The Honors Tutorial College (HTC) program in business offers exceptional students the opportunity to study the many aspects of business in one-on-one tutorials, small seminars, and conventional class relationships with business faculty. Maximum opportunities are afforded for the student to progress beyond the material found in the standard business curriculum. The program develops students' research, writing, and presentation skills and provides excellent preparation for the job market or for graduate study. Graduates receive a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. HTC students take a mix of conventional classes and tutorials. The mix tightly integrates students into both the College of Business and the Honors Tutorial College, rather than existing in an honors silo. To promote flexibility, students are exempt from many of the distribution requirements required of other business students. They are also exempt from course prerequisites and are given preferential scheduling.
Business Tutorials
Students are required to complete seven tutorials. Three of these tutorials are completed in a small seminar format. The seminars include business concepts, entrepreneurship, and research methods. The next three tutorials are apprenticeships working one-on-one with faculty on each student's area of interest. The last two tutorials focus on the creation of a thesis. Throughout the program, the student and the director of studies work closely to plan a customized academic program. A student will normally select tutorials from his or her major area of interest but may select tutorials from other business disciplines or disciplines outside the College of Business. In addition to the tutorials, the student must complete a freshman seminar, one Written Communication course (ENG 1510), one Advanced Writing course (FAW), standard business core courses, and an appropriate number of approved electives. Most students choose one or more business majors, though the program's flexibility allows students to double major in disciplines outside the College of Business including pre-med and pre-law. Internships and/or study abroad are encouraged. Honors Tutorial students take a minimum of 15 hours per semester.
Advising and Monitoring
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 made based on many facets of evaluation available to the tutor: written assignments, written exams, oral exams, discussions, presentations by the student, field work, etc.
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 judgment of his or her director of studies. It is expected that this major paper will constitute work of the highest quality in investigating a problem of concern to both scholars and practitioners. Although an intensive study of relevant theoretical and research literatures is the underpinning of the thesis, students are encouraged to augment this scholarly base 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. In addition to letter grades, tutors complete narrative evaluations of the student's work each semester addressing both the student's academic standing and academic attitude.