School of Engineering and Computer Science Honors in the Discipline
The Honors in the Discipline student demonstrates excellence in their academic coursework and their senior capstone project. This page outlines the process of receiving Honors in the Discipline within the School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Timing
At the beginning of the seniors’ last semester, the School of Engineering and Computer Science administrative assistant will send an email to all eligible students notifying them of the Honors in the Discipline application process, upcoming deadlines, and the online location of the application form. Applications for Honors in the Discipline are due on March 31st (for students graduating in May), or October 31st (for students graduating in January). A reminder email will be sent to eligible students two weeks before the deadline.
Application Requirements
Only students with senior status (at least 90 credits earned), and a GPA in the major of at least 3.5 are eligible for Honors in the Discipline. To be recognized with Honors in the Discipline students must demonstrate excellence through their capstone project.
Capstone Requirements Vary By Discipline:
Capstone Project Requirements
Computer Science Capstone Project
Excellence on Senior Capstone:
- The student consistently submits high-quality weekly individual source code and documentation check-ins via GitHub, providing evidence of meaningful contributions to the project.
- The student's capstone final product and reporting must be assessed as high quality by the CS 401/402 faculty.
- The student presents the project at one of the following venues: a CS Club speaker event in the Fall semesters (at least one faculty member needs to be invited), Etown's SCAD Day in the Spring semesters, or a technical conference.
Capstone Leadership:
To apply for Honors in the Discipline, a student must submit a completed application form to the Computer Science Program Director. The application should include a one-page description outlining how the student has demonstrated leadership in their team's capstone project in at least one of the following areas:
- Project Management
- Research on Advanced Techniques to Generate Novel Ideas
- Software Implementation and Testing
- Technical Communication
Decision Process:
No later than one day after the application deadline each semester, the Computer Science Program Director will distribute copies of the received applications to all other full-time members of the Computer Science faculty. Before the end of the final exam period, the faculty will convene to discuss the applications and vote on whether to grant Honors in the Discipline to each applicant, based on the criteria outlined above. The Computer Science Program Director will then communicate the results to each applicant and to the Registration and Records department.
Engineering Capstone Project
Excellence on Senior Capstone:
- The student consistently provides high-quality weekly individual reports that provide evidence of meaningful contributions to their team.
- The student’s CATME peer assessments indicate strong teamwork.
- The student’s capstone final product and reporting need to be assessed as high quality by the EGR 401/402 faculty and Fabrication Laboratory Manager.
Capstone Leadership:
To apply for Honors in the Discipline, a student must submit to the Engineering Program Director a completed application form, including a one-page description of how the student has demonstrated leadership on their team’s capstone project in at least one of the following ways:
- Project Management
- Engineering Science Analysis and Detailed Technical Design
- Testing and Implementation
- Technical Communication
Decision Process:
No later than one day after the deadline each semester, the Engineering Program Director will convey copies of the applications received to all other full-time members of the Engineering faculty and Fabrication Laboratory Manager. Prior to the end of the final exam period, the engineering faculty and fabrication laboratory manager will meet to discuss the applications and vote on whether to grant Honors in the Discipline to each applicant according to the expectations described above. The Engineering Program Director will communicate the results to each applicant and to Registration and Records.
Information Systems Capstone Project
Excellence on Senior Capstone:
- The student consistently submits high-quality weekly individual source code and documentation check-ins via GitHub, providing evidence of meaningful contributions to the project.
- The student's capstone final product and reporting must be assessed as high quality by the CS 401/402 faculty.
- The student presents the project at one of the following venues: a CS Club speaker event in the Fall semester (at least one faculty member needs to be invited), Etown's SCAD Day in the Spring semester, or a technical conference.
Capstone Leadership:
To apply for Honors in the Discipline, a student must submit a completed application form to the Information Systems Program Director. The application should include a one-page description outlining how the student has demonstrated leadership in their team's capstone project in at least one of the following areas:
- Project Management
- Research on Advanced Techniques to Generate Novel Ideas
- Software Implementation and Testing
- Technical Communication
Decision Process:
No later than one day after the application deadline each semester, the Information Systems Program Director will distribute copies of the received applications to all other full-time members of the Computer Science faculty. Before the end of the final exam period, the faculty will convene to discuss the applications and vote on whether to grant Honors in the Discipline to each applicant, based on the criteria outlined above. The Information Systems Program Director will then communicate the results to each applicant and to the Registration and Records department.