Summary of Honors Diploma Requirements

The following summarizes the requirements for receiving the Honors Diploma. See below for the Honors Certificate. The Director is responsible for determining fulfillment of the requirements. The Director may grant exceptions to the requirements only when there are extraordinary circumstances.

This is a summary; the complete requirements are found in the Honors Handbook. Students may want more help in completing the Honors Program. See Honors Advisement for college-specific advice and other information.

• 24 semester hours of Honors course credit, including the Honors thesis, are required to receive the Honors Diploma.
• An overall 3.0 GPA at graduation (3.25 starting Spring 2014)
• Required courses
  • EH 105: Honors English Seminar - 3 semester hours (see the FAQ Q9 if you're not sure about this)
  • HON 100: Honors Lecture Series (formerly Honors Forum) or HON 120: Honors Inquiry - 2 or 3 semester hours total
  • Honors Thesis course (3 semester hours in HON or your department)
• Remaining hours may be from any of the following categories. 3 hours MUST be from the 300/400 level.
  • Specially taught Honors sections of regular courses
  • Specially designed courses just for Honors
  • Honors lab sections including lecture credit
  • Foreign language course credit (What is this?)
  • Honors contract

Summary of Honors Certificate Requirements

Students who want to participate in the Honors Program but who may not be able to complete the entire 24-hour Honors credit hour requirement have the choice to pursue the Honors Certificate of Completion of Upper-Level Requirements. Please contact the Honors Office first; you may still be able to complete the full Honors Diploma. Requirements for the Certificate are as follows:

• 12 semester hours of Honors courses

  • 6 hours from any 300 or 400 level course (or Honors contract)
  • Must include an approved Honors Thesis (3 hours)
  • An additional 3 hours of Honors coursework (Any level)

Staying in the Program

In order to remain an Honors Program student in good standing, you must maintain a 3.25 overall GPA, or have a GPA of at least 3.50 in your Honors courses taken here at UAH. If you rely on the Honors GPA for compliance, you must have completed at least 7 hours of Honors hours by the end of your sophomore year, or have completed at least 12 hours of Honors credit thereafter. (If you are pursuing the Honors Certificate, the credit hour requirements may be adjusted, but the GPA requirement still holds.) You must have an overall 3.25 to graduate in the Honors Program starting Spring 2014. Any exceptions must be approved in writing by the Director.

At the end of Spring Semester, all Honors student records will be evaluated for compliance with the above standards. Students who do not meet the standards will be placed on a probationary status in the Honors Program. This status will last until the end of the Fall Semester. If a student still does not meet the standards at that time, then we will change your standing to “inactive” and you will lose all privileges associated with membership in the Honors Program. In order to be re-instated, you must meet with the Director and re-apply.

Students whose standing may be in jeopardy are encouraged to meet with the Honors Office to develop a plan that will ensure their continued good standing.

If you think that the Honors Program is not for you, regardless of the reason, we encourage you to come into the Honors Office where we can discuss your situation. We’d like to understand your thoughts about the Honors Program and we may even be able to persuade you to remain in the Program! If not, we will be glad to mark you as inactive, but you will have to re-apply in order to be re-instated as an active member of the University Honors Program.