Honors Programs in the College of Pharmacy
Introduction
According to the mission of the University Honors program of developing and supporting the intellectual and personal development of high ability undergraduate students, the College of Pharmacy Honors Program seeks to:
- Promote significant interaction between faculty and students
- Develop the creative abilities of Honors students
- Require high standards of academic achievement
- Include Honors courses that require breadth and depth of material
- Expose students to the use of research techniques and methodology
- Promote intellectual exchange among students
- Promote interdisciplinary work and study
Program Options and Requirements
Course requirements:
For students pursuing either the thesis or non-thesis option, six Honors or graduate-level (700+) courses must be completed over the first 3 years of the BSPS program. Honors students are expected to complete two honors or graduate level courses each year to be on pace to successfully satisfy the course requirement.
Thesis option
A research project is an alternative experience to classroom learning. Research in the pharmaceutical sciences provides an excellent opportunity for students to explore biomedical topics from a hands-on perspective in several areas:
Research projects in the College of Pharmacy cover areas such as the synthesis and isolation of novel drug candidates, explanation of drug action in animal and cell culture models, development of new drugs and delivery systems, determination of drug metabolism, evaluation of therapeutic regimens and the study of patient behavior. Research hours may be completed for course credit by registering for Pharmacy 493 (see the College of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs, 150 Parks Hall, for more information).
In order to satisfy the thesis portion of the BSPS Honors program, the following requirements must be met:
- An original research project must be completed under the direction of a faculty member (Assistant Professor or higher) selected by the student. The faculty member may be outside the College of Pharmacy, but such projects are subject to approval by the College of Pharmacy Honors Committee. Students should participate in honors research for at least 3 quarters with an average commitment of 3 credit hours of PH 493 per quarter. Honors research should be started no later than Autumn of your final year. An earlier start will likely lead to an even more meaningful research experience.
- Midpoint review of progress will be conducted by a committee of three faculty members consisting of the research advisor, another member of the Division in which the student is performing his/her work, and a representative of the Honors Committee. The review will be in the form of a brief (30 min) meeting between the committee and the candidate at any time during the second quarter of work to discuss the project. For interdisciplinary projects, faculty may be selected from multiple divisions, as appropriate.
- Completion of a written honors thesis describing the research conducted.
- Oral defense of the research before the faculty committee described above.
Please see the College of Pharmacy homepage for more information regarding undergraduate research options
Honors Program Thesis Project Forms (PDF)
Non-thesis option
In addition to the thesis option, students may also satisfy the requirements for graduation with Honors in the Pharmaceutical Sciences through advanced studies and/or activities. To fulfill this requirement, students must either complete two items from List I or one item from List I and one item from List II below:
LIST I |
LIST II |
1. Complete one quarter of study abroad. The credits earned in this quarter abroad experience must consist of a full-time courseload that transfers toward an Ohio State degree. Special consideration may be given by the Honors Committee on a case-by-case basis. |
1. Complete a minor |
2. Complete nine hours or more of additional Honors and/or upper level (700 or above) coursework |
2. Complete at least six credits of Pharmacy 493 (Independent research) |
3. Complete an internship or fellowship in the health sciences sponsored by a university (other than OSU), private industry, governmental organization, or non-governmental organization. The duration of the experience will be at least one quarter or its equivalent (40 hours a |
3. Complete three quarters of work in service project(s) coordinated by the Honors and Scholars Center. For each experience, a report written by the student and a letter from the supervisor should be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs to be reviewed by the Honors Committee. Special consideration may be given by the Honors Committee on a case-by-case basis. |
4. Complete a dual major |
4. Complete work in a foreign language to the 104 level plus two courses beyond |
The Office of Student Affairs at the College of Pharmacy will assist in monitoring the progress of students through the Honors program and advising students regarding the non-thesis option. Students undertaking the non-thesis option will be responsible for obtaining documentation for their involvement in the advanced studies/activities listed above. Faculty advising for students involved in the non-thesis option will be provided when requested. The University Honors and Scholars Center is available to assist students in identifying appropriate service projects to fulfill Honors requirements.
Enrollment in the Pharmacy Honors Program
Eligibility to enroll:
All BSPS students who maintain a 3.5 GPA will be eligible to enroll.
Enrollment process:
Pharmacy students maintaining a 3.5 GPA will be enrolled twice a year (by the end of the first week of Fall and Spring Quarters) through the submission of an application form to our Office of Student Affairs. Transfer students who wish to enroll in the program must have a 3.5 GPA and a minimum of 2 quarters of OSU credit.
Honors Program Enrollment Form (PDF)
Eligibility for continuance:
All Honors-enrolled students who maintain a 3.5 GPA and who are making good progress toward earning their Honors diploma (on schedule for completing Honors classes, etc.) will be allowed to continue in the Pharmacy Honors program. Honors students will submit a form to the Office of Student Affairs annually at the end of Spring quarter outlining their progress toward the Honors degree. The Office of Student Affairs and the Honors Committee will review these forms and contact students that are not making satisfactory progress. Names of students that have been removed from the Honors program will be forwarded to the Honors and Scholars Center.
Reinstatement process:
Students removed from the Honors program for falling below a 3.5 GPA will be reinstated after achieving the required GPA and reapplying as outlined above. Students removed for failure to make adequate progress will be reinstated after successfully petitioning the Honors and Undergraduate Research Committee, explaining how they have addressed the previous deficiencies.
Mentoring opportunities:
Honors students who choose the thesis option as a partial fulfillment of the Honors degree will regularly communicate with their research mentor. Other mentoring opportunities can be arranged with either Pharmacy faculty or Office of Student Affairs personnel at the discretion of the student.
Points of Contact
Additional questions regarding the Pharmacy Honors program can be directed to Nicole Herbert (herbert@pharmacy.ohio-state.edu), Pharmacy Academic Counselor, Office of Student Affairs, or Karl Werbovetz (werbovetz.1@osu.edu), Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Chair of the Pharmacy Honors Committee.
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