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Honors Program

The Department of Accounting and Information Systems (ACIS) Honors Program is intended to provide exceptional students majoring in ACIS with an opportunity to enrich their undergraduate program of study by taking advanced coursework and participating in research. Successful completion of the honor requirements will provide evidence that the student has demonstrated ability in advanced study in accounting and information systems. In recognition of this achievement, the student will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Major in ACIS in Honors.

Admission Requirements

  1. Meet the admission requirements of the University Honors Program.
  2. Complete a University Honors Program application and submit the completed application to the ACIS Honors Committee.
  3. Be admitted to the Honors Program by the ACIS Honors Committee.

Requirements for Completion of the Program

  1. Fulfill all requirements of the University Honors Program.
  2. Maintain a QCA of 3.4 or above in ACIS courses.
  3. Fulfill all requirements for an undergraduate degree in ACIS.
  4. Complete a three-semester-hour graduate ACIS course taken for undergraduate credit in the Fall semester of the senior year with a minimum QCA of 3.0. The course must be approved by the ACIS Honors Committee and must be taken as an undergraduate accounting elective in the student’s program of study for an ACIS undergraduate degree. This course will count as 3 of the 12 Honors hours required by the University Honors Program.
  5. Complete a three-semester-hour ACIS undergraduate independent study in the Spring semester of the senior year that will result in a research thesis. The thesis’ topic will be related to the content of the graduate ACIS coursework. A completed thesis and an accompanying letter from the faculty mentor must be filed with, and approved by, the ACIS Honors Committee at least three weeks prior to graduation. An ACIS faculty member will direct the research paper and serve as faculty mentor for purposes of the University Honors Program. The independent study will fulfill a requirement to graduate “in Honors”; the course will not meet any other degree requirement. The student should enroll in ACIS 4974 at least two weeks before the start of the semester in which it will be taken.
  6. The courses that fulfill requirements 4 and 5 above will fulfill the University Honors Program requirement of 6 hours of undergraduate research.

Program Procedures

  1. Normally, the student should apply for admission to the Honors Program in ACIS at least four semesters prior to graduation (i.e. during their sophmore year). Students must apply for admission prior to second semester of the junior year.
  2. The student must submit a prospectus outlining the proposed plan of study to the ACIS Honors Committee not later than the end of the first semester of the junior year. Program approval will be determined by a majority vote of the ACIS Honors Committee. The student must submit a research proposal to the Honors Committee for approval during the Fall Semester of the senior year. Acceptance of the research proposal by the Honors Committee will be decided by majority vote. An ACIS faculty member approved by the Head of ACIS will direct the independent study.
  3. After admission to the Honors Program, a student must maintain normal progress toward a degree. If, in the opinion of the ACIS Honors Committee, the student has fallen below expectations, the student will be informed. A majority vote by the ACIS Honors Committee is sufficient for dismissal of a student from the program. Once dismissed, a student cannot be readmitted to the Honors Program.

Administration of the Program

  1. The Head of ACIS appoints the ACIS Honors Committee and Chairperson. Administration and promotion of the ACIS Honors Program is the responsibility of the ACIS Honors Committee.
  2. For more information on the ACIS Honors Program, contact Cintia Easterwood.