Honors Program

1. Thesis or Capstone Requirement:

a. Theses Credits (7 credit hours):
HONR 353H (one credit, taken in the fall or spring of the junior year), HONR 450H (three credits, typically taken in the fall of the senior year), and HONR 451H (three credits, typically taken in the spring of the senior year). Together these courses provide the culminating experience for students completing the Honors Program through the Thesis Track.
or
b. Capstone Credits (4 credit hours):
HONR 354H (three credits, taken in the fall of the junior year), followed by HONR 452H (one credit, taken in the spring of the junior year). Together these courses provide the culminating experience for students completing the Honors Program through the Capstone Track.

2. In addition to the thesis or capstone credits, a minimum of 5 other Honors courses, excluding KNGT 101H (15 credit hours):

Honors courses commonly offered include but are not limited to ENGL 101H, ENGL 200H, KNGT 102H, KNGT 401H, HIST 120H, MATH 205H, PHIL 101H, PHIL 301H, PS 101H, PSYC 103H, THEA 430H, and THEO 200H. Honors courses with study abroad components offered as HONR 320H: Honors Intercultural Experience also count toward this requirement.

In addition, students may count one approved Honors Internship or Honors Field Experience toward this requirement. These are typically undertaken within a student’s primary field of study but may be pursued in other areas with relevance to the student’s academic or professional goals. To count toward Honors credit, the experience must include a significant community engagement (engaging in a reciprocal relationship with community organizations or populations to address social issues) or intercultural growth (meaningful interaction across cultural or identity differences to build understanding and broaden perspectives) component and must be pre-approved by the Honors Director. Approval will be integrated into the standard Handshake process for receiving academic credit for internships or field experiences.

On a case-by-case basis, students may also request to elevate a non-Honors course to Honors status by developing an additional project or component that meaningfully aligns with the Honors Program’s learning outcomes. This option requires the agreement of the course instructor and must be preapproved by the Honors Director. This should be considered a last-resort solution, appropriate only in situations where completing five designated Honors courses is impractical due to factors such as a high number of transfer credits or serious course scheduling limitations.

3. Honors Portfolio:

The Honors Portfolio provides a structured, reflective framework for students to demonstrate growth across all Honors Program learning outcomes, with particular emphasis on Empowered Self-Discovery and Growth. Throughout their time in the program, students complete annual goal-setting reflections, submit academic projects demonstrating inquiry and research proficiency they have completed in their courses, and reflect on experiential learning such as study abroad, community engagement, leadership, or Honors internships. The portfolio culminates in a final reflection, offering students a comprehensive record of their intellectual, personal, and professional development.

4. Grade Point Average (GPA):

Honors students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher or request and receive a waiver.