Students who are excelling in their Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies (ECYFS) major may elect to participate in an individualized departmental honors program beginning their sophomore year at Ball State University.

Graduating with Departmental Honors in Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies will be recorded on your official academic transcripts, noted in departmental records and the Honors College records, and printed in the University’s Commencement Program. Students who have earned departmental honors also will be recognized at the annual departmental awards event.

Eligibility

  • Maintain an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher.
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher in your academic major.
  • Have sophomore standing.

Requirements

  • Earn at least a B+ and Departmental Honors credit in three approved courses within your major or another course approval by the ECYFS department representative.
    • Any 300- or 400-level course can qualify as long as the course instructor agrees to work with the student.
    • Practicum, internship, or student teaching courses should typically be avoided unless there are compelling circumstances.
  • Complete an approved honors thesis (HONR 499) or creative project (HONR 499N) within your major area of study.

Procedures

  1. Within the first two weeks of the semester, you must inform your instructor teaching the course that you wish to take for Departmental Honors credit.
  2. If your instructor agrees to provide the Departmental Honors credit for the course, you and your instructor work together to decide what type of academic work you will do to earn Departmental Honors credit. The Departmental Honors work should forward your knowledge and extend beyond the requirements of the course. Departmental Honors work might take such forms as a research-based paper, assisting with a research project, creative projects related to your area of study, making a presentation in class or at a professional conference, or another learning experience approved by your instructor.
  3. Based on above decisions, complete the Departmental Honors Project Proposal form. You and your course instructor will need to sign the form. Distribute copies of this form to the ECYFS department representative and the Honors College.
  4. At the end of the semester in which the Departmental Honors credit is being earned, you will fill out the Departmental Honors Project Completion form (for each course project). You and your instructor need to sign this form, and you need to submit it to the Honors College before the last day of classes.

For more information, contact Dr. Jill Walls.

Download Guides and Forms (PDF)