What is the Honors Program?
How are students selected for the Program?
What is required to remain in good standing in the Program?
What happens after I am admitted to the Program?
What is a MOHB?
What privileges are associated with the Honors Program?
What are the requirements to complete the Honors Program?
What happens if my QPA drops too low?
What happens if I choose to leave the Honors Program?
What is the Senior Research Project?
Who Administers the Honors Program?
As an Honors student, where can I find forms and other information? What are the goals of the Honors Program?

l. What is the Honors Program?

The Honors Program at Mansfield University is a 22-credit multi-disciplinary academic program featuring innovative course work, challenging subjects and opportunities for cultural enrichment. This Program is designed for students with a consistent record of academic achievement and a desire for new and exciting learning experiences which allows for students to apply their knowledge across academic disciplines. It is the goal of the Honors Program to provide students with the skills and opportunities to achieve their full potential during their academic career at Mansfield University. Honors students are expected to make continual progress each semester in completing their Honors Program to remain in Good Standing. Mansfield University is a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) and the Northeast Regional Honors Council (NRHC).

2. How are students selected for the Honors Program?

Enrollment in the Honors Program is by the following methodologies:

Students who demonstrate superior high school achievement as reflected on SAT scores, GPA and class rank. These students are invited to accept admission into the Honors Program during Freshmen Orientation by the Dept. of Admissions. Please direct any inquiry to their attention.
Freshmen who exhibit strong academic potential during their first semester are invited to join on the basis of a Mansfield University faculty recommendation. If faculty wish to nominate a student, they need to contact the Director of the Honors Program.
Students who have completed their freshmen year and have demonstrated strong academic achievement can forward a formal written request to the Honors Program Director to be considered for admission.

3. What is required to remain in good standing in the Honors Program?

Honors students must maintain a minimum 3.00 in their Honors courses QPA and overall QPA as well as make continual progress in fulfilling Honors requirements. There are two required events for all Honors students during each academic year. These are the Informational Meetings the first week of both fall and spring semesters. Missing any of these required events, without a reason acceptable to the Honors Program Director, will cause a student to be dismissed from the Honors Program.

4. What happens after I am admitted to the Honors Program?

After you are admitted you will be assigned to an Honors Advisor and be adopted by a MOHB. The Advisor will assist you with your progress through the program and help with the student’s General Education Program so that it is both relevant to the students' interests and meets graduation requirements. The MOHBs (Mansfield Outstanding Honors Buddy system) will provide student support, fun social activities, and answer day-to-day questions about the Program.

5. What are MOHBs?

MOHBs stands for Mansfield Outstanding Honors Buddy system and are student groups consisting of 5-7 first-year Honors students and led by one upper-class Honors student. These groups meet 8-10 times a semester and discuss books, workshop research papers, coordinate social activities and carry out service projects. These groups help our first year Honors students "learn the ropes" at Mansfield and provide a group of fellow Honors students to support them through their first year at college.

6. What are the privileges associated with membership in the Honors Program?

There are a large number of benefits associated with your membership:

Honors courses count! The Honors Program is compatible with all Mansfield University departmental majors. Almost all Honors courses count in fulfilling the General Education Block Requirements. The Honors Program Director and Honors Advisors assist students in working with scheduling situations. If an Honors Program student is experiencing scheduling difficulties which cannot be resolved with their Honors Advisor the student should contact the Director.
Specialized Sequences! Due to the special requirements in some majors, non-Honors course alternatives are offered for some courses. See the Program Curriculum for more information.
Priority Scheduling! Honors Program students register for classes at the BEGINNING of each registration period. Priority scheduling assures you get to choose the classes you need on the days and at the times you want them each semester!
Incentive Recognition Awards! Upon the successful completion of your fourth Honors course, you will be awarded your Honors Sweater. Upon the successful completion of your sixth Honors course, you will be awarded your Honors Pin. Upon completion of the Program, you will be awarded your Honors Medallion.
Scholarships/University Academic Awards! Honor students are eligible for tuition-reimbursement awards and study grants including l MU Foundation Awards, high GPA book awards and two full scholarships to attend the five-week Summer Honors Program of the State System of Higher Education. This earns each participant six University Honors credits. Past programs have included Russia, Austria, Scotland, South Africa, Ecuador, England, Costa Rica, France and a European Tour. Graduating Honors students are formally recognized at the University Academic Awards Ceremony in the spring, and receive Honor Medallions from the President at graduation.
Honors Study Room! The Honors Study Room is available for Honors Program students only. It is located in North Hall Library.
Transcript Notation! Upon graduation from the University, each Honors Program student completing their MU Degree Program with a minimum 3.00 total QPA will have featured on his/her transcript: “This student has successfully completed the University Honors Program with Honors”. Each student with a minimum 3.50 total QPA in their Honors courses and a minimum 3.25 total QPA will have noted: “This student has completed the University Honors Program with Distinction.” Future employers are impressed with University Honors Programs and such involvement often leads to favorable employer responses.
Many Other Opportunities! Honors students participate in university field trips, attend cultural events, network with other Honors students as well as attend other get-togethers planned by members of Honors Council.

7. What are the requirements to complete the Honors Program?

The Honors Program offers a dynamic learning environment that includes unique courses, collaborative and individual research projects and field-based educational experiences. Honors Program students are required to complete FOUR specially-designed core courses, TWO Honors electives, ONE Senior Project Seminar and ONE Senior Honors Research Project Presentation. The electives, representing a cross-section of the liberal arts and sciences, change each semester.

8 . What happens if I fall below the required QPA of 3.00?

A student whose grades fall below 3.00 in either their Honors QPA or overall QPA is placed on Honors Probation. The student is given ONE semester to improve their Quality Point Average. Should the QPA (overall or Honors) not be raised to a minimum of 3.00 by the following semester, the student may be given a second opportunity IF there are extenuating circumstances. Any student not meeting the minimum QPA (either Honors or overall) at that time is dismissed from the Program. A student who falls below 3.00 in their Honors QPA and does not take an Honors course to raise that QPA would still be below the required standard and therefore be dismissed from the Program. Dismissal from the Honors Program has no impact upon student enrollment at the University. Honors Probation prohibits students from receiving Priority Scheduling or qualifying for any Honors Program awards.

9. What if I decide to discontinue my participation in the Honors Program? Do I lose the credits I have earned?

No. We would be sorry to lose any promising academician in the Honors Program especially since the benefits of membership far outweigh the discontinuation of membership. However, we realize that circumstances sometimes dictate otherwise and students must make choices which best serve their interests. If you should decide to leave the Program you would not lose any of your earned Honors credits. Those credits would still appear on your transcript and count as fulfilling General Education requirements.

10. What is the Senior Research Project Presentation?

The Senior Project is an independent study capstone experience which is related to the student’s major. It is initiated by the student to explore an area of interest that transcends traditional academic disciplines. After receiving approval by the Director of the Honors Program, the student works closely with a Faculty Mentor. This project is formally presented at the end of the semester to the campus community. When an Honors student is contemplating the completion of their own Senior Research Project, that student must observe TWO presenters at any session of the Project Presentations. The student may complete this requirement at any time PRIOR to the semester they plan to present their own Project.

For forms related to the Honors Senior Research Project see the links in the right-hand column under Contracts & Forms.

11. Who administers the Honors Program?

The Honors Program is administered by the Honors Program Director and Honors Council. The Director is appointed by the Provost (Vice-President of Academic Affairs). The Honors Council consists of multiple faculty members from various academic disciplines who act as Honors Program Advisors to Honors Program students. The Honors Program Director is assisted by the Honors Program Secretary. The Secretary handles Honors correspondence, tracks Honors Progress Reports, answers routine questions and monitors student achievements and awards. The Honors Secretary does not advise Honors students, assist in scheduling Honors classes, approve changes to Honors students programs or sign any Honors forms.

For any additional information regarding the Honors Program, contact Dr. Benjamin Moritz, Honors Program Director.

12. As an Honors Student, where can I find forms and other important information?

All Honors forms and documents can be found on the Honors Desire2Learn site. Once admitted into the Honors Program, you will be added to the Desire2Learn roster and will be able to access these documents. Hard copies of any document can be requested from the Honors secretary.

The most frequently used forms can be found in the right-hand column under Contracts & Forms:

13. What are the goals of the Honors Program?

Goals: The Mansfield Honors Program seeks to create opportunities for academically accomplished students to create a community of learners within the larger university community. Students will encourage each other’s intellectual curiosity and work with each other to solve problems and address issues they encounter through their research, experience and relationships.

Mission Statement: The Honors Program is designed to bring together talented, motivated students and dedicated faculty in an environment of challenging seminars and courses, research and service opportunities, cultural events and experiential learning events in order to promote breadth, diversity, and intellectual curiosity throughout the student's academic career. The Program fosters close individual contact between students and faculty, and attempts to bring together talented students of varied interests to ask important questions, and use their talents, imaginations and abilities to answer those questions.