Students graduating from high school are invited to join the Honors Program on the basis of their high school record and composite entrance examination score. The standard for acceptance to the Program is an Admissions Index of 120 or above and a grade point average of 3.4.
New transfer students are eligible for admission to the
Honors Program if they have at least a 3.4 grade point
average.
:
University of Utah students are admissible to
the Honors Program with a cumulative grade point average of
3.4 or higher.
Students should apply for admission to the Honors Program only after they have been admitted to the University of Utah. The application form is available on the Honors web site (www.honors.utah.edu/prospective-application.html).
Only students who have been officially admitted to the Honors Program are allowed to register for Honors courses.
The Honors baccalaureate degree has a two-tier structure – the Honors Certificate and the University Honors degree.
The requirements for completing the Honors Certificate are as follows:
Two semesters of the Honors Core in Intellectual Traditions
(Honors 2101, Honors 2102, Honors 2103)
One semester of Honors Writing (either Honors 2211 or Honors 3200)
Two additional Honors courses (Honors Core in Social Science, Honors Core in Fine Arts, Honors Core in Physical and Life Science, Construction of Knowledge, Honors Calculus, American Institutions, or any of the Honors seminars)
Maintaining a 3.4 cumulative grade point average
Students who complete these requirements will receive the Honors Certificate designation on their transcript.
The requirements for the second tier of the Honors baccalaureate degree consist of:
Two additional Honors courses
Completion of the Honors thesis
Maintaining a 3.4 cumulative grade point average
Students who complete these requirements will graduate with the University Honors degree.
The Honors Program offers many courses that can also be used to fulfill the University's general education and graduation requirements. These courses are so marked on the curriculum page of the Honors Program website (www.honors.utah.edu/curriculum.html).
AP credits cannot be used to fulfill required Honors courses.
Students who transfer to the University of Utah with 59 or more transfer hours or an Associate Degree will receive credit for two courses in the Honors Program. After admission to the Program, students will take three more Honors courses including one Honors Core in Intellectual Traditions and
one Honors Writing course in order to complete the Honors Certificate.
LEAP students, who enter the Honors Program after the first year, will receive Honors credit for two LEAP courses. After admission to the program, students will take three Honors courses including one Honors Core in Intellectual Traditions and
one Honors Writing course in order to complete the Honors Certificate.
Students enrolled in University Honors may also take departmental
Honors classes if they have met the prerequisites for them. The departmental
Honors courses also count as electives toward the Honors
Certificate and Honors degree. The following departments and colleges
currently offer departmental Honors tracks: College of
Architecture; College of Fine Arts; (several departments);
College of Science (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and
Physics); School of Computing; College of Engineering;
English (College of Humanities); Exercise and Sports Science
(College of Health).
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.4 to remain eligible for the Honors Program. Students who fall below this minimum are placed on probation for one semester and may be dropped from the program if they are unable to raise their grades to the required minimum. Students can be reinstated in the program only if they subsequently raise their grade point average to the 3.4 level and reapply to the program.
Students who plan to graduate with an Honors Bachelor's Degree should inform the Graduation Office (250 SSB) of their intent no later than the end of the junior year. Students must specifically state on their graduation application that they are completing an Honors Degree.
The Honors thesis is the capstone of students' academic efforts in earning the University Honors degree. In the thesis students will demonstrate their intellectual independence and apply research methods of their discipline in preparation for graduate or professional work.
The nature of the thesis and its presentation may vary greatly from discipline to discipline, such as a lab project with a final report presented in a seminar or a performance evaluated by a jury. Regardless of the form of the thesis, it must be recordable and archivable as in an audio, video, electronic, film or written product.
Students working on their thesis sign up for a 3 credit thesis course in the department of their major (course #4999). For example, a student majoring in Chemistry would sign up for
CHEM 4999.
A faculty member in the student's major department and the departmental Honors advisor will supervise the student's thesis.
Before beginning the senior Honors thesis, students must arrange for a pre-thesis interview with an advisor in the Honors Program. This should be done at least three semesters before students intend to graduate.
The Honors curriculum includes individual courses, sequence courses, seminars, and workshops. No Honors course exceeds an enrollment of 30 students, and the average student/faculty ratio is 17 to one. Class instructors are chosen on the basis of their demonstrated teaching excellence and include the regular faculty as well as highly selected adjunct professors and lecturers. Most of these scholars actively publish research in their field, and courses are frequently designed by the professors to coincide with their current research activity. Occasionally, individuals from the community, who have distinguished themselves in their profession and who are proven good teachers, are invited to teach in the Honors Program. Teaching assistants and teaching fellows never teach Honors courses.
(Satisfy humanities foundation)
Honors 2101 (3) The World of Antiquity
Honors 2102 (3) Medieval Christianity and Renaissance Humanism
Honors 2103 (3) Emergence of Modern Times
The purpose of the sequence is to see the development and continuity of the ideological attitudes that have helped to shape
our culture. Two courses of the IT sequence is required of all students seeking an Honors Degree
(i.e. 2101, 2102, or 2103).
Honors 2201 (4) Calculus for Non-Technical Majors Part I (satisfies
quantitative analysis and applied science requirements)
Honors 2202 (4) Calculus for Non-Technical Majors Part II
(satisfies quantitative analysis and applied science
requirements)
Honors 2211 (3) Writing in Honors (satisfies the lower division writing requirement)
Honors 2212 (3) American Institutions (satisfies the American Institutions requirement)
Honors 3161 (3) American People (satisfies the Diversity requirement)
Honors 3200 (3) Writing in a Research University (satisfies the Upper Division Communication/Writing
requirement)
Honors 3371 (3) Preparation for Medical Study
Honors 3600
(3) Tutorial (This course will provide Honors students with an opportunity for one-on-one interaction with distinguished faculty in their field who will direct an individualized course of study, engage students in major research, or share creative activity with students. The tutorial is a highly individualized and customized experience that ideally will create a powerful platform for the production of the Honors Thesis and go beyond work typically done in a classroom.)
Honors 3800 (3) Construction of Knowledge (This course will introduce Honors students, early in their academic career, to the various ways knowledge is produced in the academic disciplines. Each week distinguished scholars from the University's colleges will present lectures on the way knowledge is constructed in their area of study. Lectures will focus on research questions that drive that production and the implications that different kinds of knowledge have on the lives of human beings. In addition to these distinguished lectures, students will meet weekly to discuss readings and join for creative activity. The course objectives include critical thinking about the similarities and differences
of knowledge production by the various disciplines in a major research university.
Students will also consider fruitful and creative ways of analyzing the kinds of work they might do in the future in their own majors.)
Honors 4800 (3) Honors Capstone Seminar
Honors 4473 (3) Seminar/Workshop in Fine Arts
(Topics will vary from year to year)
Honors 4673 (3) Shakespeare at Cedar City
Fine arts courses help students from all backgrounds gain an understanding of the artistic processes from both theoretical and practical points of view. Students are introduced to ways of experiencing and understanding a variety of artistic concepts, structures, or forms. The courses may involve performance or studio activity to help students recognize the value of participation in the creative processes as alternate forms of intellectual discourse.
(Except for the Intellectual Traditions sequence, topics will vary from year to year)
Honors 2101 (3), 2102 (3), 2103 (3) Intellectual Traditions
sequence
Honors 4472 (3) Seminar/Workshop in Humanities
Courses in the humanities help students from all backgrounds develop a critical understanding of human thought, cultures and civilizations. Analytic, interpretive, creative and communication skills are taught to expand students' knowledge and ability to communicate their understanding of subject matter confidently and coherently.
(Except for the Calculus sequence, topics will vary from year to year)
Honors 2201 (4) Calculus for Non-Technical Majors Part I
Honors 2202 (4) Calculus for Non-Technical Majors Part II
Honors 3215 (3) Foundations in Science
Honors 4471 (3) Seminar/Workshop in Science
Courses in the physical and life sciences introduce students from all backgrounds to the ways in which scientists gain knowledge and understanding of the natural world by surveying the conceptual and technical foundations and major findings of a particular field of science. Students are shown how a problem was first recognized, how approaches to its solution were conceived and executed, and how the findings were interpreted to answer or to restructure the original question. Students are exposed to episodes during which a field of science changed substantially in response to new discoveries, techniques and ideas.
(Topics will vary from year to year)
Honors 3214 (3) Foundations in Social Science
Honors 3354 (3) Civic Engagement Seminar
Honors 3374 (3) Preparation for Legal Study
Honors 3376 (3) Seminar/Workshop in Social Science
Honors 3377 (3) Seminar/Workshop in Social Science
Honors 4474 (3) Seminar/Workshop in Social Science
Courses in the social sciences help students from all backgrounds think critically about human behavior and society. Courses examine the historical development of human institutions, behavior and culture by reviewing major research findings. Students explore modern analytical approaches to the social sciences, including problem clarification and hypothesis testing by means of scientific observation and/or other methodologies.
Being an
Honors student means more than just completing the
curricular requirements of the Honors degree. The Honors
Program has created many opportunities to enhance the
educational experience of Honors students and support their
pursuit of excellence in undergraduate education. The
Honors website includes a more detailed description of these
programs (www.honors.utah.edu).
Residential
Honors:
Students can live in special residential housing on
Officer’s Circle or in the residence halls with other Honors
students who take their education seriously and who
represent different backgrounds and interests. Students join
together for courses, monthly lectures, social activities, and
community service. (See separate section below for
more information.)
Alumni
Mentor Program:
A group of Honors graduates from all disciplines and
professional areas volunteer to mentor junior and senior
Honors students. These mentors can provide students with
advice on majors and careers and help them explore potential
topics for their thesis.
Study
Abroad:
The Honors Program offers several opportunities for students
to spend the summer in a culture other than their own and
take courses for Honors Credit.
Honors
Tutorial:
The Honors Tutorial is an opportunity for students to work
on an individual basis with a faculty member for Honors
credit. Students can use the Honors Tutorial to begin
research on their Honors thesis or in conjunction with the
experiential programs described below.
Leadership Internships:
This program provides Honors students with the experience to
work alongside a community leader in a real world situation
to bring about change in the community. This internship
includes a $1,000 stipend for a 16-week time commitment.
Students have the option to enroll for the Honors Tutorial
to receive credit for the internship.
Honors
Apprenticeships:
This program places students in distinctive professional or
work-related environments where they will be mentored by
professionals or experts in their field and receive valuable
training and work experience that will prepare them for
their lives upon graduation. Apprenticeships also include a
stipend of $1,000 for a 16-week commitment. Students have
the option to enroll for the Honors Tutorial to receive
credit for the experience.
The Honors
Think Tank:
This is a two-semester experiential program that gives a
group of Honors students from various majors an opportunity
to work collaboratively on a contemporary societal challenge
under the guidance of faculty. Students receive a $1,000
stipend for the two-semester long program and sign up for
the Honors Tutorial each semester for Honors credit. The
themes for the Think Tank will change from year to year. For
example, in 2004 the Think Tank focused on the
revitalization of downtown Salt Lake.
At present, the Honors Program offers a broad range
of scholarships for students. A detailed description of these scholarships as well as application forms are available on the Honors Program website (www.honors.utah.edu/prospective-scholarships.html). The application deadline is
January 15 for Study Abroad scholarships and March 31 for
all other scholarships. Students should periodically check this website for updates in scholarship information.
Advisors in the Honors Program assist students from the time they enter the program until they graduate. First year students are encouraged to visit with an academic advisor every semester to ensure they are making progress toward the Honors Certificate and the Honors degree as well as to discuss any academic difficulties they may encounter.
Seniors meet with an Honors advisor who will guide them
through the thesis process.
The Poulson House is part of the elite row of houses located at the top of the Officers' Circle at Fort Douglas where l2 Honors students live in a beautiful stone Victorian house. Students join for monthly lectures, social activities, and community service.
In addition, Honors students live in the Quinney Law School House, also located at Fort Douglas, where law students will mentor them. Honors students can also participate in law school events and meet with faculty and other students at the law school.
Honors students have also the option of living on the Honors
floor of the Sage Point residence hall. They can
participate in a cluster of Honors classes taught at the
Honors Center at Ft. Douglas and join in a series of
community building activities in the Honors Living and
Learning experience.
Students interested in participating in this exceptional residential experience should check the Honors website for housing application and deadlines, ongoing lectures, and other events.
HSAC is an independent student organization that serves primarily as liaison between students
and the Honors Program. The student organization conducts class evaluations each semester and has considerable input in the selection of courses and faculty. HSAC members also mentor incoming freshmen throughout their first year to help new students become familiar with the Honors Program.
The Honors Policy Board consists of faculty representatives from undergraduate colleges and is chaired by the Academic Affairs Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies. The Board is responsible for overseeing the operations of the Honors Program and for approving the policies and procedures governing the Program.
Each undergraduate college and each department within a college designates a faculty member to serve as advisor to Honors students. A current listing of college and departmental Honors advisors is available on the Honors Program website (www.honors.utah.edu/faculty-advisor.html).
|
Honors Program 
