There are a number of requirements an Honors student needs to meet in order to stay in the program. As this is both a social and academic group, the requirements pertain to these two facets of the program.

Academic Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum 3.00 GPA for both their Undergraduate and Upper Division courses.

To graduate with an honors degree, a student must complete 24 hours of honors coursework, including 12 hours of upper division (300-400-level) coursework. Honors coursework may also fulfill requirements in the core, major, or minor.

Students may complete honors requirements by selecting courses from the following Honors experiences:

  • Contracted Courses: Honors students may receive honors credit for any regular undergraduate class offering by designing an honors contract with the professor. The contract must specify the type, nature, and purpose of additional research and assignments. If it is at all possible, the honors student’s work should contribute to the educational experience of the class in general, perhaps through an oral presentation to share the results of her/his research. The honors student must complete the contract in order to receive honors credit for the course. Contract forms are available in the Honors Center.
  • Opportunity for Study Abroad and/or Summer Institutes: Honors students are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to study abroad and to attend summer institutes on other college campuses. Study abroad courses may be taken for honors credit, subject to the approval of the Study Abroad Coordinator and the Honors Director.
  • Independent Studies: In an honors tutorial, the student works one-on-one with a faculty member to design a course of study on a particular topic of student interest that is not a regular course offering. The student and faculty member work together to determine course readings, research methodology, and appropriate assignments.
  • Honors Thesis: Each honors student must conduct advanced research appropriate to her/his discipline, write a thesis under the direction of a thesis advisor, and respond to the comments of a thesis committee formed of three faculty members, including the advisor. Honors Theses will be presented to the campus community at each year’s Academic Festival.

Social Requirements

Graduating with honors is a representation of your academic excellence, but it is also meant to be a reflection of your involvement in the program throughout your collegiate career. In order to encourage participation in the program, beyond academic honors work, we have emplaced a points system.

You must acquire at least 50 points per semester in order to remain in the Honors Program.

You may earn points through any variation of participation offered:

  • General Honors Meetings - 15 Points
  • Group Meetings - 5 Points
  • On-Campus Social Events - 5 Points
  • On-Campus Service Events - 10 Points
  • Off-Campus Social Events - 10 Points
  • Off-Campus Service Events - 15 Points

If you fail to meet 50 points in a semester, you will be put on probation for a semester. During a probation semester, you will continue attending meetings, completing honors classes/contracts, and earning the required 50 points.

If during your probation semester, you fail to meet the required amount of points, your membership in the program will be terminated.