APPLICATION FOR DEPARTMENTAL HONORS
Department of Mechanical Engineering
A Bachelor’s Degree from Ohio University reading “With Honors in Mechanical Engineering”
signifies that the recipient has successfully completed work equivalent to no more than 15 hours of
independent research in a specific area and has submitted a written report on this research which has
earned the signed approval of the thesis adviser and the Dean of the Honors Tutorial College.
The opportunity to do independent research brings with it considerable freedom. It also brings
several responsibilities. These are the guidelines for the Honors Program.
1. In order to participate, the student’s G.P.A. must be at least in the top 20% of his or her class
(for juniors, that is approximately 3.31) with at least 90 hours of credit and have taken both ME
301 and ME 321.
2. Participating students must actively work on a project with either an individual or group of
faculty in the mechanical engineering department for no fewer than three quarters, not counting
the summer.
3. The student must receive the approval for participation from his or her project advisor. In
addition, the Department requires approval from the Honors Program Chair, the Graduate Chair,
the Department’s Chair, and must ultimately be approved by the Dean of the College.
4. Honors Program students will be eligible for "Early Admission to Graduate Study" for their last
three quarters at Ohio University. Courses taken under early admission will appear on the
undergraduate transcript.
5. Students enrolled in the Honors Program must take a minimum of 3 hours of graduate level
courses (ME 5xx or 6xx.) A maximum of twelve (12) hours of graduate courses may be taken
during the student’s last three quarters.
6. It is important to note that in order for the graduate level courses to be eligible for future
graduate credit, the honors student must enroll in ME 489 (or its subsequent replacement) for
technical elective credit. It is not possible for the graduate level courses to count for both an
undergraduate and graduate degree. Therefore, the undergraduate degree requirement for
technical electives needs to be met with ME 489 hours. Technical elective credit (1-10 hours)
for the project (granted under ME 489) will be decided by the student and advisor and must be
approved by the Department Chair.
7. The following is an example of an Honors Student's schedule during his or her last year:
Fall
ME 491
ME 417
ME 516
ME 489
H/SS
4 hrs
4 hrs
4 hrs
3 hrs
4 hrs
Winter
ME 527
4 hrs
ME 498
3 hrs
Tier III
3 hrs
ME 489
3 hrs
ME 450
4 hrs
Spring
ME 480
ME 531
ME 499
ME 489
H/SS
1 hr
4 hrs
4 hrs
4 hrs
4 hrs
8. Completion of the project will entail submitting an honors thesis following the format described
by the Honors Tutorial College. Furthermore, a formal oral presentation must be made before
his or her advisor and at least one other faculty member designated by the Department Chair.
The advisor and other attending faculty member must complete the “Honors Program Project
Defense” form to assure that the project was satisfactory.
9. The student and project/thesis supervising faculty member must inform the Departmental
Honors Program two weeks in advance of the project defense date.
10. The student must file for graduation with honors and submit at least two copies of the approved
project report with the Dean’s office before 5 pm on the last class day of the quarter he or she
plans to graduate.
Application for Enrollment in the Mechanical Engineering Honors Program
Name _________________________________________ Date
Major Mechanical Engineering
Year and quarter you plan to graduate
Degree you have applied for: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Athens Address ________________________________________ Athens Phone
Home Address _________________________________________ Home Phone
Social Security Number
Quarter when ME 301 was completed
Quarter when ME 321 was completed
Student Signature:
Signature of Honors Program Advisor:
Signature of Honors Program Chair:
Signature of Graduate Chair:
Signature of Department Chair:
Approved by the College of Engineering and Technology
Signature of College Dean: