Process

What is an Honors Contract?
Honors contracts allow students to earn Honors credit for non-Honors courses by pursuing more advanced study. This requires an agreement between the student and instructor, and approval from the Honors Program. Requiring approximately 20 hours of engagement by the student, completion turns the course credits into Honors credits. This option is valuable for students interested in a course not offered in an Honors format or whose schedules prevent them from enrolling in an Honors section. 

Overview of the process
The Honors contract process involves four stages:
1. Submission of the completed work and the Honors Contract completion form confirming the instructor’s satisfaction with the work.
2. Crafting of an individualized project with the course instructor.
3. Submission of the contract to the Honors Program for approval.
4. Completion of the agreed-upon assignments and activities.

Crafting the Honors Contract

The Honors Contract is a mutual commitment to a learning experience above and beyond normal course requirements. The student and instructor must agree on the criteria for evaluating the project and its scheduling.

The Honors contract is intended to enrich the student’s education by further work of mutual interest to the student and instructor, rather than simply adding to the course’s workload. Students would therefore be wise to consider projects where the enriched assignment or activity also suits the interests and needs of the instructor. 

Instructors are under no obligation to supervise Honors Contracts and may not supervise more than three contracts in a single semester. 

An Honors contract should involve 6 to 7 hours per credit: A 3-credit course should, therefore, involve approximately 20 hours of additional work. These estimated hours should include 2-3 hours of meetings with the instructor: one at the start, one mid-project, and one to conclude. Overall, plan for 3-5 hours of direct faculty involvement, including evaluation.

While the details of contracted assignments and activities may vary greatly, course enrichments could include:

• Collaboration with the instructor on a joint research project.
  • An analytical, research, or policy paper, in addition to any assigned in the “regular” syllabus, and/or more reliant on individual work with primary or original source material.
  • An experiential- or service-learning experience, or internship related to the course focus.
  • A multimedia project, performance, or artistic work related to the course focus.
  • Curriculum development projects, such as assisting the professor with the development and implementation of new teaching tools, class activities, or trial runs of new course projects.

2: Submission of the Contract Proposal

All Honors contract proposals must be submitted no later than at the end of business on the last business day of the third week of classes in the Fall and Spring semesters. (For example: In Fall 2025, that’s September 19th.)

The Honors contract proposal consists of three parts:

1. The online Contract Form, that includes a brief description of the proposed project (approx. 500 words.)  This is to be signed by both the student and the instructor. [Here is a link to the Contract Form – Note that you have to be logged in through a URI account for this to be accessible].
2. A signed Faculty Approval Form (Download here).
3. A copy of the original syllabus for the connected course.

The following information should be included in the proposal description:

1. What? Why? When? How? – A brief encapsulating overview of the project.
2. How is it “honors” work? – How, precisely, the project differs from the regular work of the class. I.e: A clear articulation of how the contract meets the “broader, deeper, more complex” criteria of the National Collegiate Honors Council. 
3. What will we see? – What will the outcome(s) or deliverable(s) of the project be?
4. How will we see it? – A plan for sharing the outcome or deliverable.
5. A timetable – E.g.: Meetings with the course instructor, a mid-term check-in, submission of components or drafts of the project, and the submission of the final product. The final deadline can be no later than the scheduled final exam period for the course.
6. Evaluation criteria – Include a clear statement, from the faculty memeber, of the criteria that will be used to evaluate the contracted work. What are the minimum requirements that must be met in order to be judged acceptable? If there are multiple elements, how do they each contribute?

Also, note the following wording that is found on the proposal form: 

“The Honors contract work will be assessed as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory by the instructor according to the criteria described in this contract. The rating will be entered into an Honors Contract Completion form. A rating of Satisfactory will result in the student receiving Honors credit for the course. A rating of Unsatisfactory will result in no Honors credit being awarded for the course. Performance on the Honors Contract work will not affect the final grade in any circumstance.” 

The Honors Program may approve the proposal as written, request more information before making a decision, or reject it. Once approved, the Honors Administrator will sign it and send a copy to both the student and the instructor. Approved contracts result in a transcript notation of “Honors” for the course in question once Enrollment Services is notified by Honors that the coursework has been completed.

3: Completion of the Contracted Work

Approved contract work should proceed according to the predetermined schedule. The project may, however, evolve as it progresses. Completed projects will not generally be expected to perfectly match the initial proposal and the student and instructor may along the way agree on significant alterations, deviating substantially from the approved proposal. Should this occur, the student must submit an amended Honors contract proposal outlining the new criteria for completion and assessment. If in doubt on how to proceed contact the Honors Program as soon as possible.

4: Submission of the Completed Work and Contract Completion Form

To earn Honors credit for the course, students must complete the proposed work at a level deemed satisfactory by the instructor. Following that, an “Honors” designation appears on the transcript, and all credits earned for the course count towards fulfillment of the Honors Program, provided that the final course grade is B or better.

Work assigned by the contract is not calculated into the final course grade. Final grades are calculated per the professor’s original syllabus, reflecting the quality and content of all the student’s coursework.

As soon as the contracted work is complete and approved by the instructor, the student will submit a copy of the completed work and the Honors Contract Completion Form no later than by the end of business on the last day of the final examination period. If, however, a presentation or performance is part of the proposal, please invite members of the Honors Program to attend.

FAQs For Students

Why should I consider an Honors Contract?
Flexibility: They allow you to tailor your education to your personal interests and goals.
Accessibility: They provide opportunities for honors-level work when there are limitations on the number of honors courses offered.
Mentorship: They foster close mentoring relationships with faculty.
Engagement: They empower students and foster motivation, enhancing your overall honors experience.

What is the difference between an Honors Contract and an Honors Project?
An Honors Contract defines additional work appended to an existing non-Honors course the student is attending. Requiring approximately 20 hours of engagement by the student, completion turns the course credits into Honors credits. Students and faculty are not required to engage in contracts.
An Honors Project is much larger: an independent mentored study for 3 or 6 credits. It is a culminating experience requiring extensive research, reading, writing, creativity, or experimentation. It requires the workload of a course: Approximately 45 hours per credit earned. Honors Projects are required for a student’s completion of the Honors Program.

What is the difference between an Honors Contract and an Independent study in Honors?
An Honors Contract defines additional work appended to an existing non-Honors course the student is attending. Requiring approximately 20 hours of engagement by the student, completion turns the non-Honors course credits into Honors credits. Note that a contract is not for extra credit.
An Independent Study under an Honors course code is a larger undertaking for credit. It requires the workload of a course–approximately 45 hours per credit earned–with the credit-bearing equivalent of research, reading, writing, creativity, or experimentation, all done independently under individual guidance from a faculty member.
Note also: An independent study would be usually engaged in outside or in addition to a student’s course schedule, whereas contracts are expressly designed to afford students the possibility to achieve honors credits within a student’s “normal” schedule when other course-options or time-slots are not available.

What are my responsibilities in an Honors Contract?
You are responsible for:
Maintaining regular communication with your instructor.
Communicating early with your instructor and the Honors Program to explore possibilities.
Taking the initiative to set up the contract.
Completing the additional project work as specified in the contract.
Meeting deadlines.
Maintaining regular communication with your instructor. 

How much time should I plan to devote to an Honors Contract?
An Honors Contract appended to a 3-credit course should entail approximately 20 hours of additional work. How this is spread out should be discussed with the supervising faculty member as you draft the contract.

What does an Honors Contract contain?
Contracts should include:
A clear articulation of how the contract meets the “broader, deeper, more complex” criteria of the National Collegiate Honors Council.
A description of a substantial paper or project (or equivalent work).
A plan for sharing the knowledge gained with an audience.
A clear timeline for completion.
A clear articulation of how the contract meets the “broader, deeper, more complex” criteria of the National Collegiate Honors Council. 

How are Honors Contracts set up?
The Honors Program provides comprehensive guidelines and support for setting up contracts. You are encouraged to communicate early with your instructor and the Honors Program to explore possibilities and ensure a clear understanding of the process.

How do I best ensure that I stay on track in the contracted work?
Prepare well at the start! Make sure that you and the supervising faculty member create a contract that contains a good schedule and timeline, well-defined outcomes, and clear intermediate goals, so that you know what to do and when to do it. Then plan your work step-by-step to meet those goals.

When must an Honors Contract be submitted to the Honors Program?
You must submit your contract to the Honors Program’s contract coordinator by the end of business on the last business day of the third week of classes in the Fall or Spring semesters. (Most usually: the third Friday after the first day of classes in fall or spring.

How is an Honors Contract satisfied?
An Honors Contract is satisfied when the professor notifies the Honors Program that you have completed the assigned task satisfactorily. You must also receive a B or higher in the course to earn Honors credit. The contracted work should, however, have no effect on the grade for the non-honors-related work. 

What happens if I fail to complete the work specified in an Honors Contract?
If you fail to complete the proposed work to the satisfaction of the instructor, you will not receive Honors credit for the course. The inability to complete the contracted work should have no bearing on the grades for the non-honors-related coursework.

What if I don’t agree with an “Unsatisfactory” evaluation?
Discuss this with the supervising faculty member, who is entirely responsible for evaluating the contract work. Please contact the Honors Program’s contract coordinator with any questions, if necessary.

Can contract work be resubmitted?
This very much depends on the circumstances of why the first submission was not successful. In most cases this would simply be a matter for discussion between the student and instructor as it is entirely up to the instructor to evaluate the work. However, please contact the Honors Program’s contract coordinator with any questions.

Can Honors Contracts be applied to all courses?
No, Honors Contracts cannot be completed during the summer or J-Term. Nor can they be applied to 100-level courses, internships, independent studies, study abroad, or courses taken at other institutions. 

Can I fulfill the 300 and 400-level Honors course requirement through a contract?
Yes! If you can’t find a way to take an H-section OR HPR course at the 300/400 level, then a contract will fit right in!
(You can’t cover the Honors Project requirement, of course, as there is no course within which a contract could be done.)

Do I earn more credits for a course by engaging in a contract?
No, you do not. A contract is only meant to generate about 20 hours of work. The purpose and benefit of the contract is that it turns the course credits into honors-level credits. Note that the contract also has no effect on the course grade itself. It simply changes the nature of the credits.

Can all instructors manage contracts?
No. Only full-time faculty may engage in contracts, and none are required to do so. Faculty are also limited to three contracts per term.
Any exceptions to these restrictions must be approved in advance by the Honors Program’s Director or Associate Director.

Who may engage in an honors contract?
Any student in the Honors Program with junior standing (60+ credits,) who has completed or is concurrently enrolled in courses worth 6 honors credits, may engage in contracts.
All full-time faculty may engage in contracts. They are limited to three contracts per term.
Any exceptions to these restrictions must be approved in advance by the Honors Program.
No one is required to engage in honors contracts.

How many honors contracts may a student engage in?
On completing the Honors Program, no more than one-third (1/3) of a student’s honors-credits may be contract-credits.
Students may only engage in one contract per semester.
The Honors Program may grant exceptions to this under special circumstances. Please contact the Honors Program contract coordinator if you have questions or concerns.

How do I find a Faculty member who is willing to oversee a contract?
Contracts are new to URI’s Honors Program as of Spring of 2025. Most full-time faculty members will eventually be aware of contracts, so you can simply ask them.
Note that they are not required to take on contracts, and are limited in the number of contracts they can engage in. So make sure you check in with them early. (You have until the end of the third week of classes to submit the contract to the Honors  Program.)
If they are not aware of contracts, share a link to this page with them, and ask to speak with them again soon.
If you have problems identifying potential faculty on your schedule, please contact the Honors Program’s contract coordinator.

What if the supervising faculty member becomes unavailable during the term?
Contact the Honors Program contract coordinator who will respond appropriately on a case-by-case basis, to help with next steps.

What if the work goes in a different direction than was written in the contract?
The work may evolve as it progresses. Contracted work will not generally be expected to perfectly match the initial proposal and the student and instructor may along the way agree on significant alterations, deviating substantially from the approved proposal. Should this occur, the student must submit an amended Honors contract proposal outlining the new criteria for completion and assessment.
If in doubt on how to proceed, contact the Honors Program’s contract coordinator as soon as possible.

What if I need to withdraw from the contract or the course?
If you need to withdraw or drop the course, simply notify the instructor involved and the Honors Program’s contract coordinator.Where can i see examples of contract project descriptions?
As contracts are new to the Honors Program at the University of Rhode Island as of Spring 2025, we do not have examples available. Here, however are recent examples from two Honors Programs. Please note that these are good examples, but may or may not be precisely applicable to URI circumstances, course offerings, or situations.
Iowa State University’s Honors Program: Honors Courses/Course Contracts
University of Memphis, Helen Hardin Honors College: Examples of Contracts

FAQs For Faculty

What is an Honors Contract?
Honors contracts allow students to earn Honors credit for non-Honors courses by pursuing more advanced study. This requires an agreement (“contract”) between the student and instructor, and approval from the Honors Program.
Requiring approximately 20 hours of engagement by the student, completion turns the course credits into Honors credits. This option is valuable for students interested in a course not offered in an Honors format or whose schedules prevent them from enrolling in an Honors section.

Why should I supervise an Honors Contract?
Honors Contracts offer several benefits:
Curriculum Development: They afford a possibility of students piloting projects, additional avanues of investigation, and possible innovations for the class, that would otherwise be difficult to experiment with.
Flexibility: They allow students to tailor their education to their personal interests and goals.
Accessibility: They provide opportunities for honors-level work when there are limitations on the number of honors courses offered.
Mentorship: They foster close mentoring relationships between students and faculty.
Engagement: They empower students and foster motivation, enhancing their overall honors experience. 

What is the difference between an Honors Contract and an Honors Project?
An Honors Contract defines additional work appended to an existing non-Honors course the student is attending. Requiring approximately 20 hours of engagement by the student, completion turns the course credits into Honors credits. Students and faculty are not required to engage in contracts.
An Honors Project is much larger: an independent mentored study for 3 or 6 credits. It is a culminating experience requiring extensive research, reading, writing, creativity, or experimentation. It requires the workload of a course: Approximately 45 hours per credit earned. Honors Projects are required for a student’s completion of the Honors Program.

What is the difference between an Honors Contract and an Independent Study in Honors?
An Honors Contract defines additional work appended to an existing non-Honors course the student is attending. Requiring approximately 20 hours of engagement by the student, completion turns the non-Honors course credits into Honors credits. Note that a contract is not for extra credit.
An Independent Study under an Honors course code is a larger undertaking for credit. It requires the workload of a course–approximately 45 hours per credit earned–with the credit-bearing equivalent of research, reading, writing, creativity, or experimentation, all done independently under individual guidance from a faculty member.
Note also: An independent study would be usually engaged in outside or in addition to a student’s course schedule, whereas contracts are expressly designed to afford students the possibility to achieve honors credits within a student’s “normal” schedule when other course-options or time-slots are not available.

Will Honors Contracts Lead to Fewer Honors Courses at URI?
Honors Contracts are not a vehicle to allow the Program and University to offer fewer courses. They are an extra measure of curricular flexibility that allow students to complete their requirements when options are otherwise limited. To use contacts as a way to avoid offering courses runs completely counter to the aspirations and ambitions of any Honors Program and certainly to those of Honors at URI.
The limits on the number of contracts faculty and students are allowed to participate in, overall and term-by-term are also meant to ensure that Honors students are engaging with their cohort in classrooms all throughout their career at URI, from their first term to graduation.

How Will the Honors Program Maintain Standards and Best Practices?
The Honors Program will provide clear guidelines, templates, and assessment rubrics for Honors Contracts. These will include specific deadlines and expectations for both faculty and students, ensuring that contracted work goes beyond simply “more” work and instead leads to “broader, deeper, and more complex learning-centered and learner-directed experiences,” as defined by the National Collegiate Honors Council.  Honors administrators will be responsible for reviewing and approving all contracts to ensure they meet these standards.
The Honors Program will offer faculty development opportunities focused on designing and assessing rigorous Honors Contracts. This will help faculty create engaging and challenging learning experiences that meet the unique needs of Honors students.
Contracts must be thoughtfully integrated with the course content, learning goals, and existing assignments.  Superficial add-ons will be discouraged.  Instead, contracts should encourage students to delve deeper into the subject matter, explore interdisciplinary connections, and develop advanced critical thinking skills.
The Honors Program will evaluate all contract proposals on an individual case-by-case basis to maintain standards and ensure that they are not being used as a casual shortcut. Contract work must be in addition to coursework and amplify the course topics, not just be “more of the same.” Also: Contracts that can not be seen to approach the material in a way that is broader, deeper, or more complex, will be returned for reconsideration.

What are faculty roles and responsibilities in an Honors Contract?
Faculty roles and responsibilities include:
Helping the student formulate a proposal for an appropriate contract project,
defining the terms and timeline of the contract with the student.
providing guidance as the student completes the contract project, with at least one mid-project meeting.
evaluating the contract project at the end of the semester.
The Honors Program will offer faculty development opportunities focused on designing and assessing rigorous Honors Contracts. This will help faculty create engaging and challenging learning experiences that meet the unique needs of Honors students.

How much time should faculty plan to devote to an Honors Contract?
Generally, a faculty member should expect to devote 3-5 hours over the course of a term on a contracted project. 

Are Faculty Compensated for Contracts?
Yes. Faculty are compensated with professional development funds to be used within that fiscal year (prior to the end of June.)

Is there a limit to the number of contracts a faculty member may engage in?
Yes, A faculty member may at most participate in three Honors contracts in a single semester.

Is there a limit to the number of contracts a student may engage in?
Yes, On completing the Honors Program, no more than one-third (1/3) of a student’s honors-credits may be contract-credits.

May an individual contract apply to more than one student at a time?
No, each contract must apply to one individual student.
But faculty may run synchronized contracts with up to three students in a semester and in this way create a group of three students working on a project, as long as each of the students’ contracts clearly outlines that individual student’s responsibilities and outcomes.

May faculty members co-supervise a student’s honors contract?
If the need for this arrangement can be shown before the contract is drafted, yes. Please discuss this with the Honors Program’s contract coordinator before fully committing to the work.

What does an Honors Contract Contain?
Contracts should include:
A clear articulation of how the contract meets the “broader, deeper, more complex” criteria of the National Collegiate Honors Council.
A description of a substantial paper or project (or equivalent work).
A plan for sharing the knowledge gained with an audience.
A clear timeline for completion. 

How are Honors Contracts set up?
The Honors Program provides comprehensive guidelines and support for setting up contracts. Students are encouraged to communicate early with you and the Honors Program to explore possibilities and ensure a clear understanding of the process. 

How do I best ensure that the student and I stay on track in the contracted work?
Prepare well at the start! Make sure that you and the student create a contract that contains a good schedule and timeline, well-defined outcomes, and clear intermediate goals, so that you know what to do and when to do it. Then plan your work step-by-step to meet those goals.

When must an Honors Contract be submitted to the Honors Program?
You must submit your contract to the Honors Program’s contract coordinator by the end of business on the last business day of the third week of classes in the Fall or Spring semesters. (Most usually: the third Friday after the first day of classes in fall or spring.)

How is an Honors Contract satisfied?
An Honors Contract is satisfied when the professor notifies the Honors Program that you have completed the assigned task satisfactorily. You must also receive a B or higher in the course to earn Honors credit. The contracted work should, however, have no effect on the grade for the non-honors-related work. 

What happens if a student fails to complete the work specified in an Honors contract?
If a student fails to complete the proposed work to the satisfaction of the instructor, they will not receive Honors credit for the course.
Please note that the inability to complete the contracted work should have no bearing on the grades for the non-honors-related coursework.

What if a student does not agree with an “unsatisfactory” evaluation?
The student should discuss this with the supervising faculty member, who is entirely responsible for evaluating the contract work. The Honors Program doe not evaluate the student’s work, but simply affirms the faculty supervisor’s evaluation and asks Enrollment Services to add the honors credit notation to the course credits. Please contact the Honors Program’s contract coordinator with any questions, if needed.

Can contract Work be resubmitted?
This very much depends on the circumstances of why the first submission was not successful. In most cases this would simply be a matter for discussion between the student and instructor as it is entirely up to the instructor to evaluate the work. However, please contact the Honors Program’s contract coordinator with any questions.

Can Honors Contracts be applied to all courses?
No. Honors Contracts cannot be completed during the summer or J-Term. Nor can they be applied to 100-level courses, internships, independent studies, study abroad, or courses taken at other institutions.

Does a student earn more credits for a course by engaging in a contract?
No. A contract is only meant to generate about 20 hours of work. The purpose and benefit of the contract is that it turns the course credits into honors-level credits. Note that the contract also has no effect on the course grade itself. It simply changes the nature of the credits.

Can all instructors manage contracts?
No. Only full-time faculty may engage in contracts, and none are required to do so. Faculty are also limited to three contracts per term.
Any exceptions to these restrictions must be approved in advance by the Honors Program Director or Associate Director. Should a part-time faculty member seek to engage in a contract with a student, approval must also be received from the appropriate department chair or area coordinator.  

Who may engage in an honors contract?
Any student in the Honors Program with junior standing (60+ credits) who has completed or is concurrently enrolled in courses worth 6 honors credits, may engage in contracts.
All full-time faculty may engage in contracts. They are limited to three contracts per term.
Any exceptions to these restrictions must be approved in advance by the Honors Program.
No one is required to engage in honors contracts.

How many honors contracts may a student engage in?
On completing the Honors Program, no more than one-third (1/3) of a student’s honors-credits may be contract-credits.
While contracts provide valuable flexibility, especially in upper-level courses where dedicated Honors sections may not be feasible, it’s crucial to maintain the integrity of the Honors experience.  Therefore, the Honors Program will limit the number of contract credits students can accrue. This ensures that students engage with the core Honors curriculum and benefit from the close community of students and faculty that defines Honors education.

How does a student find a Faculty member who is willing to oversee a contract?
Contracts are new to URI’s Honors Program as of Spring of 2025. Most full-time faculty members should be aware of contracts, by the time we are done with piloting them in 2025, so students can simply ask, in the same way they’d go about setting up an independent study or internship.
Faculty are not required to take on contracts, and are limited to three contracts per term. Students will therefore be encouraged to check in with faculty early. (They have until the end of the third week of classes to submit the contract to the Honors  Program.)
The Honors Program will distribute links and QR-codes for the Honors Contract Faculty FAQ page (this page) to students, so they may share these with faculty who are not familiar with contracts.
Please contact the Honors Program’s contract coordinator if there are any questions or concerns about students approaching you for contracts.

Can a College or Department require a faculty member to engage in a contract with a student?
No. A contract must be entered into willingly and voluntarily by a faculty member at the request of a student. The request may, however, be delivered on behalf of the student to the faculty member by the Honors Program’s contract coordinator.
For a faculty member to engage reluctantly in a contract is antithetical to the spirit of Honors Contracts and thus undesirable.
Should you find yourself in the position of feeling pressured to undertake a contract, please contact the Honors Program’s Director, Associate Director or contract Coordinator to discuss this confidentially.

What if the supervising faculty member becomes unavailable during the term?
Contact the Honors Program contract coordinator who will respond appropriately on a case-by-case basis, to help with next steps.

What if the work goes in a different direction than WAS written in the contract?
The work may evolve as it progresses. Contracted work will not generally be expected to perfectly match the initial proposal and the student and instructor may along the way agree on significant alterations, deviating substantially from the approved proposal. Should this occur, the student must submit an amended Honors contract proposal outlining the new criteria for completion and assessment.
If in doubt on how to proceed, contact the Honors Program’s contract coordinator as soon as possible.

What if a student needs to withdraw from the contract or the course?
If a student needs to withdraw or drop the course, the student should simply notify the instructor involved and the Honors Program’s contract coordinator.

Where can i see examples of contract project descriptions?
As contracts are new to the Honors Program at the University of Rhode Island as of Spring 2025, we do not have examples available. Here, however are recent examples from two Honors Programs. Please note that these are good examples, but may or may not be precisely applicable to URI circumstances, course offerings, or situations.
Iowa State University’s Honors Program: Honors Courses/Course Contracts
University of Memphis, Helen Hardin Honors College: Examples of Contracts