Student Learning

 
 

 

 

Requirements for Fulfillment of College Distinction in the Department of Professional Studies

 

College Distinction provides exceptional current Arkansas Tech students an opportunity to challenge themselves academically and gain recognition for their outstanding work in the college classroom. Students with at least sixty hours of college credit and thirty hours of course work at Arkansas Tech with a minimum 3.5 GPA are invited to participate in the program. Students who accept the invitation to pursue College Distinction will have the opportunity to take two courses designated as distinction courses. The first is an enrichment course. This course provides an extra educational experience related to the student’s field of study and could include, among other experiences, study abroad, internship, service learning, or mentor-guided research. The second is an enhanced capstone course. This course demonstrates a student’s ability to work at an exceptional level in a given field and is enhanced by an advanced or accelerated curriculum.

Students’ successful completion of the course requirements and a graduating GPA of 3.5 or better will allow for graduation “with distinction.” This will be noted on student transcripts and diplomas.

Each department will identify distinction courses for each major.

Once a student has completed a College Distinction Letter of Intention in Professional Studies, the student, his or her advisor, and the BPS department head will designate two classes to fulfill College Distinction course requirements:  PS 3003 Project Design and PS 4003 Capstone Project.  PS 3003 Project Design and PS 4003 Capstone Project will be modified by the professor to contain special assignments for college distinction. For example, to meet college distinction requirements, students taking PS 3003 Project Design and PS 4003 Capstone Project will have the additional assignment of presenting their research at a student or professional conference).  The additional requirements will be agreed upon by the instructor, the department head, and the student by written contract prior to the start of PS 3003 Project Design.  The same standard applies to a student enrolled in eight-week sections or full-term sections of PS 3003 Project Design and PS 4003 Capstone Project.