Honors Learning Experiences (HLEs)
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Honors Sections of General Education Courses
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Honors Contract in any Course (3 or more credit hours)
| Honors Contract
Students may collaborate directly with an instructor to turn any course into an Honors
Learning Experience.
Students can customize a project to further their understanding of the Foundations
of Honors Learning.
At the beginning of the semester, you will submit an Honors Contract proposal. If
approved, you will also submit a signed faculty permission form to formalize your
Contract.
At the end of the semester, you will be asked to upload your completed Honors Contract.
You will also be responsible for obtaining faculty verification of successful completion.
Honors Contracts are submitted via D2L. See the KSU Journey Honors College D2L page
for more information.
Please see tables below for contract submission details.
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Honors Internship/Co-Op with an Honors Learning Contract
- Students learn while they gain experience related to their majors by focusing on one
of the Foundations of Honors Learning through a special project during an internship
experience.
- The Internship Proposal Form is due by one month from the first day of class.
- You must also register for a co-op/internship course within your major department.
Applications without a co-op/internship course within your major will not be approved.
- Keep a reflective journal throughout the semester.
- At the end of the semester, you'll submit a report including your reflective journal;
- a description of your experience;
- other products (for example, a sample of your work, screenshots, coding, art, photos)
that might help you describe the work you did, incorporated into your Word or PDF
document;
- a discussion of whether you achieved the goals you set in your proposal, including
goal(s) related to developing one of the Honors Foundations.
Honors Internship Contracts are submitted via D2L. See the KSU Journey Honors College
D2L page for more information.
Please see tables below for contract submission details.
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Honors Discovery (HON 2400)
- Topics vary by semester and may include Book Clubs or other special options.
- View upcoming Discovery options under the COURSES tab in the navigation menu.
- You can also view these courses in Owl Express (HON 2400).
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Applied Learning Experience (HON 2800)
- To earn an HLE through an Applied Learning E xperience, you'll need to fill out the
proposal form below before the end of drop/add AND sign up for HON 2800 (0 hours).
- You should spend 48 hours during a semester to earn an Applied Learning Experience
HLE.
- An applied learning experience is a less formal way than an internship to acquire
hands-on experience related to your major. Some common types of applied learning include
volunteering, shadowing a professional, and tutoring (in each case, the experience
should be related to your major in a substantial way).
- Keep a reflective journal throughout the semester.
- At the end of the semester, you'll submit a report of 5-10 pages including
- your reflective journal;
- a description of your experience;
- other products (for example, a sample of your work, screenshots, coding, art, photos)
that might help you describe the work you did, incorporated into your Word or PDF
document;
- a discussion of whether you achieved the goals you set in your proposal, including
goal(s) related to developing one of the Honors Foundations.
Please see Applied Learning Experience submission information in the tables below.
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Research Assistance Experience (HON 3002)
- Students serve as a research assistant in supervised inquiry in all disciplines. They
hone investigative and critical thinking skills under the guidance of a faculty member.
- You may sign up for this course for 0-3 hours, depending on whether you can use the
hours as elective credits.
- You should meet the professor's expectations for amount of time you spend on the research.
- As a general guideline, spend at least 2-3 hours a week for each credit hour you earn.
- At the end of the semester, you will submit a 3–5 page (double-spaced) reflection report describing your research topic, the implications of this research, and your overall experience. What were your goals, and did you accomplish them? How did you grow during this experience, and what did you learn through this process that can be applied to how you approach other coursework? How did your work align with any of the three Honors Identities (Lifelong Learners, Collaborative Leaders, and Civic-Minded Scholars)?
Please see Honors Research Assistant submission information in the tables below.
You will receive instruction for completing your end-of-semester reflection directly
from the HON 3002 instructor.
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Teaching Assistance Experience (HON 3203)
- Students develop teaching and leadership skills and document evidence of their Honors
learning while working as a Teaching Assistant with one of their professors. You may
sign up for this course for 0-3 hours.
- You should meet the professor's expectations for amount of time you spend on the class.
As a general guideline, you should be in class for every class meeting and spend at
least 2-3 hours a week for each credit hour you earn.
- At the end of the semester you will submit a 3–5 page (double-spaced) reflection report describing the course(s) for which you were a Teaching Assistant, how you engaged with students and faculty, and your overall experience. How did you grow during this experience, and what did you learn through this process that can be applied to how you approach other coursework or your future career? How did you work align with one or more of the three honors identities (Lifelong Learners, Collaborative Leaders, and Civic Minded Scholars)?
Please see Honors Teaching Assistant submission information in the tables below.
*At the end of the semester, we will reach out to your supervisor by email to verify the completion of this experience.
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Honors Directed Study (HON 4400)
- Students develop a special course of study that is directed by a faculty member. They
learn project management skills while activating deep learning in an area of study.
- Directed Studies can be taken as HON 4400 or under your major's prefix (e.g., BIOL
4400, HIST 4400, DANC 4400).
Directed Study Instructions
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Honors Capstone Proposal Experience (HON 4497)
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Please contact Dr. Nicholas Ellwanger at nellwang@kennesaw.edufor a copy of the Fall 2023 Honors Capstone Proposal Syllabus.
You will submit a signature form showing your capstone faculty supervisor's and department/school
liaison's approval at two points:
Initial Checkpoint:
Use this intial checkpoint form to submit a timeline for your work and related information.
Midterm Checkpoint:
Use this midterm checkpoint form to submit an update on your work and related information.
Final Checkpoint:
Use this final checkpoint form to submit your final draft and related information.
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Honors Capstone Completion Experience (HON 4499)
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Please contact Dr. Nicholas Ellwanger at nellwang@kennesaw.edu for a copy of the Fall 2022 Honors Capstone Completion Syllabus.
You will submit information and a signature form showing your capstone faculty supervisor's
and department/school liaison's approval at two points:
Initial Checkpoint:
Use this initial checkpoint form to submit a timeline for your work and related information.
Midterm Checkpoint:
Use this midterm checkpoint form to submit an update on your Capstone and related information.
Final Checkpoint:
Use this final checkpoint form to submit your Capstone project.
Support is available for presentation of Honors projects at professional conferences.
Once the form is completed with the appropriate signatures, please submit the form here.
If you're an Honors student planning to graduate this semester, we'd love to hear
your future plans. Please fill out the Honors Alumni form.
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HLE Leadership Opportunities
Honors students may earn an HLE by engaging in an Honors leadership group. Learn more
about each opportunity below:
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KSU Journey Honors College Student Ambassadors are a volunteer group of students who support the program’s development and stewardship efforts, and who educate, excite, and engage with potential students, alumni, donors, and community members to ensure the program’s continued success. Honors Ambassadors are expected to complete 15 hours of service for the semester to receive credit for the Honors Learning Experience. These hours may be completed in a variety of ways such as assisting with Honors events, Honors Open Houses, meeting with potential donors, etc. Each of these events and opportunities takes place on various dates and times.
- Honors Ambassadors earn an HLE each semester of their participation
- Gain volunteer experience and build your resume
- Be the first to learn about scholarships, summer internships, and study abroad opportunities
- Develop valuable team building and professional skills
- Connect with faculty, staff, alumni, and the community
- Contribute to the success of KSU Journey Honors College
2025-2026 Application Closed
Students will be notified when applications re-open for the next academic year.
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Honors Peer Mentors support students enrolled in sections of HON 1100 and HON 1200.
Peer Mentors are trained to encourage student engagement in learning experiences and social opportunities related to the course(s) in which they serve. They promote a welcoming environment that helps new honors students feel a sense of belonging within the Honors Community. They collaborate closely with HON 1100 and HON 1200 instructors. An honors faculty member and Advanced Peer Mentors supervise and support them.
Peer Mentors are typically assigned 1 section of HON 1100 or 2 sections of HON 1200
per semester.
Roles:
- Establish authentic and meaningful connections with students new to KSU Journey Honors
College.
Contribute to creating a welcoming environment that helps new honors students feel
a sense of belonging within the Honors Community.
Lead discussions and activities within the HON 1100 class in collaboration with seminar
instructors.
Responsibilities and Requirements:
- Attend summit in May and/or August.
- Complete any required trainings (e.g., FERPA).
- Attend every session of the HON 1100 or 1200 section to which they are assigned. Starting
in Fall 2026, most sections of HON 1200 will be synchronous online at a specific day
and time.
- Assist the course instructor by making short presentations, co-facilitating activities,
providing students feedback on assignments, announcing events and encouraging participation
in them, etc.
- Enroll in and actively participate in the bi-weekly Peer Mentor course (HON 3102,
0 credits, pass/fail, counts as HLE credit) each semester you peer mentor.
- Assist with planning and/or hosting at least one Honors College event (virtual or
in person) and encourage student participation. These events may include drop-in hours
for students to meet and talk with peer mentors.
- Communicate regularly with students in the course through online platforms and serve
as a resource for academic and course-related questions.
- Meet one-on-one with Advanced Peer Mentors at least twice during the semester to discuss
progress and challenges.
- Complete any other course-specific duties, as needed.
To be considered for the position, applicants must:
- Be able to attend every session of their assigned section(s) of HON 1100 or HON 1200
in the Fall.
- Be available to attend the HON 3102 Peer Mentoring course in the Fall: Tuesdays, 6:00-7:30
p.m. (Kennesaw Campus). Course meets ca. 5 times during the semester.
- Have completed HON 1100 with a B or better by the end of the current semester.
- Be currently enrolled and in good standing with the KSU Journey Honors College.
- Have between 3-5 hours per week to dedicate to the position.
Benefits:
- Acquire leadership experience for your resume.
- Network with the students, faculty, and staff of KSU Journey Honors College.
- Receive both a scholarship (typically about $500 but varies by year) and Honors Learning Experience (HLE) credit each semester you serve.
Apply to become a Peer Mentor for Fall 2026
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Honors Advisory Leadership Council (HALC)
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Mission:
The mission of the KSU Journey Honors College Honors Advisory Leadership Council is
to promote the contribution of Honors students and gather insight on the needs of
students to foster a better connection with faculty, staff, and administration. Students
who participate receive an Honors Learning Experience with the potential to extend
participation in future semester
Qualifications:
The applicant must demonstrate a significant leadership contribution to student life,
student volunteerism, and/ or the KSU community through involvement in at least two
of the following areas for a minimum of one semester, with an exception granted for
freshman applicants.
- Volunteer student representation
- Committee involvement
- Student organization leadership
- Residence hall leadership
- Athletic leadership
- Student Orientation leadership
- Event planning and implementation
- Leadership and/or involvement in an initiative that had university-wide impact
- Other form of leadership not listed
Only ONE of your selected leadership involvements may be part of a paid position (not including scholarships). To use one paid position as part of this application, you must explain how your leadership role exceeded the expectation of the job for which you were paid.
Eligibility:
The applicant must meet the following criteria to be eligible:
- Full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student in KSU Journey Honors College
- Cumulative GPA of at least a 3.6 on a 4.0 scale
- Must not have been found in violation of any University policy within the past year
- Be up to date on required HLEs for the applicant’s designation
- Has not served beyond two years on the Honors Advisory Leadership Council
- Must be able to attend all scheduled HALC meetings
Apply for HALC for Fall 2026
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Other Research Opportunities - Office of Undergraduate Research
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Supplemental Instruction Leader - Academic Affairs
| Interested in helping others learn while deepening your own learning and building
a stronger connection with faculty? Consider becoming an SI Leader! For more information
on becoming an SI Leader, visit Academic Affairs. |
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Bagwell Center for the Study of Markets and Economic Opportunity - Coles College
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Listed below are two opportunities through the Bagwell Center for the Study of Markets
and Economic Opportunity.
Program One: The Market for Ideas Reading Groups
These groups provide a forum for students to engage with key texts in economics and related disciplines with a cohort of their peers under the guidance of a Bagwell Center affiliated faculty member. Students who are accepted will earn a $200 stipend for each group completed (up to three groups).
Program Two: Undergraduate Research Fellowship
This fellowship is open to undergraduate students from any discipline or program across KSU’s campuses. Students who are accepted will have an opportunity to conduct original research over the course of the academic year and earn a $1,200 stipend for doing so.
For more information on these programs, visit the Coles College of Business.
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