Honors by Contract
Conversion of regular Bucks courses into honors courses
An honors-by-contract arrangement allows an Honors@Bucks student in a regular academic section to enter with the instructor into a private contract assigning supplemental coursework requiring scholarly research, high-order critical thinking, and/or experiential learning (the Honors@Bucks Program's three foci).
The Honors@Bucks student's completion of the contract to the instructor's satisfaction converts the regular course into an honors course on the student's transcript.
Honors contracts are facilitated by Dr. Stephen doCarmo, Honors@Bucks coordinator, and should be arranged by the end of the semester preceding that in which the contract will be in effect.
Faculty-student partners should submit completed contract forms (these are provided by Dr. doCarmo) for Honors Council feedback and approval by a deadline early in the semester in which the contract will be in effect.
Honors@Bucks students must complete at least one dedicated-honors course before beginning honors-by-contract coursework.
Honors@Bucks students may forge honors contracts only in courses helping fulfill requirements for their programs of study.
Generally speaking, Honors@Bucks students may not forge contracts in courses being offered in dedicated-honors format that same semester.
Note that honors contracts are not available for one- and two-credit courses—nor are they available for studio-based fine-arts courses (e.g. VAFA100: Drawing Fundamentals).
Note, too, that there are no additional fees or tuition costs for honors-by-contract coursework.
If you're an Honors@Bucks student interested in arranging an honors contract for an upcoming semester, please contact Dr. Stephen doCarmo, Honors@Bucks coordinator.