Honors and Undergraduate Research Program

The Honors and Undergraduate Research Program at Fayetteville State University promotes inclusive excellence, recognizing and rewarding outstanding academic and scholarly achievement throughout the curriculum. As part of University College, the program creates incentives for all students to achieve at a level that leads to graduation with distinction in a timely manner. The Honors and Undergraduate Research Program also provides opportunities for high-achieving students to excel in their educational experience through research or creative activity, experiential learning, and co-curricular engagement. The program prepares students to become civic leaders, and to achieve personal well-being.

Curate Your Educational Experience the FAYSTATE HONORS Way

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The FSU Honors Program will:

  • provide a customizable program of study
  • promote critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis
  • promote student engagement in scholarly projects
  • create an active academic environment through scholarly, cultural and social activities
Students that successfully complete the Honors Program should demonstrate the ability to:
  • evaluate and analyze information
  • acquire, organize and interpret new knowledge
  • develop critical thinking skills
  • effectively communicate both orally and written
  • develop a plan for personal, academic and professional growth
  • broaden appreciation for community engagement
  • develop leadership competencies

University Honors Program
Honors Experience
University Honors Program

The University Honors Program promotes honors-as-experience. University Honors provides an honors experience in academics, community, and leadership. It allows students to follow their respective degree plan and does not require additional credits. University Honors employs a points system that is designed to encourage student participation and develop students as described in the program mission statement. The points system does not exclude honors course contracts; instead, it allows students other options to customize their honors experience (See table below).

Category

 Points Required Note
Course Contract 1-2 10 1-2 cr: 1 pt; 3-4 cr: 2 pts
Service 1 1 Service-Learning Course or 15 Hours Service/Semester
Presentation 1-2 1 Local: 1 pt; Regional/National: 2 pts
Thesis 5 5 Honors Capstone or Thesis
Elective 4 Contract, Service, and/or Presentation
Leadership 1 1  
Total 22 Required for graduation with Honors


First-Year Honors Experience 

The First-Year Honors Experience (FYHE) is a year-long leadership development program designed specifically for first-time freshman in the University Honors Program that allows students to develop their leadership style through application and experience. The FYHE consists of two phases: professional development and a leadership project. 

  • Fall Semester - Professional Development

Students will participate in workshops that focus on: personal/social responsibility; community engagement; diversity/inclusion; and experiential learning.  

  • Spring Semester - Leadership Distinction Project

The Leadership Distinction Project will integrate one of the social issue themes of the Think Tank Initiative (Division of Student Affairs). The Leadership Distinction Project is a self-designed in-depth, individualized learning experience and will include a form of research and methodology, reflection, and academic writing. 

Honors Excellence
University Honors Scholarship 

The University Honors Scholarship (UHS) Program promotes honors-as-excellence. The goal of UHS is to increase the number of students graduating with Latin honors in four years.

The UHS is awarded, at the beginning of sophomore year, to first-time students with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and 30 credit hours, with no previous merit scholarship(s) and is renewable up to three years. Students are awarded $750/year. (Note: This award is independent of the University Honors Program - Honors Experience.)

Eligibility

  • Entered as first-time freshman
  • Not an Early College High School graduate
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA 3.2
  • Minimum credit hours earned: 15/semester or 30/year

Scholarship

  • Award: $750/year
  • Renewal: up to 3 years

Undergraduate Research

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM

The purpose of the Undergraduate Research Program is to encourage all undergraduate students to be actively engaged in scholarly projects throughout their academic careers. 

We define undergraduate research as a project that builds upon the work of others to contribute original analysis and thought in a certain field and completed under the mentorship of FSU faculty.

Program Goals

  • Expand the scope and impacts of the Honors and Undergraduate Research program and activities to enhance all undergraduate students' academic and professional success.
  • Cultivate an expanded research culture on FSU campus.
  • Contribute to the development of students' skills in critical thinking, writing, information literacy, creativity, scientific reasoning, effective communication, collaboration, and in field-based methodologies throughout their academic careers
  • Establish systemic procedures to assess the impact of undergraduate student participation in research.
  • Develop a community of accomplished teacher-scholars to provide high quality mentoring support for undergraduates to have successful research experiences.
  • Improve the success of undergraduates in their educational goals and develop a lasting interest in science and research.
  • Train students in research in their undergraduate experience by incorporating authentic research experiences into a teaching setting.
  • Drive curriculum reform at the College and University levels.

STEM Undergraduate Research Certificate Program

The purpose of the STEM Undergraduate Research Certificate Program is to provide opportunities for students in all STEM disciplines to enhance their education through experiential learning and high impact practices.

These activities will result in graduates who:

  • can use critical thinking skills and analysis in their decision-making processes
  • understand the nature of research, investigation, and original work
  • are prepared to utilize their disciplinary skills in their communities and workplaces
  • can successfully attend graduate and professional degree programs or establish careers in their disciplines 

In addition to the overall undergraduate research program goals, the STEM Undergraduate Research Certificate Program also seeks to:

  • broaden participation in STEM specifically among underrepresented students,
  • and engage large numbers of students, especially underrepresented students in STEM, in publishable research.

STREAMS: FSU Journal for Undergraduate Research and Creative Works

Clubs/Organizations
FSU Honors Club

The purpose of the Honors Club is to provide a forum that promotes academic excellence in all disciplines through scholarship, leadership, service by exchanging information and engaging in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.

Membership Criteria

  • Any full-time undergraduate student
  • Recipient of a merit-based scholarship (i.e., Global Scholarship, Valeria Fleming STEM Scholarship) and/or evidence of academic excellence by presenting a strong letter of faculty support
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 
  • Evidence of leadership and service
  • Completed minimum of 15 credit hours 
Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society (Rho Beta Chapter)

National general scholarship honor society open to juniors/seniors in all academic areas to promote high scholarship; to encourage sincere and zealous endeavor in all fields of knowledge and service; to cultivate a high order of personal living, and to develop an appreciation for scholarly work and scholarly endeavor in others.

Membership Criteria

  • Junior/Senior
  • Complete minimum 50% of credit hours at FSU
  • minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3