The Program

The General Honors Program is designed for students who enter the Honors College with fewer than 30 completed credit hours. The program includes courses designed to facilitate completion of both general education and major requirements.

1. General Honors Core Curriculum (minimum 18 hours)
   1. UHC 110 Freshman Honors Seminar (2 hours);
   2. Three General Honors courses to be selected from a menu of Honors College offerings (9-15 hours);
   3. One Honors Experiential Learning Experience (1-3 hours)
      1. UHC 300 Honors Service Learning
      2. UHC 350 Honors Study Abroad
      3. UHC 396 Honors Independent Study
      4. UHC 398 Honors Undergraduate Research 
      5. UHC 399 Honors Internship/Apprenticeship
   4. UHC 397 Honors Colloquia (3 hours)
   5. UHC 410 Senior Honors Seminar (3 hours)
      
      Students who complete all General Honors Core Curriculum requirements and earn a final institutional GPA of 3.25 or higher are eligible to graduate from the Honors College after they satisfy all other University degree requirements. Final transcripts and diplomas will include the notation "Bachelor of _______ (with possible grade point honors such as cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) in the Honors College."
2. Distinction in the Major Option (minimum 12 hours)
   
   Students who complete the Core Curriculum have the opportunity to continue their honors studies and to earn Distinction in the Major by self-designing a rigorous program of course work culminating in a final distinction project. Students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of honors course work in their major, including a minimum of 3 hours of UHC 499 Honors Distinction Project. Students may propose appropriate combinations of the following courses:
   1. UHC 396 Honors Independent Study (1-3 hours);
   2. UHC 398 Honors Undergraduate Research (1-3 hours);
   3. UHC 410 Senior Honors Seminar (3 hours);
   4. UHC 499 Honors Distinction Project (3-4 hours)
      
      *Students who have completed the General Honors Core Curriculum may double-count one section of UHC 396, UHC 398, or UHC 410 towards the Distinction in the Major requirements.
      
      Students interested in earning Distinction in the Major must complete a course and project proposal under the guidance of a faculty member in their major department. The proposal must be approved by the Department Head for the major and by the Director of the Honors College before a student may register for honors course sections. Distinction proposals must be approved prior to the beginning of a student’s senior year.
      
      The Honors Distinction Project must be submitted to the Honors College on the final day of classes prior to a student’s graduation.
      
      Students who complete all General Honors Core Curriculum requirements, all Distinction in the Major requirements, and earn a final institutional GPA of 3.25 or higher are eligible to graduate from the Honors College after they satisfy all other University degree requirements. Final transcripts and diplomas will include the notation "Bachelor of _______ (with possible grade point honors such as cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) in the Honors College with Distinction in ______."

The Accelerated Honors Program (minimum 19 credit hours) is designed for students who enter the Honors College with 30 or more completed credit hours. The program includes a primary emphasis upon the completion of major requirements and the production of a final distinction project in six or fewer semesters. Students must complete the following requirements:

1. Completion of one of the following Honors elements
   1. All first-time in college students, regardless of class standing, must complete UHC 110 Freshman Honors Seminar (2 hours). This course satisfies the University’s First-Year Foundations General Education requirement and must be completed during the first semester of study;
   2. Transfer students and MSU students admitted to the Honors College after completing GEP 101 First-Year Foundations must complete  one General Honors course or one Honors Experiential Learning course of their choice (see General Honors Program Section A above).
2. UHC 397 Honors Colloquia (3 hours);
3. UHC 410 Senior Honors Seminar (3 hours);
4. Students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of honors course work in their major, including a minimum of 3 hours of UHC 499 Honors Distinction Project. Students may propose appropriate combinations of the following courses:
   1. UHC 396 Honors Independent Study (1-3 hours);
   2. UHC 398 Honors Undergraduate Research (1-3 hours);
   3. UHC 499 Honors Distinction Project (3-4 hours)
      
      Students must complete a course and distinction project proposal under the guidance of a faculty member in their major department. The proposal must be approved by the Department Head for the major and by the Director of the Honors College before a student may register for honors course sections. Distinction proposals must be approved prior to the beginning of a student’s senior year.
      
      The Honors Distinction Project must be submitted to the Honors College on the final day of classes prior to a student’s graduation.

Students who complete all Accelerated Honors Program requirements and earn a final institutional GPA of 3.25 or higher are eligible to graduate from the Honors College after they satisfy all other University degree requirements. Final transcripts and diplomas will include the notation "Bachelor of _______ (with possible grade point honors such as cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) in the Honors College with Distinction in ______."