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
- 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 via Kuali Forms. After completing your portion, the digital form will get routed to your professor for their digital signature. Once both the student and professor sections are completed, the digital form is routed to the Honors Office Team for processing!
The Honors Program is in the process of going digital! For the Spring 2026 semester, we will accept Contracts submitted digitally, through Kuali, as well as the previous method of PDFs delivered via email. Starting in Summer 2026, Kuali forms will be the only form of submission accepted. If you have questions about this process, please email honors@umkc.edu.
Honors Contract Completion Forms
- When you have completed the work needed to fulfill the Honors Contract, fill out the digital completion form, via Kuali Forms . Once completed, the form will route to your professor for their signature, and then is routed to the Honors office team for processing!
- A course grade of B or higher is needed for Honors credit to be awarded.
Due Dates
Honors Contracts
- Honors Contracts are due within the first four weeks of the semester. The Spring 2026 deadline for contract submissions are as follows:
- All full-semester courses and first 8-week session courses - Contracts due Friday February 13th, 2026 at 11:59PM
- 2nd 8-week session - Contracts due Friday April 10th, 2026 at 11:59PM
- Summer Honors Contracts are due July 1st.
- The Summer 2026 deadline for Summer Honors Contracts is Wednesday July 1st, 2026 at 11:59PM
Honors Completion Forms
- ALL Completion forms, regardless of if the course was full-semester or an 8-week session, are due no later than the Tuesday following final exam week.
- The Spring 2026 deadline for completion form submissions is Tuesday May 19th, 2026 at 11:59PM
- Summer Completion Forms are due the first Tuesday in August.
- The Summer 2026 deadline for contract submissions is August 4th, 2026 at 11:59PM
Extension Requests
- To request an extension, email honors@umkc.edu prior to the due date. Requests submitted in advance will be granted an immediate 48-hour extension without question, for any reason. If you need additional time, let us know.
- All extension requests must be received before the due date to be considered. Requests submitted after the due date will be denied.