Departmental recognition day typically involves the following:

Presentation of Awards for
- Outstanding Senior in Philosophy
- Outstanding Senior in Religious Studies
- Ethics Prize Winner
- All Students with a 4.0 in the previous fall or spring semester

Student presentations by
- Outstanding Senior in Religious Studies
- Outstanding Senior in Philosophy
- Ethics Prize Winner
- Others as time permits (Contact Dr. Dave Concepción (dwconcepcion@bsu.edu)
   in early March if you are interested in speaking.)

Outstanding Senior
Each year, departmental faculty select one Religious Studies and one Philosophy Major (minors are not eligible) as "Outstanding Senior." This is the highest honor we bestow. The principle selection criteria are departmental GPA, overall GPA, and contribution to the department.

Ethics Prize
Established in 2005, the departmental "Ethics Prize" is awarded to the best paper on a topic in ethics submitted to a panel of faculty. Instructions for submission and selection criteria are made available in a "Call for Papers" issued each Winter.

Phi Sigma Tau Induction
Student officers induct new members.

Keynote address by a guest speaker or faculty member

DEPARTMENTAL HONORS IN PHILOSOPHY

In order to earn the designation "Departmental Honors in Philosophy" a student should

1. Have a  minimum 3.3 GPA in the Philosophy major in order to be eligible to begin to pursue honors credit, and have a minimum 3.5 GPA in the major at the time of graduation;
   
2. Complete a minimum of three upper-division courses (300 or 400 level) in Philosophy in which the student would earn honors credit.  The student is encouraged to work with at least two different faculty members in the process of completing this coursework.
   
3. Complete the following procedures for the three courses in which additional work is done in order to receive Departmental Honors credit:

a.     During the first ten calendar days of the semester, the student should inform the professor teaching the course that he/she wishes to take the course for Departmental Honors credit.  If the professor agrees to provide the Departmental Honors credit option for the course, the student and the professor decide what type of academic work the student will do to earn Departmental Honors credit.  This Departmental Honors work might take such forms as additional research and writing, creative projects, tutorials, review essays, additional reading, public presentations, travel-study projects, annotated bibliography, work with students in allied disciplines, etc.  In all cases, Departmental Honors work would be in addition to regular course work requirements.  By the third week of the semester the student should have submitted a proposal and obtained approval by the professor.  Special allowances and accommodations with respect to the timelines delineated above may be made by the professor should he/she deem such actions appropriate.

b.     In order to complete the above steps, the student should go to the Honors College and obtain the required Departmental Honors forms.  These include a form stating the intent to complete Departmental Honors and required forms for each course to be taken for Departmental Honors.  The student should complete the forms, obtain all necessary signatures, make a photocopy of the forms for the professor of the given course in which honors work is to be undertaken, and return the originals to the Honors College.

c.     The student should retain a copy of all completed forms for his/her own records.

4. Complete the Capstone Project/HNRS 499N (or a comparable departmental equivalent).  It is recommended that the student who wishes to complete Departmental Honors register for HNRS 499N the semester prior to the semester in which she/he expects to graduate. 
   
5. Adhere to the following procedures for the Departmental Honors Capstone Project/HNRS 499N:
   
   a.     Obtain from the Honors College the Departmental Honors Capstone Project Guide.  Read and follow this guide carefully.
   
   b.     Identify a faculty mentor for the Capstone Project prior to the semester in which the student wishes to enroll in HNRS 499N.   Permission to enroll in HNRS 499N is only granted by the Honors College once the Honors College has approved the proposal.  In any case, the student should obtain approval of the project proposal from the faculty mentor by the end of the first week of the semester in which the student wishes to enroll in the Capstone Project.  Special allowances and accommodations with respect to this deadline may be made by the professor should he/she deem such actions appropriate.
   
6. The minimum course grade accepted for honors credit will be a "B+".
   
7. Students who complete Departmental Honors requirements would:

a.     Earn the designation "Departmental Honors in Philosophy" on their official University transcript;

b.     Receive a congratulatory letter from the Chair of the Department;

c.     Be recognized at the University Commencement;

d.     Have the designation "Departmental Honors in Philosophy" reported in the Commencement program.

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DEPARTMENTAL HONORS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

In order to earn the designation "Departmental Honors in Religious Studies" a student should

1. Have a  minimum 3.3 GPA in the Religious Studies major in order to be eligible to begin to pursue honors credit, and have a minimum 3.5 GPA in the major at the time of graduation;
   
2. Complete a minimum of three upper-division courses (300 or 400 level) in Religious Studies in which the student would earn honors credit.  The student is encouraged to work with at least two different faculty members in the process of completing this coursework.
   
3. Complete the following procedures for the three courses in which additional work is done in order to receive Departmental Honors credit:
   

a.     During the first ten calendar days of the semester, the student should inform the professor teaching the course that he/she wishes to take the course for Departmental Honors credit.  If the professor agrees to provide the Departmental Honors credit option for the course, the student and the professor decide what type of academic work the student will do to earn Departmental Honors credit.  This Departmental Honors work might take such forms as additional research and writing, creative projects, tutorials, review essays, additional reading, public presentations, travel-study projects, annotated bibliography, work with students in allied disciplines, etc.  In all cases, Departmental Honors work would be in addition to regular course work requirements.  By the third week of the semester the student should have submitted a proposal and obtained approval by the professor.  Special allowances and accommodations with respect to the timelines delineated above may be made by the professor should he/she deem such actions appropriate.

b.     In order to complete the above steps, the student should go to the Honors College and obtain the required Departmental Honors forms.  These include a form stating the intent to complete Departmental Honors and required forms for each course to be taken for Departmental Honors.  The student should complete the forms, obtain all necessary signatures, make a photocopy of the forms for the professor of the given course in which honors work is to be undertaken, and return the originals to the Honors College.

c.     The student should retain a copy of all completed forms for his/her own records.

4. Complete the Capstone Project/HNRS 499N (or a comparable departmental equivalent).  It is recommended that the student who wishes to complete Departmental Honors register for HNRS 499N the semester prior to the semester in which she/he expects to graduate. 
   
5. Adhere to the following procedures for the Departmental Honors Capstone Project/HNRS 499N:
   
   a.     Obtain from the Honors College the Departmental Honors Capstone Project Guide.  Read and follow this guide carefully.
   
   b.     Identify a faculty mentor for the Capstone Project prior to the semester in which the student wishes to enroll in HNRS 499N.   Permission to enroll in HNRS 499N is only granted by the Honors College once the Honors College has approved the proposal.  In any case, the student should obtain approval of the project proposal from the faculty mentor by the end of the first week of the semester in which the student wishes to enroll in the Capstone Project.  Special allowances and accommodations with respect to this deadline may be made by the professor should he/she deem such actions appropriate.
   
6. The minimum course grade accepted for honors credit will be a "B+".
   
7. Students who complete Departmental Honors requirements would:
   
   a.     Earn the designation "Departmental Honors in Religious Studies" on their official University transcript;
   
   b.     Receive a congratulatory letter from the Chair of the Department;
   
   c.     Be recognized at the University Commencement;
   
   d.     Have the designation "Departmental Honors in Religious Studies" reported in the Commencement program.

Academic Honors in Writing is a program designed to foster and reward excellence in undergraduate writing. At Commencement, selected graduating seniors will be honored for their superior writing skills. Both the commencement program and the students' transcripts will acknowledge this prestigious achievement. Such an honor will be a matter of personal pride for the recipients and will also be of great interest to prospective employers.

Eligibility

Seniors who will graduate in December, May, or July are eligible to apply. Applicants are not limited to members of the Honors College.

Selection

Applicants should submit a portfolio of class-related writing, consisting of 30-35 pages (roughly 8000 words), which demonstrates a sustained excellence in writing. This collection should include at least one sample which illustrates the student's ability to write and think about concepts central to his or her major field of study. Applicants should submit original papers from classes or photocopies of originals. If applicants submit copies other than originals or photocopies of originals, they must attach a note from the appropriate instructor verifying that the work is class related.

Departments will choose department finalists and submit these names and portfolios to the university Academic Honors in Writing Committee. From this pool, the Committee will select university finalists. These finalists will write a common essay on a topic of general interest. Based on the portfolios and the common essays, the Academic Honors in Writing Committee will select those students to receive the designation Academic Honors in Writing.

For Further Information:

Coordinators, Academic Honors in Writing

Dr. Joanne Edmonds, Honors College, Carmichael Hall, 765-285-1775

or

Dr. Anthony Edmonds, History Department, BB 217, 765-285-2779