Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the top ten questions that students, families, faculty, and staff ask regarding the Heltzer Honors Program and the answers:
Question #1: What is the Heltzer Honors Program and does being in the Honors Program mean automatic scholarship support?
The Honors Program is an academic program designed to give scholastically-motivated students the preparation they need to accomplish their ambitious future plans. Incoming students apply in the Fall to be in the program and are notified in the Spring prior to arriving at Appalachian. For information about types of students we are looking for, including information for incoming freshmen, transfer students, or current Appalachian students, click here. Students take a specific number of Honors courses and must complete an Honors Thesis/Project on a topic of their choice. For more information about our mission click here or to find out more specific information about graduation requirements click here.
Acceptance to the honors program does not mean that a student automatically receives a scholarship. The Honors Program administers the Chancellor’s Scholarship, a full tuition and fees scholarship available only to incoming freshmen. Information about the application process for those scholarships and any others available are found by clicking here.
Question #2: Can visiting students and families see a residence hall room?
Unfortunately, the East Residence Hall is a very popular hall and every room in East Hall is being used on a yearly basis. During the academic year, undergraduate students occupy all the rooms and the Honors staff do not have access to any room in the residential part of East Hall. During the summer, camps are taking place within East Hall and minors are occupying the rooms. The Honors Program does have a map of the residence hall and can answer questions regarding rooms in our office in the basement of East. We also have limited pictures of an East Hall room. More specific information about East Hall can be found here.
Question #3: What is the Academic Honors Scholarship?
The Academic Honors Scholarship is not administered through the Honors Program. This scholarship is awarded by the Office of Admissions. Please contact them if you have questions about this scholarship at (828) 262-2120.
Question #4: Is there housing specifically for Honors students and, if so, do we have to live there?
Incoming freshmen Honors students are automatically assigned a room in East Hall unless they are already identified with another group, such as Watauga Global Community. If a student does not want to live in East Hall they must contact the Heltzer Honors Program in writing at honors@appstate.edu and indicate that they have requested a different housing option. Roommate requests to live in East must be for fellow Honors students. For more information about East Hall click here.
Question #5: Can my non-Honors roommate live with me in Honors housing?
Only Honors students may live in East Hall. If a student wishes to live with a non-Honors roommate, they must request in writing to honors@appstate.edu that they not be assigned to East Hall and they will be placed in another residence hall on campus. Any roommate requests for East must be to live with a fellow Honors student. Students in East are generally grouped with their fellow Honors classmates from their First Year Seminar class along their hallways. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us at honors@appstate.edu or call at 828-262-2083.
Question #6: When should I plan to work on my Heltzer Honors thesis/project?
Most students write their theses during their senior year, but students with junior status may also enroll for thesis hours. The thesis is on a topic of your choosing, preferably interdisciplinary, and should be captivating and important to you. All students who will be studying abroad, student teaching, or completing an intensive internship during their senior year should begin planning and contemplating their subject areas early. The Honors advisors are available to help students plan for the thesis/project. Students should have already completed most of the Honors coursework requirements before enrolling in the thesis course. For more information about the Heltzer Honors Thesis/Project click here.
Question #7: What is the difference between Heltzer (University) Honors and departmental/college honors?
The requirements to graduate with University Honors are more stringent than the departmental/college honors programs’ requirements. Students may graduate with both University and departmental/college Honors if they meet the requirements for both programs. One thesis may suffice for both programs if the student has a second reader from outside of the major and has spoken with both the department and the Heltzer Honors Program Office. For more information about the departmental/college honors programs click here.
Question #8: Where is the Honors Office located?
The Honors office is located in the basement of East Residence Hall. Entry to the office is located on the side of East Hall facing Highway 321. See this map for more detail. Students living in East Residence Hall can go downstairs in the stairwell near the middle of the building to access the Honors office and classrooms. An Honors staff member should be in the office or in the basement of East from 8am-5pm on business days and can be reached at 828-262-2083.
Question #9: Why can’t I register for an honors course?
Only Heltzer Honors Program or departmental/college Honors students can register for Honors courses unless a special arrangement has been made. If you are an Honors student and you’re having problems registering for an Honors course, you should first check a few things. Is the course full? If so, keep checking the course to see if anyone drops it and/or email the professor asking to be put on the waiting list. Check the Undergraduate Bulletin to make sure that you've met all of the prerequisites for the course. If neither of these issues seems to be the problem, then please schedule an appointment with an Honors advisor by calling 828-262-2083 or contacting us through the website.
Question #10: What is an honors contract?
Honors contracts allow students to receive Honors credit for a regular course by contracting with the professor for an enriched academic experience. The student has regular meetings with the professor outside of class and completes extra work, as well as earning a grade of B (not B-) or better in the course in order to receive Honors credit. Grades of B- or below receive only regular course credit. Students may receive credit for up to two honors contract courses during their academic career; requests for more than two courses must be approved by the Honors Director individually. Honors contracts are generally approved only for upper level courses; introductory level courses are not appropriate for honors contracts. We recommend that students reserve the Honors contracts until their junior or senior year. We also advise students to use the contracts in major classes, especially if the major does not offer an Honors program. For more information, stop by the Honors office, click here for a contract, or call 828-262-2083.
Question #1: What is the Heltzer Honors Program and does being in the Honors Program mean automatic scholarship support?
The Honors Program is an academic program designed to give scholastically-motivated students the preparation they need to accomplish their ambitious future plans. Incoming students apply in the Fall to be in the program and are notified in the Spring prior to arriving at Appalachian. For information about types of students we are looking for, including information for incoming freshmen, transfer students, or current Appalachian students, click here. Students take a specific number of Honors courses and must complete an Honors Thesis/Project on a topic of their choice. For more information about our mission click here or to find out more specific information about graduation requirements click here.
Acceptance to the honors program does not mean that a student automatically receives a scholarship. The Honors Program administers the Chancellor’s Scholarship, a full tuition and fees scholarship available only to incoming freshmen. Information about the application process for those scholarships and any others available are found by clicking here.
Question #2: Can visiting students and families see a residence hall room?
Unfortunately, the East Residence Hall is a very popular hall and every room in East Hall is being used on a yearly basis. During the academic year, undergraduate students occupy all the rooms and the Honors staff do not have access to any room in the residential part of East Hall. During the summer, camps are taking place within East Hall and minors are occupying the rooms. The Honors Program does have a map of the residence hall and can answer questions regarding rooms in our office in the basement of East. We also have limited pictures of an East Hall room. More specific information about East Hall can be found here.
Question #3: What is the Academic Honors Scholarship?
The Academic Honors Scholarship is not administered through the Honors Program. This scholarship is awarded by the Office of Admissions. Please contact them if you have questions about this scholarship at (828) 262-2120.
Question #4: Is there housing specifically for Honors students and, if so, do we have to live there?
Incoming freshmen Honors students are automatically assigned a room in East Hall unless they are already identified with another group, such as Watauga Global Community. If a student does not want to live in East Hall they must contact the Heltzer Honors Program in writing at honors@appstate.edu and indicate that they have requested a different housing option. Roommate requests to live in East must be for fellow Honors students. For more information about East Hall click here.
Question #5: Can my non-Honors roommate live with me in Honors housing?
Only Honors students may live in East Hall. If a student wishes to live with a non-Honors roommate, they must request in writing to honors@appstate.edu that they not be assigned to East Hall and they will be placed in another residence hall on campus. Any roommate requests for East must be to live with a fellow Honors student. Students in East are generally grouped with their fellow Honors classmates from their First Year Seminar class along their hallways. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us at honors@appstate.edu or call at 828-262-2083.
Question #6: When should I plan to work on my Heltzer Honors thesis/project?
Most students write their theses during their senior year, but students with junior status may also enroll for thesis hours. The thesis is on a topic of your choosing, preferably interdisciplinary, and should be captivating and important to you. All students who will be studying abroad, student teaching, or completing an intensive internship during their senior year should begin planning and contemplating their subject areas early. The Honors advisors are available to help students plan for the thesis/project. Students should have already completed most of the Honors coursework requirements before enrolling in the thesis course. For more information about the Heltzer Honors Thesis/Project click here.
Question #7: What is the difference between Heltzer (University) Honors and departmental/college honors?
The requirements to graduate with University Honors are more stringent than the departmental/college honors programs’ requirements. Students may graduate with both University and departmental/college Honors if they meet the requirements for both programs. One thesis may suffice for both programs if the student has a second reader from outside of the major and has spoken with both the department and the Heltzer Honors Program Office. For more information about the departmental/college honors programs click here.
Question #8: Where is the Honors Office located?
The Honors office is located in the basement of East Residence Hall. Entry to the office is located on the side of East Hall facing Highway 321. See this map for more detail. Students living in East Residence Hall can go downstairs in the stairwell near the middle of the building to access the Honors office and classrooms. An Honors staff member should be in the office or in the basement of East from 8am-5pm on business days and can be reached at 828-262-2083.
Question #9: Why can’t I register for an honors course?
Only Heltzer Honors Program or departmental/college Honors students can register for Honors courses unless a special arrangement has been made. If you are an Honors student and you’re having problems registering for an Honors course, you should first check a few things. Is the course full? If so, keep checking the course to see if anyone drops it and/or email the professor asking to be put on the waiting list. Check the Undergraduate Bulletin to make sure that you've met all of the prerequisites for the course. If neither of these issues seems to be the problem, then please schedule an appointment with an Honors advisor by calling 828-262-2083 or contacting us through the website.
Question #10: What is an honors contract?
Honors contracts allow students to receive Honors credit for a regular course by contracting with the professor for an enriched academic experience. The student has regular meetings with the professor outside of class and completes extra work, as well as earning a grade of B (not B-) or better in the course in order to receive Honors credit. Grades of B- or below receive only regular course credit. Students may receive credit for up to two honors contract courses during their academic career; requests for more than two courses must be approved by the Honors Director individually. Honors contracts are generally approved only for upper level courses; introductory level courses are not appropriate for honors contracts. We recommend that students reserve the Honors contracts until their junior or senior year. We also advise students to use the contracts in major classes, especially if the major does not offer an Honors program. For more information, stop by the Honors office, click here for a contract, or call 828-262-2083.
