Honors Program Policies and Procedures

Selection of Honors Courses

The recommended distribution of the required thirty (30) honors credits is as follows:

When necessary, course substitutions may be made with the approval of the Honors Program director.   To the extent possible, substitute honors courses will be chosen from disciplines comparable to those of the courses being replaced.

Honors Program students may receive Advanced Placement credit according to established University standards.  If AP credit is awarded for one or more of the courses listed above, the transfer credit will not count toward the required 30 honors credits.  The program director will select appropriate honors course substitutions.

There is neither a maximum nor minimum number of credits or honors courses required per semester for students in the Honors Program.  However, COM1001 University Seminar (Honors) should be taken in the student’s first semester at the University.

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Eligibility for Honors Credit and Graduation With Honors

Honors credit is awarded when the grade of B (3.0) or better is earned in a designated honors course.  Honors courses may not be repeated for honors credit.  When a passing grade less than B is received in an honors course, the course may still be used to satisfy the degree requirement but no honors credit will be awarded.  The student will be directed to an alternate honors course in the same or a comparable discipline.  The student’s academic transcript will indicate each honors course taken and the grade received regardless of the student’s eligibility for honors credit in that course. 

If a grade below C is earned in an honors course, the student may choose to repeat the material by registering for a non-honors section of the same course.  The grade earned in the second course may be used to recompute the student’s grade point average according to the standard University procedure.  An honors section may not be used to repeat a course, whether or not the first attempt was in an honors section. 

No distinction is made between “honors” and “non-honors” sections with respect to registration or withdrawal.  Standard add/drop policies will apply.  

Within the 30 credit hours in which honors credit is awarded, an Honors Program cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher is required.  Moreover, the student’s overall cumulative g.p.a. at the time of graduation must be 3.25 or higher in order to graduate “With Honors.”  The Honors Program director will review each candidate’s record when the petition to graduate is filed and will determine whether or not the requirements of the Honors Program have been met.  Once honors status has been confirmed, the appropriate designation will be made on the student’s diploma.

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Honors Admission and Continuation Requirements

The Honors Program is open to entering freshman who meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Cumulative high school grade point average of 3.5 or higher
• Composite ACT score of 24 or higher (or equivalent SAT score)

Students who fall short of these criteria may still apply to the Honors Program.  Along with the application, the student must submit an original essay describing his or her goals with respect to the Honors Program plus at least one supporting letter of recommendation from a high school teacher.  Involvement in community service and evidence of leadership are also considered important criteria for entry into the Honors Program.  The program director will evaluate all such applications to determine admissibility to the Honors Program.

The Honors Program application must be received no later than the end of the first week of classes in the applicant’s first semester.  Late applications will not be considered.   The Honors Program is open to FTIAC (First Time in Any College) applicants only.  Transfer students are not eligible for admission to the Honors Program.  

An honors student whose honors-only g.p.a. drops below 3.25 or who has a cumulative g.p.a. below 3.25 will be placed on probation within the Honors Program.  Excessive withdrawals, insufficient progress toward meeting Honors Program requirements, or failure to participate in academic symposia or other Honors Society activities may also result in honors probation.  Two consecutive semesters of honors probation are grounds for dismissal from the Honors Program.  Dismissal from the Honors Program will be initiated by the program director.

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