Honors Program Requirements and Policies

Unless otherwise specified, the following requirements and policies apply to all students in the Honors Program.

Honors Mindset Seminar

All Honors students will take HON 102A17: Honors Mindset Seminar in their first semester in the program. Successful completion of Honors Mindset Seminar (defined as earning a "B" or better) is required to continue in the Honors Program.

Grade Point Average

Honors students are required to maintain a 3.3 cumulative GPA.

Honors Probation

Students whose cumulative GPA falls between 3.0 and 3.29 will be placed on Honors Probation, which allows them the opportunity to raise their GPA while enjoying the benefits of the Honors Program. Students on Honors Probation have up to two semesters to raise their cumulative GPA to 3.3 or higher. While on Honors Probation, students must achieve at least a 3.3 semester GPA in order to have a second probation semester.

Students who do not meet these requirements or whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be academically ineligible to continue in the Honors Program.

Honors Participation

Honors students are required to complete one Honors Learning Experience each semester. Part-time students (enrolled in less than 12 credit hours) are required to complete one Honors Learning Experience for every 12 credit hours completed.

Honors experiences that are credit-generating may not be taken pass/no pass and must result in a grade of "C" or better.
Students who complete multiple Honors Learning Experiences in one semester may "bank" one experience to use in a future semester.
Only one Honors Learning Experience can be "in the bank" at a time.
Honors Learning Experiences are not required in the summer; however, a summer Honors Learning Experience can be banked if the bank is "empty" or can fulfill the participation requirement for the following fall semester.
A variety of types of Honors Learning Experiences is encouraged.

When students are enrolled in the following experiences, they are not required to complete an Honors Learning Experience.

Study abroad (semester programs)
Student teaching (registered for STT 399)
Fall semester of Professional Development School Internship
Field-based semesters for Special Education majors (not practicum)
Full-time internships (12 credit hours; for example, Criminal Justice Sciences or Exercise Science)
Full-time clinical rotations (Medical Lab Science)

Honors Suspension

Students who do not complete an Honors Learning Experience and do not have one "banked" are placed on Honors Suspension for the following semester. Students lose the privilege of early registration during the Suspension semester.

In order to regain good standing, students must complete an Honors Learning Experience during the Suspension semester. Students do not have to make up the missed experience.

There is only one Suspension semester; if a student fails to complete an experience in a future semester, s/he will be ineligible to continue in the Honors Program.

Appeals Process

The Honors Program understands that outside factors can influence a student's ability to be successful academically. Students who become ineligible to continue in the program are invited to appeal this decision and submit information supporting their request to remain in the program.

Students will be notified of the process to appeal in early January (after fall grades) or early June (after spring grades). A committee of Honors Program staff members reviews appeals to determine if exceptions are appropriate.

In the appeal form, students will be asked to reflect on and provide written responses that address the following:

the circumstances that may have impacted their academic progress;
why their continued involvement in the Honors Program is significant to them; and,
specific steps they will take to return to good standing with the Honors Program.