Honors Contracts
Many students in the Honors Program choose to do an honors contract, an agreement to carry out an independent study project designed in consultation with the instructor, in any course they choose. Students enjoy this option because it allows them to individualize virtually any course and become better acquainted with UMKC faculty members. If you complete an honors contract in a particular class, you cannot obtain more honors credit for the class through an Honors Discussion Group.
How to contract for Honors credit
- Obtain an Honors Contract form (PDF)
- Think of a project you want to do for a course you are enrolled in.
- This project should extend and supplement the learning goals of the course. For example, you may wish to write a paper, carry out research, conduct an experiment, make an oral presentation, engage in a community service project or organize a tutorial group.
- Any undergraduate course at UMKC in which you are currently enrolled for a letter grade may serve as the basis of an Honors Contract, subject to the approval of the faculty member teaching the course. Physical Education courses are ineligible for honors contracts.
- Approach the professor (PDF) with your idea and discuss the added work to be completed under the Honors Contract.
- Fill out the Honors Contract form and sign it; then ask your instructor to complete and sign the form.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader is the easiest way to do this.
- Submit your completed contract to the Honors Program e-mail. Contracts are due within the first four weeks of the semester.
Honors Contract Completion Forms
- When you have completed the work needed to fulfill the Honors Contract, fill out the completion form (PDF) and send the completed form by email to your instructor for their signature. The instructor should then email the form back to you, the student, to submit.
- Completion forms are due no later than the Tuesday following final exam week. You should send a signed copy of the completion form to the Honors Program email. We are no longer accepting paper copies.
- Summer Honors contracts are due the first Tuesday in August.
- A course grade of B or higher is needed for honors credit to be awarded.
- If the student requests an extension of the deadline, they must email the Honors Director with the said request before the end of the semester.