Mission
The Honors Program is designed for high-achieving students who approach the liberal arts and sciences with excitement and an appetite for engagement. Honors students will conduct genuine inquiry and collaborative learning, often across disciplines, and will engage their world meaningfully.
Description
Through multidisciplinary and collaborative coursework, Honors students respond to the significant challenges confronting the next generation of scholars. The honors courses both within the General Education curriculum and beyond it are consistent with the students’ academic abilities, preparation and goals. The courses resonate with any academic major or minor and provide opportunities for students to discover their intellectual curiosities, to engage in community service, to develop critical thinking skills, and to excel in oral and written expression.
Although faculty may propose to teach a special topics course or to designate a General Education course, favorable consideration is given to courses that cohere to one or more of the following descriptions: multidisciplinary, collaborative teaching, travel/co-curricular activities, and reading and writing intensive. Classes range in size from 5 to 20 students. Under the direction of a faculty mentor, Honors students are encouraged to complete an Honors Distinction project during their final year.
Honors students can:
- Register for classes first
- Live with other Honors students in a residence hall living-learning center (freshmen)
- Take an unlimited number of credit hours (with advisor approval) and not pay an overload fee
- Earn a Bachelor’s with Distinction degree
- Graduate from the Honors Program, with special diploma and commencement recognition
Participation
To graduate from the Honors Program, an Honors student completes at least 16 academic hours of Honors credit. They are allowed to take up to two (2) Honors courses or sections pass/fail.
A minimum 3.25 GPA overall and at least a B grade in Honors courses are required. See below for additional requirements.
Admission
Entering freshmen must demonstrate academic achievement as follows (ACT or ACT equivalent score required):
ACT H.S. GPA
32 = or + 3.0
31 3.0
30 3.1
29 3.2
28 3.3
27 3.4
26 3.5
25 3.6
24 3.7
23 3.8
22 3.9
21 4.0
20 4.0
Transfer students must present 30 semester hours with a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
Currently enrolled students must be full time and present a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
Eligible students gain entry into the program after review of the program application and review by the Academic Honors and Awards Committee and Honors Program Director. Home-schooled or other nontraditional schooled students are eligible for admission to the Honors Program upon presentation of appropriate ACT, SAT or GED score and demonstration of scholarship in high school level academic coursework.
International students who qualify are eligible.
Graduating from the Honors Program
| Required Coursework: |
(6 hrs) |
| |
COLL 133H - General Education Foundations Seminar |
3 hrs |
| |
HNRS 310 – Honors Service |
1 hrs |
| |
Total: |
4 hrs |
Elective Coursework (12 hrs)
- Twelve hours of Honors coursework
- At least one course chosen from:
- HNRS 340, Schiffman Lecture (3 hrs)
- HNRS 350, Topics (3 hrs)
- HNRS 484, Distinction (3 hrs)
- Total: 16 hrs
Honors students who are unable to take COLL 133H must take an additional 3-hour Honors elective.
Additional Requirements
Honors students must complete at least three Honors-designated activities each semester. These activities include, but are not limited to:
* Honors fall picnic
* Honors spring banquet
* Schiffman lectures
* Cougar Conversations
* Living-learning community workshops and events
* Competitive fellowship workshops
* Designate events during heritage months throughout the year
* Admittance into an academic honors society
* Visiting scholars’ presentations/workshops/events