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Honors College Student Handbook
Fully-Admitted Incoming Freshmen
Incoming freshmen are eligible for automatic admission to the Honors College upon submission of an application, if they have a 29 or higher on the ACT or 1280 on the SAT and are in the top 10 percent of their graduating high school class.
Incoming freshmen who do not meet both of the admissions criteria are required to submit an essay as part of their application. Student essays are evaluated on an individual basis. Specific information on the requirements for the essay can be found on the application.
Provisionally-Admitted Incoming Freshmen
Some incoming freshmen who apply to the Honors College but who do not meet the automatic eligibility ctiteria may be given the opportunity to take one honors course during their first semester. These provisionally-admitted students may also enroll in one additional honors course during the Early Registration period for the second semester. Students wishing to exercise this option should schedule an appointment to meet with the Director of the Honors College during Early Registration.
Provisionally-admitted students cannot live in the Honors Learning Community, participate in honors FIGs, and will not be assigned to the Honors College for advising until they are given full admission. Provisionally-admitted students will be automatically given full admission to the Honors College if they have a 3.5 MU GPA at the end of their first semester. Provisionally-admitted students who do not earn a 3.5 first semester will not be bumped from the early registered course. These students can apply for admission any time after they have completed 30 credit hours and have a 3.5 MU GPA.
Current MU Students
Other current students are eligible to apply for admission to the Honors College if they have at least 30 credit hours and a 3.5 MU GPA.
Transfer Students
Transfer students are eligible to apply if they have at least 30 credit hours and a 3.5 cumulative GPA. The cumulative GPA, for the purpose of applying to the Honors College, will be a calculated average of transfer work from all institutions students have attended.
GPA Requirement
Students must maintain a 3.0 MU GPA to remain in the Honors College. Students whose MU GPA is below a 3.0 after fall semester will receive a warning letter. Students whose MU GPA is below a 3.0 after winter semester will lose their honors eligibility. Students wishing to reapply to the Honors College must meet the eligibility requirements for current students.
Policy on Taking Honors Courses
Beginning Fall 2003, students will be required to complete two honors courses per year for the first two years. All honors-designated courses will count toward this requirement including honors sequence courses, colloquia, honors sections of regularly offered courses, Honors Independent Study, Honors Preceptorship, and Learning-by-Contract. The requirement is modified as follows for transfer students and MU students admitted after first semester:
When Admitted Requirement
After fall semester - one course in winter semester; two courses the next year
After first year - two courses in second year
After second year - one course at any time before graduation
Successful completion of this requirement will be checked at the end of each winter semester. Students who have not taken the required number of courses will lose their honors eligibility.
General Honors Certificate
Students who complete 20 or more honors credit hours and have a 3.3 MU GPA may
graduate with general honors. Students must complete the 20 hours of honors
courses before their final semester to receive the General Honors Certificate
and to be eligible for the Honors Convocation. The General Honors Certificate
is noted on a student's final transcript. Up to six hours of departmental honors
courses and six hours of transfer honors courses may be used toward the 20 hours.
In order to receive honors credit for an honors designated course, you must
earn a "C" or better.
Upon completion of the 20 hours of honors course work, students must apply
for their honors certificate. The honors certificate application
will be available on the Honors College web site or in 211 Lowry Hall. Specific
dates and deadlines to apply will be announced each semester. Graduating students
must apply for their honors certificate by mid-semester to graduate with general
honors and to have the notation on their transcript. Graduating students that
do not apply for their honors certificates will not graduate with general honors.
University Honors Designation
Students who complete the Honors Certificate and a qualified departmental honors program will be eligible for this designation, which will be noted on their permanent transcript (see your department or the Honors College for information about departmental honors programs). For more information about departmental honors see the section titled "Departmental Honors" below.
Latin Honors
Latin Honors are awarded by academic divisions and are based on MU GPA. GPA requirements vary by division. Questions about Latin Honors should be directed to a student's dean's office.
Departmental Honors
Many degree programs offer departmental honors. Questions about departmental honors should be directed to a student's academic advisor. For more information: Departmental Honors Information
Honors Convocation
Honors Convocation is held for May and December graduates. Students who are graduating with an honors certificate, departmental honors or Latin honors are eligible for the convocation. Students will receive an invitation to the Honors Convocation from the Registrar's Office. Inquiries about the Honors Convocation should be directed to the Registrar's Office not to the Honors College.
Honors Sequences
The Honors College offers three interdisciplinary sequences: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Physical and Biological Sciences (for non-science majors). All courses in each sequence may be taken independently and in any order. The sequences include readings, lectures, and faculty participation across a wide variety of disciplines.
Honors Colloquia
Honors Colloquia are offered for elective, humanities, social science, behavioral science, and biological/physical/mathematical science credit. Courses include career explorations, honors seminars, honors discussion groups, and colloquia in various general education categories.
Honors College Community Involvement Program
The Honors College Community Involvement Program (HCCIP) introduces students to public service and leadership. The program encourages the brightest and most energetic students to use their talents to improve the lives of those around them. While participating in various community service projects, students attend an honors seminar, read and write short essays, and work on research projects in which they investigate social problems and propose solutions. HCCIP explores social challenges and promotes contribution to the community, problem solving, and leadership.
Honors Sections of Regularly Offered Courses
Many departments offer honors sections of their lower-division, regularly-offered courses. Honors sections may vary from the regular version of the course by class size, content covered, instructor, style of instruction, and types of assignments.
Learning-by-Contract
Students wishing to earn honors credit for a non-honors course may enter into
a contract with the professor to earn the honors credit. This program encourages
a more intensive and extensive exploration of course material by honors students
and typically includes written work. Students entering MU fall semester 2005
or later will be allowed to use 6 hours of Learning-by-Contract (LBC) course
work towards their honors certificate requirements; there is no limit for students
who entered before fall semester 2005. Learning by Contract will not be approved
for any course in which an honors section is being offered that semester.
Learning-by-Contract may be sponsored only by full-time, ranked faculty.
No contracts may be arranged with teaching assistants or adjunct faculty. Complete
instructions for LBC are available in the Honors College or on the Honors College
web site. The deadline for submitting LBC proposals is the end of the third
week of fall and winter semesters and the end of the first week of summer semester.
LBC proposals must be given final approval by the Director of the Honors College.
For additional information please see the Learning By Contract Form.
Independent Study (1080H OR 2085H)
Independent Study (1080H OR 2085H) is an individually designed project or internship
pursued under the supervision of a professor. All work must result in a written
project. A letter grade and 1 to 3 credit hours are awarded by the sponsoring
professor based on the quality and quantity of work. A complete list of specific
guidelines is available in the Honors College. Independent Study proposals must
be given final approval by the Director of the Honors College.
Independent Study Information and Form
Independent Preceptorship (2950H OR 4950H)
Independent Preceptorship (2950H OR 4950H) is designed to provide honors students with opportunities to earn academic credit by participating in research conducted by an MU professor. Students will receive a letter grade based on their work in the lab or field and on a written product that will demonstrate the scope and depth of the academic experience. Credit of 1 to 3 hours is predetermined by the sponsoring professor based on the quantity and complexity of the research the student is expected to do. A complete list of specific guidelines is available in the Honors College. Independent Preceptorship proposals must be given final approval by the Director of the Honors College.
For "Undecided" Honors Students
Honors students who have not officially declared a major are assigned to the Honors College for academic advising. Undecided students may meet with any advisor in the Honors College to discuss possible majors and career goals, compare degree programs, select courses, and get assistance with registration. In addition, advisors can assist and/or make referrals for students on any number of academic or non-academic issues. Advising is generally available on a walk-in basis or students may also schedule an appointment by calling 882-3893.
For All Honors Students
Any honors student may see an honors advisor to discuss such things as career goals, changing a major, honors courses, etc. However, honors advisors do not serve as the primary advisor for students with declared majors and cannot substitute for a student's assigned academic advisor. A student's assigned academic advisor will be able to provide the most comprehensive information on requirements in the student's degree program.
For Pre-Health Professions Students
The MU Office for Pre-Health Professions Advising is located in the Honors College. Any MU student, regardless of honors status, who plans to apply to medical, dental, optometry, podiatry, or pharmacy school may meet with a pre-health professions advisor or MU's Chief Health Professions Advisor. Pre-health professions advisors assist students with all aspects of preparation for post-baccalaureate health professions schools. Pre-health professions advising is a supplement to the advice that a student's academic advisor provides on graduation requirements within a specific degree program.
Pre-health professions students may see one of the following advisors:
Stuart Palonsky, PhD, Chief Health Professions Advisor
Marivern Easton, Health Professions Advisor (students with last names N-Z)
Kristina Wright, Health Professions Advisor (students with last names A-M)
All fully-admitted honors students are eligible to live in the Honors Learning Community (HLC) which is housed on two co-ed floors in Gillett Hall and two coed floors in Hudson Hall. The HLC is available to honors students in any major at any grade level. An Honors College advisor serves as liaison to the HLC. Honors students are not required to live in honors housing.
A FIG is a Freshman Interest Group, a living-learning community involving about 20 students who live together in the same residence hall and take three classes together during their first semester. FIG students also meet once a week for the 1-credit Freshman Proseminar, a course taught by the peer advisor for each FIG. Peer advisors are usually juniors or seniors in a major related to the subject matter of a FIG. Each FIG also has a faculty mentor. Honors Freshman Interest Groups (Figs) are available in a number of interest areas including pre-med, journalism, engineering, and humanities. In most honors Figs, two of the three courses in the FIG are honors courses or honors sections of regularly-offered courses. For more information about FIGs, please visit Freshman Interest Groups Web site.
Honors Ambassadors are honors students who serve as the representative voice for all Honors College members. Honors ambassadors provide feedback to the Director of the Honors College on honors courses, requirements, extra-curricular opportunities, etc., as well as on university issues that impact honors students. In addition, honors ambassadors assist with on- and off-campus recruiting events. Any freshman, sophomore, or junior honors student may apply to be an ambassador though preference is given to first and second year students. Applications are available in February and due in early April. Ambassadors are selected based on their application and an interview with a panel of current honors ambassadors. Final selections are made by the Director of the Honors College.
At the beginning of each fall semester, all honors students' MU e-mail addresses are subscribed to the Honors College student list serve. The Honors College uses this list to communicate important information such as available scholarships, special events, internships, and new courses. While students are strongly encouraged to remain on the list serve, students may elect to unsubscribe at any time.
Scholarship applications for the following endowed scholarships are available in February of each year for current Honors College students. (There are no scholarships available to incoming freshmen who are fully-admitted into the Honors College.) Applications are typically due in early March and winners are announced at the Honors College Spring Reception.
Philip Blazer Memorial Scholarship
An applicant must be a graduate of a Missouri high school with a strong academic record, be able to show financial need (as determined by Financial Aid standards), and be enrolled in the College of Arts and Science or in the School of Journalism.
Rhodes Clay Scholarship
An applicant must be enrolled as an Arts and Science freshman.* Selection is based on scholarship and literary attainment, without regard to financial need.
W. Alton Jones Memorial Scholarship
An applicant must be enrolled as an Arts and Science freshman or sophomore.* Particular attention is given to those who plan a major or career in art, music, communications, art history & archaeology, classical studies, English, German, Russian or Asian Studies, philosophy or romance languages. Scholastic excellence and financial need (as determined by Financial Aid standards) are the basis for selection.
Honors College Freshman Scholarship
An applicant must be enrolled as a freshman,* have a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA, and have freshman year coursework that represents the ideals of a good honors education.
Applicants should also provide the following supporting materials:
- The application plus one letter of recommendation from a MU faculty member.
- A copy of the applicant's most current transcript including a list of present courses.
- A brief, but persuasive, statement addressing why the applicant should receive the scholarship.
*Class standing is determined by year in college, not credit hours.
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