Graduation from the Honors Program
University Honors Program (UHP) students may graduate with either an Honors Degree or Honors Distinction. UHP Members who complete 32 credits of honors coursework earn Idaho's only Honors Degree, and therefore a unique diploma. The Honors Degree is noted on the transcript and at commencement. The Honors Degree requires 2 honors seminars (1 credit each), at least 6 credits of upper division honors contract courses (3 of which may be thesis credits), and an honors project or thesis. UHP Members who complete 19 credits of honors coursework, including a 1 credit honors seminar, graduate with an honors distinction. This is noted on the transcript and at commencement.
Curriculum:
The University Honors Program curriculum has been developed to enrich the college experience of high achieving students. Honors courses have been developed to fulfill General Education Requirements yet there is no set or required curriculum for the University Honors Program. Each student is encouraged to take those honors courses that best meet the individual student's needs.
Year 1
- HONS 1101, HONS 1103 (6 cr.) - Fall
- HONS 1102, HONS 1104 (6 cr.) - Spring
(These sequences meet Goals 1, 6, 7, 10a, and 11.)
Additional courses commonly taken in Years 1 and 2:
- CHEM 1111 H - Honors Chemistry (5 cr.) - Fall
- CHEM 1112 H - Honors Chemistry (4 cr.) - Spring
(Together CHEM 1111 H and 1112 H meet goal 5.) - COMM 1101 H - Introduction to Communication, Honors (3 cr.) - Fall and Spring
(This course meets Goal 2.) - PHIL 1101 H - Introduction to Philosophy, Honors (3 cr.) - Spring
(This course meets Goal 8.) - PSYC 1101 H - Introduction to Psychology, Honors (3 cr.) - Spring
(This course meets Goal 12.)
Years 3 and 4
- HONS 3391 - Honors Seminar (1 cr. each)
- Honors Contract Courses (6 cr.)
- Thesis/ Independent Studies Credit from the major department or HONS 4493 - Honors Project or Honors Thesis (1-3 credits)
Honors Seminar (HONS 3391)
Honors Degree students are required to complete two upper division seminar courses (HONS 3391 - 1 credit which is repeatable) during the junior and senior year. Honors Distinction students are required to complete 1 seminar (HONS 3391 credit). In general, at least one Honors seminar will be offered each semester.
Honors Contract Courses
In addition to the interdisciplinary honors seminars (HONS 3391), each Honors student must complete a minimum of 6 credits of Honors Contract Courses in the student’s major. Honors Contract Courses are departmental courses offered under an “Honors Contract” between the student and instructor. An Honors Contract Course requires that the student and instructor agree, on a case-by-case basis, to a set of requirements for the course. All Honors Contracts must be approved by the Honors Program Director. In general, 3300- and 4400-level courses are available for Honors contract credit, as designated by each department.
Before beginning an Honors Contract Course, students must submit an Honors Contract for the approval of the Honors Director.
Honors Thesis or Project (HONS 4493)
Each Honors Degree student is required to complete an honors project or thesis at the senior level in the major department. This capstone project could be a research-based senior thesis or another discipline-appropriate project. The completed project is presented in a public forum and defended before a committee comprised of the major department Thesis Advisor, another faculty member in the department, and the Director or Associate Director of the University Honors Program. Appropriate public venues for the presentation include but are not limited to: a departmental seminar, the ISU Undergraduate Research Symposium, an honors regional or national conference, or a discipline specific conference.
Student Progress
Students admitted to the Honors Program are required to maintain an accumulative grade point average of 3.25. Students must show evidence of continuous progress toward their degrees. Students dropping below the 3.25 have one probationary semester to raise the GPA before facing dismissal from the program.
Minimum Credit Requirements for Honors Degree and Honors Distinction
Honors Degree |
Honors Distinction |
|
Lower Division |
24 |
18 |
Upper Division Contract Courses |
6* |
0 |
Honors Seminar |
2 |
1 |
Honors Thesis |
up to 6 |
0 |
| Total | 32 |
19 |
*Up to 3 credits of Honors thesis or departmental independent studies credit can count towards the 6 Upper Division Contract Course credits.
Last Modified: 10/27/2010