Requirements

Continuation in the Honors Program

Progress in the Honors Program

Honors students should be actively pursuing their degrees, taking classes and earning credits. As members of the Honors Program, students must earn Honors credit on a regular basis.

The Honors Program offers a range of opportunities for students to earn Honors credit each semester:

  • Coursework - In order to graduate with an Honors degree, students must complete 30 credits of Honors-level coursework. Reasonable progress is considered to be the completion of 6 Honors credits each year. In order to retain the privileges of membership in the Honors Program, students must maintain this minimum progress. However, students can and should complete Honors credits at a faster pace. NOTE - In order to reach the required 30 Honors credits and graduate with an Honors degree, Honor students must complete more than the minimum 6 Honors credits per academic year.

    In order to receive Honors credit, the student must complete the Honors course requirement and earn a final course grade of B- or better.

  • Grade Point Average - In order to remain in the Honors program, Honors students must maintain a cumulative 3.25 grade point average in any semester. In order to receive Honors credit for a course, Honors students must earn at least a B- in the course.

  • Probation - If an Honors student’s GPA falls below the required GPA 3.25, the student is placed on a one-semester probationary period. During the probationary semester, the student continues to enjoy all Honors Program privileges, including priority registration. At the end of the probationary semester, with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher the student returns to regular Honors status. A student with a cumulative GPA lower than 3.25 is dismissed from the Honors Program. The student may apply for readmission to the Honors Program if their cumulative GPA is 3.25 or higher.

  • Mandatory Advisement – All Honors Students must participate in Honors advisement at least once each academic year. First-year students and seniors should arrange appointments with their Honors advisors in the fall semester; sophomores and juniors should arrange appointments in the spring semester. Only after an Honors student is advised in the Honors Program, will the student be cleared for registration and given priority registration. The Honors advising process is designed to advise students on their academic progress in Honors. Students should be aware of their responsibilities as an advisee.

    • Students should contact and regularly keep in touch with the Honors Program.
    • Students should make appointments early and keep appointments or call to change or cancel appointments.
    • Students should come to appointments prepared and with specific questions in mind.
    • Students should have met or scheduled an appointment with major advisors.
    • Students should be equipped with writing utensils, tentative class schedule, DARS report, and Honors checklist.
    • Students should ask about other information related to the Honors Program, e.g., national scholarships, scheduled events, and service opportunities.
    • Prior to the appointments, students should prepare a preliminary schedule of classes.
    • Students should have a positive attitude and leave the advising session with a smile.
  • Readmission – An Honors student is terminated from membership of the Honors Program when
    • a student completes a Request to Withdraw From the Honors Program form online and withdraws from the Honors Program
    • a student fails to fully participate in the Honors Program or fails to complete at least six Honors credit hours per academic year
    • a student falls below a cumulative GPA of less than 3.25 in any semester.

    Any student terminated from the Honors Program may apply for readmission. A student who has been terminated from the Honors Program may submit a formal petition in the form of a letter requesting reinstatement. The typed letter must be submitted to the Director of the Honors Program explaining the circumstances of termination and reasons for reinstatement. After considering the circumstances and the student’s academic history, the Director determines whether the student is reinstated.

  • Leave of Absence - If an Honors student plans not to register for classes at the University of Nevada, Reno in a given semester, it is important that the student file a Leave of Absence form available online. Prior to studying internationally, a student must complete this form.

Earning Honors Credit

Students complete the required 30-Honors credits either by enrolling in Honors courses, by contracting Honors courses in the major, or by earning up to six Honors points. In other words, the 30 credits can be earned by taking 24 hours of Honors course credits and by completing 6 Honors points. NOTE - Honors points do not meet academic requirements for graduation.

  • Honors Courses - Each semester honors courses are offered specifically for Honors Program members. Taught by outstanding teaching faculty, these courses are distinguished by their distinctive approach to teaching and learning of the subject matter. Honors courses usually emphasize participatory classroom styles, intense and in-depth study of subject matter, the use of primary source material, team or group teaching, an interdisciplinary theme, and an element of independent study. Honors courses include intensive reading, writing, and research.

    Honors courses may be Honors sections of core curriculum courses, or courses that are used to meet elective, capstone, and diversity requirements. Some courses are designated HON in the Course Schedule (e.g. HON 490, section 001, Honors Thesis I). Other courses are indicated in the Course Schedule by department with the designation "H" as part of the section number (e.g. ENGL 102, section H24). A complete listing of Honors courses and descriptions is available on the Honors Program Website under Current Members, Honors Classes. Only Honors students may enroll in Honors courses. To register on ePaws for an Honors class, students must obtain the call numbers from the Honors Program or from the Honors Website.

  • Honors in the Major - The Honors Program welcomes proposals from Honors students who elect to earn Honors credit by enrolling in a non-Honors course in their major. Course contracts are available only for 300 and 400 level courses in the major. Honors Contract Courses in the Major give students an opportunity to broaden and deepen their experience in their major fields. Honors in the Major implies a qualitative enhancement of the course, not necessarily a quantitative enhancement. Students who undertake Honors Contract Courses in the Major must demonstrate additional knowledge and skills beyond the content and requirements of the regular class.

    An Honors student contracts a course by contacting a faculty member in the student’s major and asking the faculty member to allow the student to take a scheduled non-Honors course for Honors credit. With the assistance of the instructor, the student completes the Honors in the Major form available online. The type of academic activity described in the Honors contract must go beyond the normal course content and requirements. Work may include additional readings or assignments, written projects not expected of other students in the course, guided independent study or individual research, class presentations, additional student-faculty discussions, co-teaching, or any acceptable project that examines the course material in more depth than the regular class. The Honors contract requires the submission of the course syllabus, a detailed description of the project and a timetable for the completion of the academic project. The Honors Contract in the Major must be reviewed, approved, and signed by the Director of the Honors Program.

    The deadline for filing the contract with the Honors Program Office is the first day of class after October 1 for the fall semester, and the first day of class after March 1 for the spring semester. The student must complete the honors component of the course with an overall course grade of B- or better in order to receive Honors credit for the course.

  • Honors Points - Each semester, in additional to Honors courses, the Honors Program offers many opportunities for Honors students to earn Honors credits. Termed "Honors point" activities, these non-traditional units are earned for significant, recognized activities that provide enrichment for general non-classroom education. There are two options for earning Honors Points. The first option is service learning, a combination of service with learning beyond the classroom. Honors students use their abilities and talents to demonstrate a commitment to an ethic of civic responsibility by engaging in an activity that benefits both the student and the community. (One point for each 30-40 hours of service.) The second option is attendance or organization of scholarly activities and academic programming. Honors students engage in research or organize Honors programming, then share what they have learned with others. Examples of activities for either option can be found on the Honors Points form.

NOTE: No Honors points are awarded retroactively. No points are awarded for activities required for membership in an organization or club or credit in other classes. The minimum time commitment for an activity is 3 weeks. Points are not awarded for activities where students are paid.

To earn Honors points, an Honors student must fill out the Honors Points form and write a 2-3 page typed self-reflection essay reacting to the learning experience. Essays are graded pass/fail. In order to earn the honors point, an essay must receive a "pass." If an essay receives a "fail," the student has the opportunity to rewrite the paper for a "pass."

A passing essay is one that is fully developed, exhibits significant thought into the analysis, and contains no grammatical or typing errors. The paper should demonstrate 1) familiarity with the content of the material/event, 2) a critical analysis of the material, 3) the application of a personal perspective, and 4) relevant insights. A failing essay is one that lacks analysis and depth. Additional criteria is listed on the Honors website.

  • International Study – The Honors Program considers international study an enriching academic and personal experience. A variety of opportunities are available for Honors students interested in studying internationally. The University of Nevada, Reno belongs to the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), a university cooperative that currently includes 31 programs in 21 countries. International study opportunities are available in a variety of subjects with many courses taught by faculty from universities in the United States. In addition, the National Collegiate Honors Council offers study abroad opportunities annually. In order to receive Honors credit for international study, students must complete the Honors 410 Area Study form on line. Honors credits must be arranged prior to registration and travel.

Completion Requirements

To complete the Honors Program, an Honors student must earn University of Nevada, Reno degree, satisfy all major and Honors Program requirements, and remain in good standing throughout the student’s college career. An Honors student must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25 each semester and achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.25 at the time of graduation; complete a minimum of two Honors courses each year; demonstrate significant contributions to Honors academic and social activities; meet with an Honors advisor once a year; complete thirty credits of Honors coursework; and complete an Honors Thesis/Project and an oral defense.

Graduating with Honors - Graduating with Honors requires the successful completion of all Honors Program requirements.

  • Completion of 30 Credits in Honors - As outlined above, students must complete 30 credits of coursework throughout the college career. To receive Honors credit for a course, an Honors student must complete each Honors class with a grade of B- or higher. Up to six Honors points may replace Honors course credit.
  • Completion of a Senior Honors Thesis/Project – All Honors students must complete a Thesis/Project in their major during their senior year. The Senior Honors Thesis/Project is the development of an independent, original scholarly or creative topic of interest to the student in the major. It is completed in the student's major field and represents the culminating experience of an undergraduate education. The thesis/project is not expected to be graduate-level work, but superior undergraduate performance is expected; the thesis/project demonstrates greater depth and a more thorough understanding of a specific, focused topic in the major field. The thesis/project is directed by a faculty member who agrees to work with the Honors student for two semesters or six semester hours of credit. Once the thesis/project is completed and the manuscript is written, the student orally defends his/her thesis.
  • Application to Graduate in the Honors Program - If an Honors student has completed the requirements of the Honors Program and plans to graduate in the Honors Program in the next year, the student should complete the Application to Graduate in the Honors Program form online. If the student plans to graduate in December, he/she submits this form by September 15; if the student plans to graduate in May, he/she should submit this form by February 15.
  • Latin Distinction - Graduation cum laude requires a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 to 3.69 with a completed two-semester senior thesis; magna cum laude, a cumulative grade-point average of 3.7 to 3.89 with a grade of "A" earned in both semesters of senior thesis; summa cum laude, a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.9 with a grade of "A" earned in both semesters of senior thesis.

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