Honors College Academics
Curriculum
The Honors College fosters student growth through a four-year learning community, starting with a year-long class focused on purpose and belonging, and progressing to research, thesis development, and preparation for graduate school or employment. The Honors curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, persuasive communication, and interdisciplinary exploration through Intellectual Traditions courses and small, focused Honors Seminars. Through departmental Honors courses, student dive deeper into their discipline of study and the Honors thesis is the culmination of their academic journey at the U.
Curricular Pathways
Curricular Pathways
First-Year Pathway
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*Students may apply to begin with Honors in their first or second semester
**For students joining after a successful first semester, some departmental courses may satisfy Honors core or elective requirements (LEAP, Diversity Scholars, Business Scholars, etc.)
Upper Division/Transfer Pathway
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Remaining Credits
*Students are eligible to apply after completing 45+ credits and must earn 60+ credits before beginning the program.
Learning Communities
Honors learning communities are timed experiences that support your growth and success across your undergraduate career through curricular and co-curricular activities, information, and resources.
Intellectual Traditions
Explore the continuum of ideas that have shaped human thought and expression across diverse eras and cultures. Reconsider preconceived ideas and make sense of our present within a broader historical framework. Intellectual Traditions courses teach students to read carefully, think critically, speak and write persuasively, be intellectually adventurous, and to have greater self-awareness in relation to their communities. These courses fulfill general education and/or bachelor’s degree requirements.
Honors Seminars
In these small interdisciplinary Honors courses, students examine current challenges, opportunities, and phenomena from varied disciplinary perspectives, often with immersive, experiential elements. Most Honors Seminars also satisfy University general education or bachelor’s degree requirements. Students may complete as many seminars as they choose but must complete at least one to earn the Honors degree.
Thesis or Capstone
The culmination of the Honors bachelor’s degree, the Honors Thesis is a significant undergraduate research project completed under the supervision of a faculty member in the student’s major. Its purpose is to advance knowledge and understanding within the context of a research university and to further develop the student’s intellectual, professional and personal growth. Thesis projects may take different forms in different majors – e.g. laboratory experiments, historical research or artistic creations, to name a few – but always demonstrate research expertise in the major field, a command of relevant scholarship and an effort to contribute to that scholarship.