FAQ

Student FAQ

• Do I have to pay to join the Honors Scholars Program?

  No, the Honors Scholars Program is entirely free to join. 

  Please view our About page for more information.

• What are the requirements to join the Honors Scholars Program?

  To join the Honors Scholars Program, students must have at least a 3.4 GPA and 12 or more credits completed. Before the start of each semester, we send invitation letters to students who meet these requirements. 

  Please view our About page for more information.

• What do I have to do to remain in the Honors Scholars Program?

  To remain a member of the Honors Scholars Program, students must
  (1) maintain an honors GPA; (2) complete at least one honors project per academic year, design a game while participating in all game lab events, and/or volunteer* and (3) participate in at least one honors event a month during the fall and spring semesters (e.g., NSCS Networking, master class, workshop, field trip, community service). Students must also adhere to the college’s academic integrity policy.

  *Please view our About page for more information.

• If I’m a current member, do I have to reapply every semester? 

  No, students only have to apply to the program once. If they do not meet the requirements of the program, they will be removed and have to apply again. 

  Please view our About page for more information.

• What is an Honors credit in a regular course project or Honors project?

  An Honors project is an extra project that students can do for any of their current courses. It takes an entire semester to complete and the student and the professor of their choosing would decide on the scope of the project. An Honors project must be more challenging than a regular project and it must be related to the course that the student chooses. Once the student has completed all requirements, they will receive Honors credit noted on their official physical transcript. 

  Please view our Curriculum page for more information. 

• How do I get started with an Honors project?

  Students should start by asking one of their current professors if they would like to give them an Honors project. If the professor is unsure of what an Honors project is, then the student can show them the Honors in a regular course contract and/or refer them to the Honors Scholars Program Coordinator. If the professor is willing to give the student an Honors project and become that student’s mentor, then they will both decide on what the project will be about.

  Please view our Curriculum page for more information. 

• Do Honors projects have to be research related? 

  No, Honors projects can be research or non-research related. For example, students can create an Honors project about photography or writing an original computer program. 

  Please view our Curriculum page for more information. 

• How do I register for an Honors course?

  Students can register for Honors courses through CUNYfirst; it is the same process as registering for normal courses. Note that Honors courses will have the letter “H” after the course number.

  Please view our Curriculum page for more information. 

Faculty FAQ

• Who are City Tech Honors Scholar Program students?

  Honors Scholars Program students at City Tech maintain a GPA of 3.4 or greater, may also be members of the National Society for Collegiate Scholars, and participate in workshops and events that support research skills, networking, intellectual growth, and preparedness for graduate studies.

• Why should I become a Honors Scholars Program faculty mentor?

  You should consider this service opportunity if you are aiming to support the goals of City Tech’s most motivated students. Honors Scholars Program students have a track record of academic success, motivation, and leadership. When a Honors Scholars student in your course asks you to serve as a research mentor, you should first consider if you have the time to make the commitment. Research mentors will need to hold regular meetings with their Honors Scholars student outside of the regular class schedule, and this can be done virtually or in-person. You can also look at the GPAs of student enrolled in your course to identify candidates for the program and project. 

• I’m currently not conducting any research; can I serve as a research mentor?

  Yes! While on-going research projects and labs are a great way to offer mentorship, in many cases, the Honors Scholars Program student in your course will already have a research idea of their own! A conversation about the topic and its development, as well as being a good fit, is strongly encouraged. Remember, the student will become the expert; you are the mentor on their journey. For example, an Honors Scholars Program student from the BTech in Architectural Technology program might be inclined to complete their Honors Scholars project in a health course on a project that connects both disciplines (e.g., building accessible health care facilities).

• What paperwork do I need to complete with my student(s)?

  You will need to work with the student to complete the Honors Scholars Contract. This document requires your signature and the signature of your department chair. This needs to be completed and submitted by the student early in the semester (by week 4).

• What information do I need to contribute for completing the contract?

  Title & description (work with your student to develop these).

  Assessment plan (briefly describe how you will determine and evaluate the objectives of the research project). Because there are so many disciplines represented at our college, as a mentor, you have the autonomy to decide what work’s best for you.

  Presentation format (we ask that you help guide your student on the best format for their project, given your disciplinary standards). Students may do an academic poster or an 8–10-minute talk on the Honors Scholars Program student panel. For posters, please indicate whether the project is STEM, non-STEM or Interdisciplinary.

• How do I set my expectations for my Honors Scholars Program Project?

  Identify a plan of action. Decide what the project entails. Set up deadlines and milestones for the project. Have a clear vision of the final product (poster or talk). Stay flexible throughout the semester, as some variance from the original game-plan can occur.

  Understand the Honors Scholars resources available to your student(s). In addition to your project together are programmatic curricula completed independently by the Honors Scholars student. This includes a series of learning modules focused on academic conferences and the nature of research presentations. There is a public speaking refresher with a communication faculty member and a workshop where students can consult with the assistant director of Honors Scholars Program to put the final touches on their projects. Students also learn how to get their finished projects on Academic Works.

• What am I obligated to do as a faculty research mentor?

  Develop a project distinct from coursework assignments. The project cannot be an existing assignment from within the course. The project is in addition to assigned coursework. It is possible to build-out a larger project from an existing assignment, but their final product (i.e., poster or talk) needs to be distinct.

  Encourage drafting and revisions. You are being asked to assist students in the research process for your respective disciplines. Best practices for doing this include drafts of the project, detailed feedback, and on-going revisions. Your student’s final project should not come as a ‘surprise’ to you.

  Present Honors Project in Class. Part of the Honors Scholars contract that you sign states you must provide an opportunity for the student to present their work to their classmates. This is yet another exemplary faculty practice that supports Honors Scholars student’s research and academic efficacy, important tenets to the program. Please schedule this time during a class meeting as you see fit. Do not put your Honors Scholars student “on the spot”.

  Oversee the progress of your student’s research. As noted earlier, you will need to schedule meetings with your Honors Scholars student outside of the regular class meetings times. This can be during your recurring office hours, but truly, whatever works best for you and your mentee.

• What events do I have to attend?

  Honors Scholars Program Orientation happens early at the start of each academic semester. This will familiarize you with the overall program and student expectations.

  You are strongly encouraged to attend the Honors Scholars Program Semi-Annual Student Academic Conference, which features a keynote speaker and student panels. Bring your class to the event so they can hear their peer present. Be sure to attend the entire program, not just your student’s event. Honors Scholars work hard all semester-long. 

  The Semi-Annual Dr. Janet Liou-Mark Honors and Undergraduate Research Scholars Poster Presentation is where you can view all poster presentations and at the end of the event, the poster and panel award winners are announced.

• I love the Honors Scholars Program, but I’m not serving as a mentor this year. Can I still help?

  Serve as a poster judge! (You will not be assigned your student’s poster to review). If you have a knack for efficient communication, we also invite you volunteer as a judge for the Honors Scholars Program Student Academic Conference Panel Presentations. Please reach out to amanda.almond20@citytech.cuny.edu.