All curriculum requirements can be fulfilled with Honors course credits; contracts and co-curricular experiences are optional. 

Honors Courses 
Honors courses are offered across a wide variety of disciplines and count as CORE, major, minor, or general elective requirements. All members must successfully complete an Honors seminar their first semester following acceptance into the program, and every semester thereafter, leading to the required Honors Thesis sequence in their final two semesters:

Honors Research Pro-Seminar (HON 398, 1 credit): A research seminar required for members the semester prior to enrolling in HON 399: Honors Senior Thesis, this course develops and improves research skills. In addition, students design a research proposal.

Honors Senior Thesis (HON 399, 3 credits): The Honors Senior Thesis, a 3-credit writing and research intensive course that members register for in their final semester, is dedicated to the craft and execution of members' capstone projects. In consultation with faculty mentors, students create substantial scholarly texts consistent with the content and methods of their academic major and/or minor. These academic projects can be creative, applied, or traditional, comprised of new (not repurposed) writing. In addition to completing the written project, members participate in oral defenses for the RU community.

Some academic majors and programs have their own capstone requirements; Honors Program members in these majors should consult with their Honors and program advisors.

Curricular and Co-Curricular Contracts 
Contracts permit members the opportunity to earn Honors credit outside the standard Honors seminar structure. All contracts and their resulting work must demonstrate advanced rigor and inquiry, consistent with Honors Program outcomes. All contracts must be submitted by stated deadlines, and reviewed and approved by the Honors Program. After one invalid or incomplete contract, students cannot attempt or earn any more contract credits. Members are eligible to complete contracts after they have successfully completed at least 1 Honors course.

Curricular: Must be completed in courses in a student’s major and/or minor at the 200-level and higher.  These contracts, designed and executed by the student and approved by their professor(s) and the Honors Program, should demonstrate significant planning, inquiry, and effort in order to produce high-quality work and a deepened understanding of course material, consistent with Honors Program outcomes. Courses of record will be converted to Honors courses for degree and program credit. Contracts are valid if the course grade is a B or higher. 

Co-curricular: Allow members to earn Honors credit independent of coursework, where they engage in projects and activities that support and enhance co-curricular learning consistent with Honors Program outcomes. All co-curricular contracts should be submitted prior to beginning the activity, and must result in a culminating project submitted for review and approval by the Honors Program. These can only be attached to activities for which students are not otherwise receiving credit or compensation. Co-curricular credits count toward Honors requirements, and cannot count for course credit.

Co-curricular Experiences
The Honors Program often offers other co-curricular experiences for which members can earn credit toward Honors requirements (but not for course credit). These typically bridge two semesters of an academic year, and require strict attendance and participation commitments. Members who do not successfully complete an experience may not be allowed to attempt others. Past co-curriculars have included collaborations with Chicago organizations, other universities, field trips, and participation in an intercollegiate government simulation. Consult with an Honors advisor for details.

Adequate Progress
Members must take their first Honors course the semester following admission to the Honors Program; in order to maintain Honors membership, students must remain active in the program, defined by enrolling in and completing Honors courses (earning B or higher) and attending Honors advising each semester.

Any Honors courses in which a member earns below B (including Incompletes) will not count toward adequate Honors progress and they will need to make up these credits. Honors seminar and/or contract courses in which members earn below B may count toward graduation requirements, but cannot count toward Honors requirements. 

As part of their adequate progress, most incoming first-year members will take Honors First-Year Seminar (1 credit) and an Honors CORE requirement (3 credits) their first semester. 

The Honors Program deactivates membership of anyone who does not make adequate progress for two semesters in a row (as defined by these catalog requirement). Anyone who wishes to rejoin the program, including students who have left the university, must reapply.

Grades and Performance
Members must also, for adequate progress:

• Earn a B or higher in all Honors coursework (any grades lower than a B may count toward other degree requirements, but cannot count as Honors credit). Honors courses cannot be audited, or taken for P/F grades.

• Maintain 3.0 or higher institutional overall GPA.

• Be able to achieve a 3.0 institutional overall GPA upon graduation.

Incomplete Grades in Honors
The Honors Program strictly complies with the university’s Incomplete Policy. In alignment with this policy, Honors students who request Incomplete grades in their Honors courses:

• Must understand and meet the university’s criteria for Incomplete grades.
• Must consult with the Honors Program, and the faculty of record, along with any other student support services offices, to create a reasonable timeline for the completion of all work.
• Must understand that if they extend their timeline beyond 3-6 weeks, they may not receive the Honors credit required to make adequate progress in the program, and must consult with their Honors advisor. Students who are unable to adhere to the 3-6 week timeline must consult with the Honors Program and relevant student support services.
• ​May not receive the Honors Program designation if they request Incomplete grades in Honors courses during their final semester.

Honors Probation Policy
Honors student probation occurs when a student’s institutional GPA falls below 3.0 (B):

• Once on probation, a student has up to two terms to achieve an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, or earn a term GPA of 3.0 or higher.

• A student on probation must consult with the Honors Program about their probation status and demonstrate, with documentation, efforts to improve by using university student support services (advising, tutoring, etc.).

• Honors probation, distinct from RU Academic Standing, does not appear on a student’s transcript.

• Honors students who are on university probation are permitted one semester of Honors probation before deactivation from the Honors Program. Honors students on academic suspension will be deactivated from the Honors Program and must re-apply if they seek to re-join.

Honors students are required to receive Honors Program advising every semester; assigned academic, faculty, or program advisors will provide advising as it relates to all degree requirements (except for Honors).

Graduating from the Honors Program
In order to receive the Honors Program transcript designation, a student must:

• Be admitted to the Honors Program, complete their designated number of Honors credits, and maintain adequate progress as defined above.

• Earn B grades or higher in Honors coursework.

• Earn an institutional overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

• ​​​Complete and present an Honors Senior Thesis.

The Honors Program reserves the right to implement probation and/or action plans and/or dismiss students from Honors who have been found in violation of university policies. 

Exceptions to all Honors Program policies are made at the discretion of Honors Program staff.