University Honors Program
www.unco.edu/hsl
The University Honors Programs are designed to foster outstanding students by providing enriched course and research experiences, extra faculty attention, a community of intellectually-challenging peers and appropriate recognition for accepting the challenge to make the most of their undergraduate education. The Programs ask that students be alive to the life of the mind and pushes them to raise the expectations they have for themselves and their education. Students will become intrinsically more involved in their own learning experience, develop heightened critical awareness and independent thinking skills, and be encouraged to participate in research or creative works at the university and in the community.
Program Highlights
With admittance into either of the University Honors Program, students will have the resources of a comprehensive research university with the individual attention traditionally associated with a small liberal arts college, including:
- Provides immediate connections to faculty and fellow students who share a passion for learning and a commitment to excellence.
- Opportunities for students to go beyond the walls of the classroom and outside the covers of their textbooks to add their own thought and sense of self to their learning.
- Access to honors courses, seminars, research opportunities, personalized advising and other enriched learning experiences inside and outside the classroom.
- Opportunities to reside in the Honors Residential Learning Community, take part in honors leadership through the Student Honors Council and participate in a rich variety of social, cultural and service activities.
- Eligibility for scholarships available only to honor students, travel and research stipends and extended library check-out privileges.
- Recognition at commencement, on transcripts and on the university diploma.
Program Overview
The University offers a two-tier Honors Program for students with a desire to explore their academic studies more deeply.
The first tier encompasses a lower division, Honors Interdisciplinary Program and is designed for students entering UNC as freshmen with advanced achievement levels and for those who once on campus find their learning niche and want to experience an Honors lower division education. The program curriculum is based on students completing interdisciplinary seminars and courses in the Honors Connection series and in the award-winning Life of the Mind liberal arts core course series. Students completing the Honors Interdisciplinary Program receive a certificate of honors distinction, generally earned at the end of their sophomore year. Students receive official notation on their transcript and diploma as “Honors Interdisciplinary”
The second tier of the University Honors Program, the Upper Division Honors Program, is designed for students who are entering into their junior year, although may be started in the senior year as long as all of the credit hours can still be completed in time for graduation. Students who are accepted into Upper Division Honors will choose one of three curricular paths:
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Research Path – Students complete an Honors research thesis either in their selected discipline, or may complete an interdisciplinary thesis.
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Creative Path– Students complete a creative works project at an honors level appropriate to their discipline. Creative projects may include those in art, music, creative writing, graphic arts, dance or theatre.
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Applied Path– Students complete an Honors independent applied project that results in an actual implemented program, event, curricular method, initiative, business plan, non-profit endeavor, or other approved projects that fall “outside the box.”
Students completing the Upper Division Honors receive recognition at commencement, on their transcript and on their diploma as Upper Division Honors.
Honors Interdisciplinary Program Curriculum
General Requirements
- Completion of a total of 13 course credits from approved interdisciplinary courses.
- Evidence of Community and Professional Engagement during the student’s undergraduate studies through the Honors Connect co-curricular program. Co-curricular requirements include attendance at a minimum of two honors events each semester and four campus or community events from at least two categories: Academic speaker events, cultural events or community engagement events. See the Honors Student Handbook available on the website at www.unco.edu/honors for more information.
- Maintain a cumulative 3.25 UNC GPA
Required Courses
Category 1 — First Year Coursework (6 credits)
Complete two of the following:
Category 2 — Second Year Coursework (6 credits)
Complete two of the following:
- Honors Connection Seminar or
- LEAD 200 Seminar or
- Any MIND course
- An approved study abroad or International Student Exchange experience
Category 3 — Honors Research and Critical Thinking Skills (1-2 credits)
- LIB 151 - Honors Research Skills or
- LIB 150 (for certain majors)
- Highly recommended for first semester: HON 101 - Honors Introduction to Critical Thinking
- Optional: LIB 251 - Research as Inquiry (Required for students planning to apply for the Upper Division Honors Program)
Upper Division Honors Program
General Requirements
The Upper Division Honors Program provides Honors students the opportunity to engage in an in-depth study or independent honors project of their choice. Upper Division Honors Students work individually with a faculty mentor and strengthen their research, writing, creative and presentation skills. Students may complete their in-depth study in any discipline, and projects may include field research, experimentation, social science, natural science or humanities theses in the Research Path; an applied or civically engaged project, business or teaching curriculum project in the Applied Path; or creative composition such as in the humanities, music, theatre or fine arts in the Creative Path. Students designate their chosen Path upon application to the program. All projects require a written component with critical, research-based, reflective analysis. All complete projects are bound and placed in the permanent collection of the James A. Michener Library, and students present their completed research or creative project in a public forum to educate others on their topic. Honors students also are encouraged to submit their final written project for inclusion in a scholarly journal, such as UNC’s Undergraduate Research Journal.
The Upper Division Honors Program requires the following:
- Completion of a total of 11 honors-recognized course credits.
- Presentation of Honors Research or Creative Capstone Project in a public forum
- Achieve a minimum cumulative 3.25 UNC GPA
Required Courses
Honors Project Core (5 credits)
- LIB 251 Research as Inquiry: Exploration for Beginning Researchers (1 credit)
- HON 351 Junior Honors Seminar/Project Design (1 credit)
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HON 451 Senior Honors Research Thesis (3 credits)
Honors Electives — Complete two of the following (minimum of 6 credits)
Additional information about general Honors Requirements, Honors courses by contract, experiential option requirements and program planning can be found in the Honors Program Student Handbook available on the website at www.unco.edu/honors.
Applying to the University Honors Program
Requests for applications and program inquiries should be directed to the Honors Program office. Applications may also be downloaded in PDF format at www.unco.edu/honors.
Honors Interdisciplinary Program Application Requirements
Students are urged to apply to join the Honors Interdisciplinary Program as incoming freshmen, but they may apply as late as the first semester of their sophomore year. All applications must be accompanied by two letters of recommendation from teachers along with a statement of intent.
Entering Freshman must demonstrate academic interest and aptitude through their entire application, and no specific minimum standardized test scores nor minimum GPA will be required. Generally, students with successful application will either have attained a minimum 3.75 GPA in high school or have an ACT score at or above 27 in at least one of the ACT areas or equivalent SAT.
Students that do not meet these general guidelines but can demonstrate a strong desire to do honors-level interdisciplinary work will still be considered. Prospective Honors students already enrolled at UNC or transferring from another college need a minimum 3.25 GPA.
Upper Division Honors Program Application Requirements
Students with an interest in pursuing an honors thesis, creative works or applied scholarly project are encouraged to apply for Upper Division Honors in the second semester of their Sophomore year, and must have completed at least 45 credit hours before submitting their application.
Transfer students or current UNC students may apply as late as their senior year, but must have enough time to complete all of the requirements and must demonstrate that they already have a thesis/project advisor.
All applicants must have a minimum of a 3.25 cumulative college GPA and must provide two letters of reference from faculty or others who can attest to their academic interest and ability.
Additional Information
Please contact the Honors Program through the Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership by calling (970) 351-2940, by visiting the office in Michener L-98, or by finding us online at www.unco.edu/honors.