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UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM
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University Honors Program

Announcements and Deadlines

Click here for announcements for students.

Click here for announcements for faculty.


Writing Undergraduate Research and Grant Proposals. Workshop. Monday, Nov. 2. 4:00pm. Lipitt 402.

Become an Orientation Leader! Informational Open House, Wednesday, November 4, 4:00pm in the Great Room of Roosevelt Hall. Applications are available in 139 Roosevelt Hall. Applications are due on Wednesday, November 11 by 12:00 Noon in 139 Roosevelt Hall. For questions, contact the Office of New Student Programs at 401-874-5927, newram@etal.uri.edu or visit 140 Roosevelt Hall.

Writing Undergraduate Research and Grant Proposals. Workshop. Thursday, Nov. 12, 4:00pm. Lipitt 402.



Undergraduate Research Initiative:
Awards for Scholarly, Creative and Artistic Projects (ASCAP)

The URI ASCAP program provides funds to undergraduates to participate in original research or creative or artistic projects of their own design that are supervised by a faculty sponsor. Students chosen for support will receive a grant of up to $800 to help support his or her project. All undergraduate students in good standing (including part-time students) are eligible.
Deadline: November 25, 2009, 4:00pm.
Submit proposals to:
Karen Markin, Director of Research Development, or
Richard McIntyre, Director, Honors Program
Click here for more information about the program.
Click here to downlaad the ASCAP budget form (Excel spreadsheet)


GET FUNDING FOR YOUR HONORS PROJECT
Honors Opportunity Fund
The Honors Opportunity Fund provides financial support to deserving students who, as part of their honors program study or activity, incur unusual financial expenses. Examples of eligible uses include expenses related to an Honors Senior Project; expenses for research or meaningful academic activities related to any particular honors course; or any other purpose as determined by the Honors Program Director.
Deadline: Dec. 11, 2009 Click here for more information
Click herefor detailed information about the Senior HonorsProject.

Announcements for faculty:


Click here for information about honors course proposals.

Click here for information about honors colloquium proposals.

Click here for information about visiting scholar grants

Honors Course Proposals for 2010-2011

All full-time and continuing URI faculty are invited to submit proposals for Honors courses to be taught in either Fall 2010 or Spring 2011. Courses may be proposed for one semester or both; for 100 or 200-level Honors Seminars, for 300 or 400-level Honors Tutorials, and for 400-level Senior Honors Seminars for more advanced students. Course proposals can either be for an honors section of an existing course or for an original course designed specifically for the Honors Program. During the current academic year, 2009-10, 49 faculty members are teaching courses in Honors. Teaching in the Honors Program gives you the opportunity to experiment with new interdisciplinary courses and to enjoy extraordinary teaching conditions:
  • teach small seminar-style classes between 10 and 20 students
  • meet highly motivated students (minimum 3.3 grade point average)
  • experiment with new course designs
  • participate in an interdisciplinary community of faculty interested in teaching excellence and active learning.

    • All enrollment numbers for honors courses are credited to the faculty member's home department. Teaching in the University Honors Program offers your department:
  • an opportunity to showcase and recruit for your major among excellent students;
  • an occasion to try course designs that may later become a permanent offering in your department;
  • the honor and prestige of having department faculty selected and publicized as exemplary teachers in the University Honors Program.

    Guidelines for Honors Course Proposals

    If you would like to teach an Honors course in 2010-11 please forward the following to Richard McIntyre, Honors Director, Lippitt Hall 300B, by December 1, 2009:

  • a one to two page syllabus of the proposed course that includes the following information:
    course title and course description (including course level 100/200/300/400), course objectives, grading criteria, and a sample reading list. For general education courses, please indicate which requirement the class will meet and which skill areas will be covered in the course;
  • a twenty-word course description that can be included in our course schedule and flyer;
  • a condensed curriculum vitae and recent representative SET scores;
  • an endorsement from your Chair and Dean, together with any comments they wish to convey.
  • a brief statement indicating what differentiates your honors course from a regular course.*
    • *This may include one or more of the following criteria: interdisciplinary approach to the subject matter, emphasis on developing critical thinking skills rather than recitation of facts, emphasis on developing critical reading skills, integration of writing as a process in the structure of the course, project-based learning, work with primary sources rather than textbooks, more emphasis on cooperative learning, and providing a core content area to a pure skills course, or other criteria that you feel identifies your course as an Honors course.
    For additional information please call Ric McIntyre at 874-4126 or Deborah Gardiner, Program Administrator, at 874-2303.

    Visiting Scholar Grants

    The Honors Program and Visiting Scholars Committee provides funds for bringing notable scholars to campus to make intellectually stimulating presentations. All faculty members or administrative officers who wish to arrange such a program may apply for funds to underwrite part of the expenses for a campus visit. The maximum award is $500, with most awards falling below that amount, and requests for funds must show significant funding from other sources. 
    We are now soliciting requests for presentations to be made during the period February, March and April 2010. Your proposal must contain all of the following:
  • Resume or full vita if possible of the proposed visiting scholar;
  • Description of the program and its potential audience; while the committee's primary charge is to serve the URI community; we also wish to attract audiences members from across the state;
  • A PR and publicity plan to reach the desired audience.
  • Proposed date of presentation; please take into account other events on campus, avoid conflicts, and maximize your proposed audience.
  • Budget statement that includes the amount requested, an itemized breakdown of costs, and other funding sources you are pursuing. Funds granted can be used only for travel or honorarium and will be paid directly to the visiting scholar in one single check.
  • Please download a spreadsheet for your budget here, edit in Excel, save it and submit it as an email attachment.
  • Please email your request to mcintyre@uri.edu by January 15, 2010. Late requests will be considered, once all timely submitted requests have been decided.

    • If you have any questions, please call Ric McIntyre at 874-4126 or email him at mcintyre@uri.edu.

    Colloquium Proposals

    The Honors Program and Visiting Scholars Committee invites interested faculty and faculty teams to submit proposals for the Fall 2011 Honors Colloquium. The Honors Colloquium is the premiere intellectual lecture series in Rhode Island and serves as a showcase for the University. The Colloquium is a university-wide educational forum with a substantial public following and audience that offers presentations and discussions of emerging lively, challenging intellectual issues. Each fall, the Honors Colloquium combines a topical series of speakers and events with a 200-level honors course. Participation in a Honors Colloquium is a completion requirement for the Honors Program, and in the last few years the average class size has been 50-70 students.
    Substantial financial support is in place for a speakers budget, summer recontracting, and course replacement. In addition, financial liaisons for additional support have been established over past recent years with the various colleges, research centers, and academic programs on campus. Colloquium coordinators are also encouraged to seek external support.
    Selection of the winning proposal is made by the Honors Program and Visiting Scholars Committee. To propose a Fall 2011 Honors Colloquium, please submit a letter of intent by December 1, 2009. The proposal should include:
  • a concept paper of one to two pages that frames the intellectual issue(s);
  • a list or brief account of potential speakers and special events;
  • a rough estimate of a budget;
  • a brief course description for the 200-level honors class, including a sample syllabus and reading list;
  • a curriculum vitae for the colloquium coordinator(s).

    • There are several successful proposals available for your perusal in the Honors Center. Please contact Deborah Gardiner at 874-2303 if you wish to look these over.

    Previous colloquia:
    Fall, 2003 "The Futures of Globalization"
    Fall, 2004 "Food and Human Rights: Hunger and Social Policy"
    Fall, 2005 "Contemporary Sport: Healthy Pursuit or Obsession?"
    Fall, 2006 "Songs of Social Justice: The Rhetoric of Music"
    Fall, 2007 "China Rising"
    Fall, 2008 "Global Environmental Change"
    Fall, 2009 "Demystifying India"

    The Honors Colloquium is a wonderful opportunity to engage the University and public with your area of research and intellectual concern. If you have any comments or questions, please call Ric McIntyre at 874-4126 or email him at mcintyre@uri.edu.

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