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Honors in English

Program Director

Kathryn Kalinak
Professor
English Department
 
Craig-Lee Hall 363
(401) 456-8669
(401) 456-8028
kkalinak@ric.edu

Overview

English majors who have demonstrated superior academic ability are eligible to participate in one of the department's two honors programs:  Honors in English and Honors in Creative Writing. Each involves eight hours of Directed Study credits and has benefits beyond the honors designation itself.  Students explore in-depth projects of particular interest to them; they are afforded the opportunity to work intensively one-on-one with a faculty member of their choice; and they develop research, critical, and creative skills beyond the scope of the normal major. The completion of an honors project is a significant advantage when applying for employment or to graduate school. Finally, since the project will be bound and catalogued in Adams Library, as well as digitized in the library's Digital Archives, students completing honors projects become published writers who are able to share their work with other students, academics, and the public.

Complete statements of guidelines are available by clicking on the links below.

Eligibility to Apply

  • Declared English major
  • Completion of 12 credits of 300/400 level English courses
  • Minimum GPA of 3.25 in the English major or consent of the Honors and Scholarships Committee
  • Overall GPA of at least 3.0 or consent of the Honors and Scholarships Committee

Procedure and Timeline

  • Candidates identify a project of interest that they would like to explore in depth and choose a faculty member to work with one-on-one.
  • Working with their faculty advisers, candidates compose and submit preliminary 2-3 page proposals for honors projects to the English Department Honors and Scholarships Committee. Candidates in Creative Writing submit their proposals to the Creative Writing Committee.
  • Preliminary proposals are normally submitted in the second semester of the junior year, although projects may be begun earlier. English majors in Secondary Education normally submit proposals in the first semester of the junior year and work on their projects during the second semester of the junior year and the first semester of the senior year in order to accommodate student teaching in the final semester.
  • Students whose proposals are approved by the Honors and Scholarships Committee (or the Creative Writing Committee) enroll in English 491 (Directed Study; four credits) for the following semester.
  • Toward the end of English 491, students submit expanded 4-5 page proposals to the Honors and Scholarships Committee (or the Creative Writing Committee which also requires a writing sample). The respective committees will review these materials and will forward any suggestions or comments to the project adviser..
  • Students enroll in English 492 (Directed Study; four credits) for the following semester. The decision to continue the project into the second semester rests with the student and the adviser.
  • At the end of English 492, candidates submit their honors projects to the Honors and Scholarships Committee (or the Creative Writing Committee) for evaluation.

Evaluation

  • Candidates must maintain at least a 3.25 GPA in all English courses and a 3.0 overall GPA while taking English 491 and 492.
  • Grades for English 491 and 492 are given by the candidate's faculty adviser.
  • The designation of Honors in English is awarded by the Honors and Scholarships Committee (or the Creative Writing Committee).

For Further Information

  • See Dr. Kathryn Kalinak, Chair of the Honors and Scholarships committee, in Craig-Lee 363, or email kkalinak@ric.edu or
  • Dr. Mark Anderson, Director of the Creative Writing Program (Craig-Lee 351, manderson@ric.edu)​​​

Page last updated: May 19, 2016