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COAS Honors Program -- Notes

[In-universe document: Logan's personal reference notes, compiled after receiving his invitation letter in May 2025 and updated throughout his first semester.]

Program Basics

  • Invitation-only. 3.8 unweighted GPA minimum to be invited. (Mine: 4.0. Fine.)
  • Biology majors reviewed by department faculty selection committee, not general honors review committee
  • Competitive -- limited slots per fall semester
  • Entered Fall 2025 (first semester)
  • Maintain minimum 3.2 GPA and 12+ credit hours/semester to keep active membership
  • Designation added to transcript upon completion
  • Medallion and certificate at annual spring awards ceremony

Course Requirements

Honors Lectures

  • Freshmen: complete 25 credit hours of honors lecture courses
  • Sophomores: complete 13 credit hours before graduation
  • Total: 38 credit hours of honors lectures across freshman and sophomore years
  • Honors lectures substitute for university and COAS gen ed requirements -- don't retake if already fulfilled
  • Example from the program: if you've taken philosophy, don't register for "Representative Thinkers" (honors philosophy equivalent)

Biology Major Exception

  • "Most Biology majors will be able to fit only their first semester English Writing course into their fall schedules."
  • Translation: fall semester is locked up with Genetics, O-Chem, and major requirements. The only honors course that fits is English.
  • Spring should have more room for honors lectures

Honors Research Process Course (freshmen/sophomores)

  • 1 credit hour course focusing on the research process
  • Available to incoming freshmen and sophomores (started Fall 2023)
  • Supplements Directed Readings with: guest lectures, data analytics applications, field trips, workshops, conferences, ePortfolio development
  • Learning community format
  • Upper classmen surveyed for research needs and thesis progress

Directed Readings (mandatory)

  • Begin sophomore year
  • At minimum: 1 Directed Readings course per year (fall or spring)
  • Plus 1 honors lecture per year based on major scheme
  • Listed under my department (Biology) by classification
  • Designed to develop thesis -- work with faculty advisor throughout the research process
  • Must be taken sequentially across sophomore, junior, senior years

Senior Thesis (mandatory)

  • Due last semester before graduation
  • Must be signed off by thesis advisor
  • Three years to develop it through Directed Readings sequence
  • Biology department assigns thesis advisors -- limited capacity

ePortfolio (mandatory)

  • Required end product for all graduating honors students, in addition to thesis
  • Development begins freshman year and continues throughout
  • One of the online submission locations for the Senior Thesis
  • Start building this semester 1 -- don't wait

What I've Already Cleared (DO NOT retake honors equivalents)

Via AP (16 exams):

  • Philosophy -- cleared via CCBC (don't take "Representative Thinkers")
  • History (US + World) -- AP US History 5, AP World History 5
  • Psychology -- AP Psych 5
  • Government/Political Science -- AP US Gov 5
  • Mathematics -- AP Calc BC 5, AP Stats 5
  • Sciences (Bio, Chem, Physics) -- all 5s
  • Spanish -- AP Spanish Lang 5, AP Spanish Lit 5
  • English (partial) -- AP English Language 5 gives ENGL 002 credit
  • AP English Literature: 4. Does not qualify for Howard credit. Requires 5.

Via CCBC (8 courses):

  • Philosophy -- cleared
  • Speech -- cleared
  • Calculus III, A&P I & II, Bioethics, Dev Neuroscience, Intro to Public Health

What I Still Need:

  • English -- at least 1 course (the AP Lit 4)
  • English Third Writing course (can be in any department with WRTG tag)
  • 2 Humanities courses
  • 2 Social Science courses (may be partially cleared by AP)
  • 2 HHPL courses (wellness/PE)
  • African American Cluster course
  • Courses satisfying all 7 ELOs (many may already be covered)
  • 30 total gen ed credits across 4+ disciplines

Fall 2025 Plan

Per honors program guidance for bio majors: only the English Writing course fits alongside major requirements.

Course Credits Notes
BIOL 200 - Genetics 4 Major req. Dr. Harrison. Gateway to everything.
CHEM 141 - Organic Chemistry I 3 Pre-med req. The gauntlet starts.
Honors English Writing (1st semester) 3 The one honors course bio majors can fit in fall.
[Additional courses TBD] ~9 Pushing past the recommended 15-16.
Target total ~19 Advisor will have opinions.

4-Year Honors Trajectory (rough plan)

Freshman Year: - Fall: Honors English Writing + COAS Honors Research Process (1 cr) + major courses - Spring: 2-3 honors lectures + major courses - Summer: Apply to Biology Honors Program (admission at end of freshman year)

Sophomore Year: - Contact Biology Honors Advisor Courtney Robinson (courtney.robinson@howard.edu) first week of fall - Fall: BIOL 217 Honors Orientation (1 cr) - Spring: BIOL 218 Directed Readings (1 cr) -- need Mentor Agreement Form signed - Continue COAS honors lectures (13 cr needed by end of sophomore year total)

Junior Year: - Fall: BIOL 317 Directed Readings (1 cr) -- same mentor - Spring: BIOL 318 Proposal Development (1 cr) - Thesis taking shape through readings

Senior Year: - Fall: BIOL 491 Honors Research (2 cr) - Spring: BIOL 492 Honors Thesis (1 cr) -- thesis due, advisor sign-off required - Also submit Capstone for Comprehensive Exam (using thesis research)

Pre-Arrival Checklist (Summer 2025)

  • ALEKS math placement exam -- proctored through ProctorU. Had to create a separate account AND spend 3 mandatory hours on pre-assessment practice before the actual exam. Three hours of pre-calc and algebra review when I have a 5 in Calc BC. Three hours I will never get back. Placed out of everything, obviously.
  • World languages placement -- exempt. AP Spanish Language (5) + AP Spanish Literature (5) = 12 credits = full requirement cleared. Did not have to take the exam. Small mercy.
  • Accuplacer -- check bison email for instructions
  • Accept COAS Honors Program invitation (submitted within the hour of receiving it)
  • Set up bison email: logan.weston@bison.howard.edu
  • Set up BisonHub account (Workday -- registration, financial aid, student finance)
  • Bison Week Orientation: August 11-15
  • Move-in: during Bison Week (shift assigned by last name)

Campus Essentials

Bison One Card

  • Virtual ID on phone (Atrium Campus Connect app) -- no physical card unless you're Nursing, Medical, or Dental
  • Sign in with bison email (logan.weston@bison.howard.edu), confirm Howard University
  • Virtual ID refreshes every 5 minutes for security
  • Covers: meal plan, Bison Bucks (vending, local retailers), campus access, laundry, ID verification
  • Enable Face ID under Settings > Biometrics
  • If lost/damaged/expired: Bison One Card Office, Johnson Administration Building, 2400 6th St NW, Basement Suite 11
  • Office hours: M-F 10am-4pm, 202-806-2109, onecard@howard.edu

Key Campus Locations

  • E.E. Just Hall (Biology Building): 415 College St. NW -- Room 130 for advisor assignments
  • Center for Preprofessional Education: Room 518, University Center, 2225 Georgia Ave NW
  • COAS Honors Program: Locke Hall, Room 124, 2441 6th St NW Suite 110
  • COAS Student Affairs: Locke Hall, Suite 110, 202-806-6700
  • Bison One Card Office: Johnson Admin Building, 2400 6th St NW, Basement Suite 11
  • Cook Hall (home): 601 Fairmont St NW
  • Blackburn University Center: dining, meeting rooms, student life hub
  • Cramton Auditorium: convocations, major events

Dining -- Bison One Card Accepted

On-campus (Dining Dollars + Bison Bucks): - Blackburn Cafe -- all you care to eat, main dining hall. In the Blackburn Center on The Yard. Will be here a lot between classes. - Bethune Annex Cafe -- all you care to eat. Closest dining to Cook Hall. This is the default. - Halal Shack -- Mediterranean/Middle Eastern (Blackburn). Solid options for when I need protein without guessing carb counts. - Jack's Burrito -- burritos (Blackburn) - Everbowl -- acai bowls (Blackburn) - Hissho Sushi -- sushi (Blackburn) - Bison Brew -- coffee and bakery, Undergraduate Library. For late study sessions. Will probably know the baristas by name within two weeks. - C-Stores (convenience): Blackburn, Bethune Annex (closest), West Towers. Glucose tabs, juice boxes, snacks. Stock the suite microfridge from here.

Off-campus -- Bison Dine Out (Bison Bucks only, no Dining Dollars): - Florida Avenue Grill -- 1100 Florida Ave NW. Been open since 1944. Soul food. - Ooh & Aahh's -- soul food, 5933 Georgia Ave NW - Roaming Rooster -- 1301 U Street NW - Rush Bowls -- 1209 U Street NW - Doro Soul Food -- 2108 8th Street NW - Soul Wingz -- 2851 Georgia Ave NW + food truck at 1924 9th St NW - CVS -- 2009 8th Street NW. For Dexcom supplies, glucose tabs, juice, insulin storage needs at 2 AM when the C-Store is closed.

Also available via Grubhub Campus -- online ordering from various locations using Bison Bucks.

Note to self: Dining Dollars = on-campus dining only. Bison Bucks = on-campus + off-campus merchants + C-Stores + Campus Store. Load Bison Bucks through the Bison One Card Portal. Keep Bison Bucks funded -- the CVS run at 3 AM is not optional.

Laundry

  • Machines in Cook Hall accept Laundry Points (preloaded each semester, free) and Bison Bucks (backup)
  • Wash: $2.00 / Dry: $2.00
  • Laundry Points cover ~2 large loads per week for the semester. After that, Bison Bucks.
  • Points do NOT roll over. Use them or lose them.
  • When (not if) a machine breaks: call 1-800-927-9274 or submit request at caldwellandgregory.com/service-requests. Saved this number week one. Have used it week two.
  • Card issues: onecard@howard.edu

Apps to Set Up

  • Atrium Campus Connect (Bison One Card virtual ID)
  • BisonHub / Workday (registration, financial aid, student finance)
  • ALEKS (math placement -- done, never again)

Notes to Self

  • COAS Honors, Departmental Honors, and University Honors are different programs with different rules
  • Check each website separately
  • Change of major requires department approval to stay in program (limited thesis advising capacity)
  • Contact: Locke Hall Room 124, (202) 806-6763