Hutton Honors College

Contact:
Stephanie Lewis
SPEA Honors Program
SPEA 240
855-0635
stelewis@indiana.edu

1. How is your honors degree program administered? Is there a specific person who acts as coordinator? Is there a faculty committee?

SPEA's honors program is administered by the director of the undergraduate programs.

2. What are the requirements for admission into your honors program? How are students recruited for your program? May students recommend themselves?

The SPEA Honors Program requires students to be admitted to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.500 and a SPEA cumulative grade point average of 3.500 and at least 26 completed credit hours. To maintain eligibility in the program, all students must maintain a cumulative GPA and SPEA GPA of at least 3.500. All SPEA majors who meet the minimum GPA requirements each semester and are able to complete program requirements without delaying graduation, will be invited to participate in the Honors Program.

3. How does a student graduate with honors from your department?

All students must complete four courses in the Honors Program: 1) the honors section of V160 National and International Policy. (Accommodations are made for students who have already completed V160 prior to entry into the Honors program; 2)Two additional SPEA Honors courses to be decided with an advisor; SPEA graduate level courses are allowable, but require permission of the instructor; and 3) Honors Thesis (V499).

4. What is the nature of the senior project and what are the requirements for completing it?

Students work directly with a faculty member to develop a research project in this 3-credit hour course. The student develops this course one-on-one with a professor. Most theses involve developing an intensive research project, with a major paper as the final product (typically 25-35 pages in length). Arrangements for the course, e.g., agreement of a professor to supervise the thesis, must be set up in the semester or year prior to the actual course. Students must identify a professor who works in an area that is consistent with the students' own interests. It is recommended that the student meet with a SPEA Advisor prior to contacting a professor. In the course, the student meets periodically with the instructor to develop the syllabus (this occurs early in the process), map out the project, research the project, complete any data analysis that may be necessary, and write the thesis and provide oral presentations both to the thesis advisor and to the larger community of fellow honors students and relevant SPEA faculty and staff. Typically, the thesis adviser and student meet once every two weeks to discuss readings or materials, consider data that have been analyzed, discuss progress, and troubleshoot problems.

5. Are there departmental resources available to support internships or research projects related to the senior project?

SPEA Honors Students are eligible to compete for a thesis/research stipend provided by the Hutton Honors College. Application for the stipend should precede the student's enrollment in the course.

6. How might the work required for an honors degree be particularly beneficial in future endeavors?

SPEA Honors Students enjoy the following:

Confirmation of a diploma "With Public and Environmental Affairs Honors" notation

Advanced coursework and opportunities for in-depth research projects with SPEA faculty

Interaction with like-minded students in the SPEA Honors Program and the Hutton Honors College

Funding opportunities to support academic-related travel, research projects, and internships through the Hutton Honors College and other University resources

Automatic admission to SPEA's "Scholars in Global Citizenship" program

Automatic admission to SPEA's Washington Leadership Program

Preferential consideration for admission to IU at Oxford Summer Program

Provisional admission to SPEA's accelerated Master of Public Affairs or Environmental Science of Health Administration degree program

Counsel from an Honors Program Adviser

SPEA Honors Students are provisionally accepted in several special programs, per the above. Those programs inlcude:

Scholars in Global Citizenship (SGC)
All SPEA Honors Students are automatically accepted in to this uniquely formatted 3 credit hour course which contains an international component. The SGCP aims to transform the SPEA learning experience so that it is informed by comparative, international, and global contexts. Our primary goal is to discover how the forces of globalization affect countries that are key economic and political actors on the international stage. SGCP occurs 2nd summer session for 3 weeks within the country/city of focus -- currently Hanoi Vietnam. This program is based at Hanoi University of Science. SPEA honors program students may apply for a Hutton Honors College travel grant for this program, as well as SPEA Abroad scholarships. SGCP is an Honors level course for SPEA and the Hutton Honors College.

Washington Leadership Program (WLP)
SPEA Honors Students who are at least Junior standing and who have completed 2 SPEA honors courses, are provisionally admitted and invited to enroll in the program. With successful completion of the program, students will earn 6 major elective course credits taught by IU faculty members, and 6 credits of internship. WLP participants live in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland for the semester and work in the nation's capital. The program allows students access to challenging and unique internships, which in turn provide them with professional experience and contacts.

IU in Oxford Summer Program
All SPEA Honors Students who are at least Junior standing and who have completed 2 SPEA honors course, have preferential consideration for admission into this program. With successful completion of the program, students will earn 6 major elective course credits. The courses focus on public policy and include guest lectures by Oxford faculty. The program is 6 weeks in duration and occurs during the summer. SPEA Honors Program students may apply, on a competitive basis, for a Hutton Honors College travel grant for this program, as well as SPEA Abroad scholarships.

Accelerated Master's Degree in Public Affairs, Environmental Science, or Health Administration (AMP)
All SPEA Honors Students are provisionally admitted into AMP. However to maintain eligibility, students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 and a minimum SPEA GPA of 3.5. Several other academic benchmarks must be met prior to beginning this program. Please consult a SPEA Advisor early if you are considering this program.

7. What are the advantages for students who pursue the honors degree compared to a regular degree in your area?

The major advantages of SPEA's Honors Program are the opportunities to complete advanced coursework with like-minded students, work one-on-one with faculty on honors-level projects, develop deep expertise in an area you research for your thesis, participate in Honors-only events, and gain access to special programs that, for other students, involve competitive admission.