Proposed Honors Baccalaureate

Kimberly Engber sent the following information to clarify the request brought to the Faculty Senate from Honors and the Faculty Senate Honors Committee – As part of the entire proposal, this information was also approved by the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee:

• The first three pages are the key pages in the proposal(below this statement) I have attached these as a separate file to make consideration easier.

• We are asking the Senate to consider specifically the proposal for an Honors Baccalaureate that would require students to select 2 or 3 academic fields in two colleges (36 credits), to complete an Honors thesis (3 credits), and to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25.

• The Honors Baccalaureate incorporates approved Honors programs:

o The current Emory Lindquist Honors program curriculum requires students to complete 24 Honors credits chosen from HNRS seminars and department honors courses. The new 12-credit Emory Lindquist Honors Scholars program and the 12-credit interdisciplinary track program preserve some of the flexibility of the existing Honors program but are designed to give students more guidance and create access points for transfer students. These changes were approved by the Faculty Senate Honors committee and Senate Academic Affairs committee in fall 2013, effective fall 2014.

Wichita State University
University Curriculum Change Form
(To be used for curriculum and program changes)
Department/Subject Honors Program/curriculum) Honors
Program Title Honors Baccalaureate

Check all actions applicable to the proposed change. Use a separate form for each program.
Type(s) of Change(s)
1. 0 Change in requirements for admission to program/major
2. 0 Change in requirements for major/minor
3. X0 NEW program (See www.wichita.edu/curriculumforms for additional instructions and form for new program/major)
4. 0 NEW certificate program (See www.wichita.edu/curriculumforms for additional instructions and form for new certificate program)
5. 0 Other (describe)

Routing Determination
6. 0 This change affects students and/or programs in other colleges.
7. 0 This change/addition involves graduate programs/courses numbered 500 or above.
Please complete the following, where appropriate:
8. These changes are effective: Semester Fall Year 2014

9. At what point do you want the old information off the books (if applicable)? Semester Fall Year 2014
10. (A) Describe and (B) justify the change and its place in the department's and/or college's overall curriculum plan.

The H.B. degree furthers WSU's mission “to be an essential educational, cultural, and economic driver for Kansas and for the greater public good” and furthers the vision articulated by the Faculty Senate Honors Committee of creating an innovative, interdisciplinary Honors College curriculum that will have a positive impact on the university campus. The mission of the university and the vision of the new Honors College recognize WSU's designation as a research university, its location in the most populous city in Kansas, and its proximity to large employers. According to the enrollment and graduation data of Kansas's six Regents universities, WSU has the largest percentage of part-time students and the largest percentage of on-campus professional degrees conferred.

11. (A) Do the involved courses replace, resemble, overlap, or substitute for courses in other departments and/or colleges? (B) What is the effect of this action on other departments and/or colleges and their students? (You are responsible for consulting with departments whose programs may be affected by your action.) 0 Letters of support from affected departments/colleges are attached 0 Not Applicable

See attached proposal


12. Aside from reassignment of current faculty and changes in current course rotation, what additional resources and personnel are required? (You are responsible for consulting with coordinator of collection development of the library, director of media resources, and director of computing when additional library holdings, electronic/telecommunications, and computer resources are required.) 0 Letters of support from affected division are attached 0 Not Applicable

See fiscal summary attached


13. Catalog Description to appear in the WSU Catalog.

Catalog description approved on September 19, 2013 by Faculty Senate Honors committee and on October 8, 2013 by the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs committee as part of changes to Emory Lindquist Honors requirements:

Honors Baccalaureate (63 credits)

The Honors Baccalaureate (H.B.) degree is conferred by the Honors College. The degree is designed for students with diverse interests in academic areas across campus. It can prepare students for careers such as university teaching, medicine, law, or management. A student who wishes to receive the H.B. degree will work closely with an Honors College Advisor or Dean to select two or three academic disciplines from at least two of the six other colleges on campus. The Honors College Advisor will coordinate with faculty and advisors from the colleges and major departments to select a program of study that will provide the student with a rigorous academic experience. To receive the Honors Baccalaureate, students must:

‚ñ° Complete at least 18 credits hours in each of two departmental majors/disciplines from at least two colleges (for a total of at least 36 credits)
OR
‚ñ° Complete at least 12 credits hours in each of three departmental majors/disciplines from at least two colleges (for a total of at least 36 credits)

AND

‚ñ° Complete the following additional 27 Honors credits:
ÔÇß Emory Lindquist Honors Scholar program (12 credits).
ÔÇß Honors Interdisciplinary Track (12 credits): The student must complete the requirements for one of the Interdisciplinary Honors Tracks.
ÔÇß Honors Thesis (HNRS 410 Independent Study, 3 credits): The student will work with a faculty mentor who will supervise a capstone thesis project during the student's last semester.

Electives: To fulfill the 120 credit hours required for an undergraduate degree at WSU, the H.B. student will complete elective courses selected with the help of the Honors College Advisor or Dean.

14. Content Coverage and/or Major Topics. Attach a sample and/or other relevant documents as appropriate (new program or certificate proposal, program requirements, etc.).


Please attach additional documents as necessary.
New Degree Request – Wichita State University


I. PROGRAM INVENTORY DATABASE


Criteria
Program Summary

1. Program Identification CIP Honors Baccalaureate 30.9999
2. Academic Unit Honors College
3. Program Description The Honors Baccalaureate (H.B.) degree at Wichita State University will attract high-achieving students preparing for a career in an emerging field or preparing for entry into a graduate degree program such as management, law, or medicine. H.B. students will develop an innovative yet structured course of study in at least two academic colleges.
4. Demand/Need for the Program Of current and prospective WSU Honors students surveyed, 55% indicated interest in pursuing the H.B. degree (N=87).
5. Comparative/Locational Advantage Among the six major KBOR universities, none offers an undergraduate degree at the Honors level. WSU is uniquely positioned to offer students rigorous academic preparation in the liberal arts and sciences with real-world problem-solving experience because of its location in Kansas's largest city, near large employers, its large percentage of professional students and its new Honors College.
6. Curriculum 120 hour degree with a 63 hour major
7. Faculty Profile Faculty drawn from departments and colleges across the university, will coordinate the Honors seminars and interdisciplinary tracks that are the foundation of the H.B.
8. Student Profile Freshman status meeting university admission guidelines. Of current and prospective Honors students surveyed who indicated interest in the H.B. degree, 46% indicated that they plan to attend graduate school, 42% indicated that they would begin working immediately after graduation, and 8% percent indicated that they plan to start their own business.
9. Academic Support The H.B. degree will be housed within the Honors College and will require additional advising within the Honors College.
10. Facilities and Equipment Honors will be housed within the new WSU residence hall. No additional space or equipment (other than routine enhancement and replacement) will be required.
11. Program Review, Assessment, Accreditation A clear process will be in place and will remain in place that evaluates student learning and program outcomes on several levels. Accreditation is not available for Honors.
12. Costs, Financing Funding for current instructors is adequately covered through existing GU allocations in Honors. Additional funds in the amount of $18,000 will be needed to cover faculty fellows and $48,000 for an Honors Advisor (1.0).