Honors Program

Thank you for visiting the Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment (STBE) Honors Program webpage!

As a point of clarification, there are two honors tracks that students at Appalachian State University may pursue: University Honors and Departmental Honors. Students may complete both University and Department honors if accepted into both programs. These options are in addition to the Latin Honors (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Cum Laude) conferred by the Registrar's Office (based solely on the overall GPA at the time of graduation).

University Honors
University Honors is a vertical model curriculum that students pursue throughout their time at the university, as part of the residential Honors College program. Students must be admitted to the Honors College either as an incoming first year student or as an internal applicant (generally during the freshman or sophomore year). For more information, please visit http://honors.appstate.edu/

Department Honors
Department Honors focuses on the student's work in the major. The STBE department honors program was established to provide highly-motivated and academically outstanding students enhanced learning options and an opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor to conduct independent research that results in a senior honors thesis. Students are invited to join the department honors program in their sophomore or junior years.

 

STBE Honors Program Requirements

The STBE honors program requires 9 semester hours that count toward major coursework and elective requirements, composed of 6 semester hours of honors courses and 3 semester hours for honors thesis. To graduate with “Honors in Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment,” a student must be a Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment major, maintain an overall GPA of 3.45, maintain an overall Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment GPA of 3.45, and earn a grade of no less than a “B” in any honors designated course.

Honors Course Credit

The STBE Department offers one designated honors course (TEC2601-410 Energy Issues & Technology) that is restricted to Honors students or with instructor permission, and graduate level courses available to senior students for honors credit. Honors course credit can also be earned for 3000 or 4000 level TEC courses by negotiating an honors contract with the course instructor before class begins. The honors contract allows the student to receive honors credit for a regular course by specifying the additional assignments that the student should perform in order to receive honors credit. These courses provide students with additional opportunities for academic enrichment and personalized mentoring.

If you have any questions concerning the STBE honors program, please contact:

Dr. Rita Joyner, STBE Honors Director

332 East Hall 

joynerrl1@appstate.edu