Honors in Class and Low Passes: Guidance for instructors
What Are “Honors in Class?”
Instructors have the right to designate up to two students as receiving “honors in class” because of their exemplary performance. This is not a grade and will not appear on a student’s transcript. M.S. students are notified of the designation by the professor who awarded it via the written evaluation.
Rules allow instructors to award up to one honors designation per eight students. Instructors may consider awarding one additional honors designation per class for a truly exceptional student.
Why Honors Matter and How They Are Weighted
If students receive honors in at least one three-credit module and at least two six-credit modules, they will be designated as “Graduating With Honors.”
In addition, the students with the most honors are eligible to receive year-end prizes such as the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship (awarded to the student with the most honors).
This designation means such students will be singled out in front of their peers during the graduation ceremony and can add it to their resumes – an important measure in a school without grades.
Evaluation Criteria for honors
Consider weighing these criteria:
a. Performance
b. Improvement over the course of the class
c. Attendance and class participation
Instructors should take into account whether these criteria may favor students with prior journalism experience or those with more extroverted personalities. Instructors are also able to use discretion for illness, emergencies, etc when weighing participation and attendance.
Example language for syllabi
All instructors should add language to their syllabi that makes clear the basis on which they award honors. Here are two examples.
Example No. 1
This class is pass/fail. You will be graded in terms of effort, professionalism, level of improvement over the semester, quality of work, and engagement with the course, which can include contributions to discussion. Exceptional performance may lead to a High Pass (honors); substandard work may lead to a Low Pass. Getting honors in many classes can lead to graduating with honors; honors are also considered in the awarding of some year-end prizes.
Example No. 2
This class, as all others at the school, is taught on a pass-fail basis. If you are in danger of failing, we will give you advance warning and make every effort to ensure your work passes muster by the end of our class. The Dean of Students office can arrange for additional tutoring in certain cases.
In the case of mediocre but barely passable performance, students can get a ‘Low Pass’ grade.
One or two of you may get honors at the end of the semester. Students who get honors in multiple classes are eligible for end-of-year prizes.
Much of Reporting is production and critique. You will write and produce stories and we -- your professors, and your fellow students -- will look for what works and what doesn’t. We will be candid, in class and in our edits, so as not to waste your time or ours. Please take this as constructive feedback, nothing more.
The class is designed to create challenges for each of you, regardless of your background. Some of you arrive with a lot of journalism experience, while others have less. Wherever you are, we will keep raising the bar to ensure you become more proficient and more confident.