Honors Requirements & Distinctions

Incoming first-year students are expected to have completed at least three Honors courses by the end of the first year (four courses are highly encouraged). Enhancing Honors 1102/1103 counts towards one of these courses.

Sophomores are expected to have completed a total of five Honors courses, including an Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar.

Junior and senior year students are expected to have completed a total of six honors courses, including an Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar for University Honors Distinction. Students are also encouraged to complete a Junior/Senior Honors Project for College Honors Distinction.

Staying in good standing

Students matriculating in September 2012 or thereafter must obtain a 3.5 GPA to maintain good standing and graduate with Honors Distinction. Honors Students matriculated earlier must maintain a 3.4 GPA to remain in good standing and graduate with Honors Distinction. First-year students must achieve a GPA of 3.0 by the end of their spring semester. Those first-year students who have a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 at the end of the spring semester will no longer be eligible to participate in the Honors Program

Honors Program Distinctions

There are two different Honors Program distinctions which may be earned by Honors students upon graduation. These distinctions are posted to the student’s academic transcript after graduation, as well as announced in the spring graduation Commencement Program. In addition, any course that is taken as Honors will be noted on a student’s transcript.

Honors Distinction is earned by those students who have completed 6 Honors courses, including an Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar. Students who join the Honors Program in the spring semester of their first year are required to complete 5 Honors courses including a seminar to receive Honors Distinction. Students who join the Honors Program at the end of the first year need to complete 4 Honors courses including a seminar to receive Honors Distinction.

College Honors Distinction is defined by each college. In many cases, this distinction may be earned by completing the Junior/Senior Honors Project.