Curriculum for University Honors

Graduation Requirements for 2007 Freshmen & future classes

Coursework for The Honors College graduates includes the following components:

  • 9 Hours in University Honors, one of each of the following courses (HON 1515, HON 2515, HON 3515); students must take one course that fulfills two of the three disciplinary areas - Arts & Humanities, Social Science, Science (one course may fulfill two areas).
  • 9 additional hours of Honors course work (for example, World Civilization, Honors General Psychology, Sophomore Honors Literature)
    *Any upper division course not taught as an Honors course may be contracted for Honors Credit. For more information about Honors Contracts, click here.
  • At least 3 hours of Honors credits in the major department (departments may choose which courses will fulfill this requirement in their areas)
  • At least 3 hours credit for the Senior Thesis/Project (either HON 4010 or college/departmental 4510) which must be examined and approved by both an advisor in the student's thesis/project area and second reader from a different department in the form of a defense. For more information about Senior Thesis/Project click here

For Senior Thesis/Project application forms and guidelines click here.

**University Honors graduates are expected to present a Thesis Defense as part of their capstone experiences. For more information about the Thesis Defense click here.

International Education Requirement (ONE of the following options are available for students) (click here for more information):

  • ASU-approved semester or summer study abroad experience
  • Honors College course with a study abroad component
  • ASU-sponsored service-learning abroad experience or research abroad experience
  • Appalachian Overseas Education Programs course (ASU faculty-led programs)
  • HON 3515 "International Education: Bringing the World Home" course
  • HON 3500 Independent Study connected to non-credit travel experience arranged with approval of the Honors Director
  • Alternative experience arranged with approval of the Honors Director

GPA Requirements Required to Remain in Honors

  1. Freshmen must maintain a 3.0 overall GPA
  2. Sophomores must maintain a 3.2 overall GPA
  3. Juniors must maintain a 3.3 overall GPA
  4. Seniors must have a 3.45 overall GPA and a 3.45 honors GPA to graduate with Honors

Progression Requirements to Remain in Honors

Students must take a minimum of one Honors course every two semesters. Students who have two sequential semesters with no Honors courses are unlikely to be able to complete the University Honors requirements and will be dropped from the Program. Requests for a waiver of this requirement must be made in writing to the Director.

Probation

Students must take a minimum of one Honors course every two semesters. Students who have two sequential semesters with no Honors courses are unlikely to be able to complete the University Honors requirements and will be removed from the Honors College. Requests for a waiver of this requirement must be made in writing to the Director.

Honors students are also expected to maintain high academic standards. To remain in good standing with the Honors College, students must maintain the following GPA:

  • Freshmen must maintain a 3.0 overall GPA
  • Sophomores must maintain a 3.2 overall GPA
  • Juniors must maintain a 3.3 overall GPA
  • Seniors must have a 3.45 overall GPA and a 3.45 Honors GPA to graduate with Honors

The GPAs of all Honors students are checked at the end of each academic year in May/ June. Students who do not meet the GPA requirement for their last completed year will be on probation for the following semester and will be notified by email of their probationary status. Students on Honors probation have one semester to remediate their GPA.  Students on Honors probation, or close to being on Honors probation, are encouraged to meet with their Honors advisor as soon as possible to discuss their academic performance to date and to plan how to improve their GPA.

Students who are on Honors probation may register for Honors classes for the next semester, but they will lose their seat in any HON courses for the next semester if their GPA is not at the appropriate level by the end of the probationary semester. Students who are on probation during the Spring semester may NOT apply to return to Summit Hall, as their Honors status for Fall will not be known until May.

The GPA of students currently on Honors probation will be checked after both the fall and spring semesters. Students on Honors probation must bring their GPA to the required level for their last completed year to remain in the Honors College.

For example, if a student's GPA is below a 3.0 at the end of the first year, they would be on probation during the Fall semester. Their GPA would need to be at least a 3.0 by the end of the third semester to continue in the Honors College, since they have not yet completed their second academic year at ASU. Please note that their GPA would need to improve to at least a 3.2 at the end of their next semester, as they would have then completed their second year at ASU and the GPA requirement for the Honors College would have increased accordingly.

Students who bring their GPA up to the required level will return to good standing with the Honors College.

Students who do not bring their GPA to the required level will be removed from the Honors College and will lose all perquisites and benefits associated with membership in the Honors College, including priority registration, access to Honors academic mentoring, and Honors housing in Summit Hall. Students who have been removed from the Honors College will be notified by mail.

Honors probation is only for students in the Honors College and is different from university academic probation; more information about university academic probation may be accessed by clicking here.

Graduation Requirements: Students who entered the HHP in 2006 or earlier

Click here for a Checksheet of Graduation Requirements (DOC)

Students who matriculated in 2006 or earlier must complete 15 hours of Honors course work with at least six of these hours outside the major to graduate with University Honors. In addition, honors students must also complete a three credit-hour Senior Thesis/Project to total 18 hours of honors credit. For Senior Thesis/Project application forms and guidelines click here. Students must also have a minimum of a 3.4 GPA in all honors courses.

For students completing both University and Departmental Honors, the thesis director must be in the student's major, but the second reader must be from a different department. For students only completing University Honors, the thesis director may be from any department and the second reader must be from a different department. See the General Bulletin or come by The Honors College office in Appalachian Hall for further information. Departmental Honors Requirements are available by clicking here or contacting your department.

Click here for information on Graduating with Latin Honors Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Summa Cum Laude.