 Nations and States
Any science course plus HNR 250 Linked Lenses: Science, Philosophy, and the Pursuit of Knowledge
HNR 250 Seeing Light plus any AST or PHY course
*Exception: PSY sequences can only be formed as outlined in the Liberal Arts Core Guidebook.
In some cases, you may need to submit a petition to A&S that will help them identify the sequence you have completed through one of these new guidelines. Talk to an Honors advisor if you have questions about initiating this process.
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