Honors Degree Tracks

All L&S students are invited to apply to the Honors in Liberal Arts degree track. Honors in the Liberal Arts can accompany any major(s) for students in L&S, and students do not need to have decided upon a major to apply. Students pursuing Honors in the Liberal Arts complete Honors credits in broadly distributed subjects from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Courses taken for Honors can count toward the general education, breadth, and major requirements for students in the College of Letters & Science. Through Honors coursework, students select enriching academic opportunities and build connections with faculty throughout the completion of their degree.

Requirements for Honors in the Liberal Arts

• Completion of the College of Letters & Science degree requirements
• University GPA of 3.300 or higher at the time of graduation
• Completion of at least 24 credits in Honors courses with the Liberal Arts & Science (LAS) designation and with grades of B or better, of which:
  • At least 15 credits must be in courses with the Honors Only or Accelerated Honors designation
  • 6 of the credits must be in courses designated as Humanities (may include Literature)
  • 6 of the credits must be in courses designated as Social Science
  • 6 of the credits must be in courses designated as Biological, Physical, or Natural Science

You can also find requirements for the Honors in the Liberal Arts degree in the Guide.

Recognition upon Graduation

Students who complete the HLA curriculum may wear the Honors stole at their commencement ceremony, and their transcript and diploma will have the designation “with Honors in the Liberal Arts.”

After formally declaring a major in the College of Letters & Science, students may opt to pursue Honors in that Major. Honors in the Major can be completed independently from or in conjunction with Honors in the Liberal Arts. Honors in the Major is especially appropriate for students who want deeper training in major-specific content as well as the research, writing, and critical thinking skills useful to a wide range of graduate programs and career choices.

Requirements for Honors in the Major

Honors in the Major requirements vary by program, but typically include a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3, a minimum major GPA, Honors coursework in the major, and successful completion of a two-semester senior Honors thesis or other capstone experience. We encourage interested students to meet with their major advisor to confirm requirements and begin planning for major-specific courses and thesis work.

• View L&S policies for Honors in the Major
• Find your major and view its Honors in the Major requirements in the Guide
• Find the forms to declare or withdraw from Honors in the Major.

Recognition upon Graduation

Students who complete the HM curriculum may wear the Honors stole at commencement and will have the designation “Honors in the Major” on their transcript. Students who receive a B.A. or B.S. degree from L&S or another L&S degree that corresponds to their Honors in the Major discipline will also have “with Honors in the Major” on their diploma.

Comprehensive Honors is the highest undergraduate degree offered by the College of Letters & Science.

Requirements for Comprehensive Honors

Comprehensive Honors is awarded to students who:

• Are degree candidates in the College of Letters & Science
• Apply and are admitted to both the Honors in the Liberal Arts and Honors in the Major degree tracks
• Complete the requirements for Honors in the Liberal Arts and Honors in the Major

Recognition upon Graduation

When an L&S student earns Comprehensive Honors, the graduate’s transcript and diploma will bear the words “with Comprehensive Honors,” and graduation candidates may wear both the Honors stole and the Comprehensive Honors medallion at their commencement ceremony.