The Undergraduate Research Honors Program (URHP) is a specially designed, in-depth, hands-on program offered within a variety of degree programs at ETSU, including philosophy. URHP scholars work with a Program Coordinator in the Philosophy Department, receive special advising and priority registration, are members of the Honors College community, receive a scholarship, and become eligible for special opportunities. Other benefits of the Undergraduate Research Honors Program include 24/7 access to a URHP computer lab and study rooms, and honors graduation and transcript recognition.
URHP Scholars in Philosophy take a minimum of 18 hours of honors coursework in the discipline. This coursework generally counts toward the student's major, allows each student to work closely with faculty in the discipline, and includes hours earned during the completion of an Honors Thesis. The Undergraduate Research Honors Program requires the Senior Honors Thesis, which is the result of a research or creative project the scholar undertakes under the direction of faculty in the department.
Admissions Requirements
For current ETSU students:
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- An overall GPA of 3.2
- or a minimum GPA of 3.5 in department/college courses
- The student must have declared a philosophy major
- The philosophy faculty must agree to admit the student
For entering freshmen:
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- High school GPA of 3.2 overall on a 4.0 scale
- or an ACT composite score of 25
- or SAT math and verbal score of 1140
- The student must declare a philosophy major upon enrolling at ETSU
ETSU Application can be found here.
Please submit your application to the Philosophy Department.
For more information, contact the Program Coordinator, Dr. Allen Coates.
Requirements for Completion of the Program
1. 12 hours of honors-enriched sections of existing courses or honors classes.
Students enrolled in existing courses under the -088 section will be required to complete assignments over and above those required of students in -001 sections. These assignments will be left to the discretion of the instructor; they might include (but are not limited to) an analysis of the current literature on a topic, a final paper, or a class presentation.
Courses for which we offer an -088 section:
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- 3010 History of Ancient Philosophy
- 3030 History of Modern Philosophy
- 3050 Symbolic Logic
- 3061-3 Philosophy Colloquium
- 3261-3 Religion Colloquium
- 4017 Ethical Theory
- 4077 Contemporary Continental Philosophy
- 4087 Topics in Analytic Philosophy
- 4047 Philosophy of Religion
- 4957 Special topics
Two of the honors-in-discipline courses must be chosen from among:
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- 3010 History of Ancient Philosophy
- 3030 History of Modern Philosophy
- 4017 Ethical Theory
- 4077 Contemporary Continental Philosophy
- 4087 Topics in Analytic Philosophy
As enrollment in the program grows, we hope to be able to offer honors sections of existing courses (such as PHIL 1030 and 2040) and new courses designed for the honors program, as the exigencies of staffing allow.
2. PHIL 4950-088, a 3-credit senior capstone course
Students will be required to write a senior thesis, starting in the first semester of their senior year. In the Fall, the department will offer 4950 as a capstone course, for which all senior students must register. Be sure to register under the -088 section. A faculty member will be assigned to teach this class, which will serve as a capstone experience and as a means of evaluating learning outcomes. The course will involve a short paper on a topic assigned by the instructor, due early in the semester; this will require students to demonstrate an ability to conduct original research. During the remainder of the semester, students will work on their theses, presenting portions of their work as they progress for the rest of the class and the instructor to critique. At the end of the students' final semester, they will be required to present their theses publicly.
3. Three hours of research on the honors thesis, under PHIL 4018
Students will typically register for this the semester after they have completed 4950.
Honors Thesis Guidelines: DOC
Honors Thesis Proposal: DOC
Scholarship Information
All Undergraduate Research Honors Program students in Philosophy will receive a scholarship. Scholarships are awarded by the Director of the Undergraduate Research Honors Program in the Honors College. More information is available here.
Retention Requirements
To remain in good standing in the Honors program, students must complete all required Undergraduate Research Honors Program classes, complete at least 12 hours per semester, and maintain a minimum GPA each semester, both in the major and overall, of 2.75 for their first 30 hours, 3.0 for 30 to 45 hours, 3.15 for 45 to 60 hours, and 3.25 for the remainder of their academic careers at ETSU. Students are allowed one probationary semester to meet the applicable GPA requirement before they are suspended from the Honors program. In these circumstances, the Program Coordinator will notify the Associate Director of University Honors Programs immediately.
No grade lower than a B- in an honors course will count toward completion of the program.
In addition, students are bound by policies stipulated by the Honors College: ETSU Honors College Policies
Graduation Requirements
Students must have a minimum 3.25 GPA in the major and overall, complete all required courses (Honors, General Education, Academic Proficiencies), and complete and orally present the senior Honors thesis. In addition, all thesis grades must be B or higher.