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Honors in Nursing

The Honors Program is established to recognize senior level students with superior academic achievement and to facilitate their participation in independent study which may include, but is not limited to, research and teaching/community projects. This independent study is intended to enhance the educational experience of the outstanding student. It is intended that the focus of the program is above and beyond the usual scope of the curriculum offered in the baccalaureate program. Completion of the Honors Program will be appropriately recognized and will be recorded on the student’s permanent academic record.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • The candidate must be a Nursing major.
  • The candidate must have completed two of the Junior Level courses: N340, N342, N344, N346.
  • The candidate has a minimal overall cumulative GPA of 3.00 and a minimal nursing GPA of 3.25.

Proposal Procedure:

  • The student must submit a letter of intent to be considered as a candidate for the senior Honors Project by October 1st for those anticipating January graduation the following year and February 1st for those anticipating May graduation the following year. The letter of intent will be submitted to the Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee. The committee will notify the student of the decision.
  • A written proposal must be submitted to the Curriculum Committee for approval by December 1st/April 1st. The proposal should include a description of the candidate’s proposed Honors Project, a statement of the objectives of the project, the methodologies to be used, and projected dates for completion of various steps in the project. It must also include the name of the faculty member who has agreed to work with the student.
  • The candidate will be notified of the committee’s decision regarding the proposal by the end of the semester.
  • The Honors candidate will conduct individual research and/or creative projects in two semesters. The candidate must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average while enrolled in the Honors Program.

Honors Project Procedure:

First Semester, Nursing 390: Directed Study - 3 credits

  • The candidate will select the area of his/her Honors Project with the consent of the faculty advisor.
  • The candidate will consult regularly with his/her faculty advisor on the progress of his/her directed Honors Project.
  • At the end of the semester the student will submit to the faculty advisor a detailed outline of the Honors Project and a bibliography.
  • The faculty advisor will evaluate the candidate’s work and submit a course grade. If the candidate receives less than a grade of B, he/she will be dropped from the Honors Program, but will be awarded 3 credits in Nursing 390 if he/she has achieved a passing grade.

Second Semester, Nursing 391: Directed Study- 3 credits

  • After completion of the first semester of directed study, the candidate will write and/or conduct an Honors Project under the supervision of the faculty advisor. The written project will embody results of either substantial research or creative work.
  • The candidate must submit the final written copy of the Honors Project to the faculty advisor by November 15th/April 1st for January/May graduation.
  • The faculty advisor will evaluate the candidate’s work and submit a course grade. If the candidate receives less than a grade of B, he/she will be dropped from the Honors Program but will be awarded 3 credits in Nursing 390 if he/she has achieved a passing grade.
  • Honor students are encouraged to make a formal presentation of their work at a colloquium arranged by the faculty advisor.

The Reward:

  • If students have completed the RIC general education honors program, they will graduate with College Honors. Students who complete the honors program in nursing will graduate with Honors in Nursing.
  • Students will gain the experience of conducting in-depth research, teaching or community projects in close consultation with a nursing faculty advisor.
  • Upon completion of the project, copies of the work will be bound and placed in Adams Library and in the School of Nursing archives.

For Further Information:

Contact Assistant Professors Sharon Galloway (sgalloway@ric.edu) and Esperanza Gutierrez (egutierrez@ric.edu​).

Page last updated: October 05, 2018