Major Code BA1912
Honors Tutorial College
35 Park Place
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.2723
Fax: 740.593.9521
honors.college@ohio.edu
www.ohio.edu/honors
Debra Henderson, director of studies/contact person
henderd2@ohio.edu
Program Overview
The Honors Tutorial College program in sociology offers exceptional students the opportunity to study the many aspects of sociology in one-on-one relationships with faculty members. Maximum opportunities will be afforded for the student to progress well beyond the materials found in conventional courses. The primary purpose of the tutorial program is to serve as preparation for graduate study. Students will receive a degree of Bachelor of Arts from the Honors Tutorial College.
Tutorial Descriptions
Students are required to complete eleven tutorials within sociology, including two devoted to the thesis for two to four credit hours each. Core tutorials include a survey of sociology, a research methods, and a theory tutorial. Six topical tutorials devoted to subfields in sociology are standard. The senior year is devoted to a thesis project.
In addition to the tutorials, the student must complete the Tier I English requirement, a statistics course (PSY 2110 is recommended), all core courses not covered by tutorials, and an appropriate number of approved electives. Internships and/or study abroad may be included within the program with special permission from the director of studies (credit will only be given once). Honors tutorial students take a minimum of 16 hours per semester.
Advising and Mentoring
Each student receives initial advice from the director of studies regarding selection and sequencing of courses, choice of a thesis advisor, and other procedural matters. A committee composed of the director of studies and the advisor will monitor the thesis work. A typical tutorial will meet on a weekly basis for a minimum of one hour. The student and the tutor will discuss the current reading and written assignments, discuss problems and solutions, debate and offer critical analysis, and the tutor continuously evaluates the progress of the student. A final grade is based on many facets of evaluation available to the tutor: written assignments, written exams, oral exams, discussions, presentations by the student, and field work.
The Honors Thesis
The honors thesis is a reflection of the student’s special interests, its acceptance, dependent upon an appropriate mixture of research and analysis, relies upon the judgement of the advisor and director of studies. It is expected that this major paper will constitute work of the highest quality in investigating a problem of concern to scholars or practitioners. Although an intensive study of relevant theoretical and research literatures is the underpinning of the thesis, students are encouraged to augment this scholarly based with field data whenever possible.
Evaluation
Students throughout the program earn letter grades consistent with the University grading system and are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students who earn less than a B (3.0), or who maintain less than a 3.5 GPA will need to confer with the director of studies and/or Dean of the College. In addition to letter grade assessments, tutors complete course descriptions and evaluations of each student’s work each semester. In these assessments both the student’s academic standing and academic attitude are evaluated.
Admissions Information
Freshman/First-Year Admission
Students are selected by the director of studies of the sociology tutorial program and the Honors Tutorial College on the basis of superior ability and sustained motivation. We look for good scores on standardized tests (30 composite score on the ACT or a combined score of 1300 on the SAT), but we also require a good high school record (class standing in the top 10%). An interview with the director of studies is required for acceptance into our program. Recommendations from two high school teachers are required. The personalized aspects of the tutorial system occasionally make it possible for us to accept students who have not performed well on standardized measure of ability but who demonstrate exceptional aptitude in other ways. The deadline for application for admission is December 1st, and admission interviews are held in January.
Change of Program Policy
Under normal circumstances, we do not accept students as transfers into this program. First-year students at another institution may also apply to transfer into the sociology tutorial program and the Honors Tutorial College. These students must meet the same entrance requirements as entering freshmen. The deadline for application is December 1st, and admission interviews are held in January.
External Transfer Admission
Under normal circumstances we do not accept students as transfers into this program from another college or university. Students who meet the criteria for admission as first-year students may be accepted.
Opportunities Upon Graduation
Most students graduating from the program pursue graduate or professional education with many going on to Ph.D. programs in sociology or law school.
Requirements