Honors Program
The Honors Program offers a wealth of special opportunities for motivated
undergraduate students with high grade point averages. These opportunities
range from specially designed courses in general education (Honors in General
Education Program) and in selected majors (Honors in the Major Program)
to many honors societies that students can join.
High achieving students often take advantage of more than one of these
special opportunities to enrich their academic experience at Chico. Through
these programs, they find that the quality of their education is heightened
and that they forge special relationships with other honors students and
with faculty. Moreover, the honors they earn make them highly desirable
candidates for graduate school and for employment.
HONORS IN GENERAL EDUCATION
For this program, you complete a portion of your general education requirements
by enrolling in special honors sections of general education classes. The
honors sections are small, innovative, and interactive. They are taught
by some of the best professors on campus. They provide a good environment
for learning, as well as an opportunity to work closely with honors faculty
and other honors students. You become part of a vital learning community
that comes together in the classroom as well as outside for social and
educational events. While in the program, you benefit from priority registration
for all of your classes, and successful completion of the program is prominently
noted on your diploma and transcripts.
Every semester the program offers approximately fifteen different honors
classes from a wide range of departments across the university. Each class
fulfills a general education requirement for graduation. You choose which
ones you want to take in any semester. This structure gives the program
the flexibility to fit well with every major on campus.
Lower-division courses are available in most of the required GE areas,
and we are adding more all the time. Some of these classes are special
honors sections of popular general education courses. Others are special,
innovative classes created just for the Honors program.
Upper-division requirements are met by special team-taught theme courses.
You work with each other and professors from two disciplines, to bring
together material which will help you come to a richer understanding of
a world of rapidly changing social and technological demands and opportunities.
In the upper-division Honors theme you have the opportunity to complete
a supervised research project, to volunteer in the Chico community, or
to study abroad.
The Honors Program in GE Requirements
If you enter the Honors Program in General Education as a freshman, you
have several options for your first year of honors work. You can participate
as an honors student in the Freshman General Studies Thematic. See the
chapter “Freshman General Studies Thematic” following General Education
in the catalog or visit www.csuchico.edu/gst for more information. If you
plan to become an elementary school teacher, you can participate as an
honors student in the Liberal Studies Integrated Teacher CORE. See the
Education or Liberal Studies chapter of the catalog or visit www.csuchico.edu/educ/ITC.html
for more information. You can also choose to enroll in individual honors
classes.
If you choose to take individual honors classes, you are required to complete
27 units or nine honors classes in your four years of study at the university.
Of course, you can take more than the nine; many of our students do because
they like the classes and do well in them. To remain in the program, you
need to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above in your honors courses and a 3.3
or above in your overall GPA.
The courses we offer are outlined for you on the next page. Which ones
you choose to take depends on your interests, your major, as well as a
number of other factors. Once you are admitted into the program, you will
receive detailed information from us, and Honors staff is always available
to review your options with you. Please see the appropriate academic program
chapters for complete course descriptions.
Core Courses: The following courses satisfy General Education Area A requirements
as indicated.
CMST 011H Speech Communication 3.0 A1
ENGL 001H Freshman Composition 3.0 A2
PHIL 002H Logic and Critical Thinking 3.0 A3
MATH 005H Statistics 3.0 A4
Breadth and Code Courses: The following courses satisfy General Education
Areas B, C, D and E requirements as indicated.
M E 010H How Things Work 3.0 B1
HNRS 075 Creativity & Interpretation 3.0 C1
THEA 060H Acting 3.0 C1
PHIL 003H Introduction to Philosophy 3.0 C3
ANTH 013HNW Cultural Anthropology 3.0 D1
ECON 002H Principles of Macro Analysis 3.0 D2
MCGS 055HE Intro Multicultural/Gender Std 3.0 D3
NFSC 025H Basic Nutrition 3.0 E
HNRS 149 Outstanding Prof. Seminar 3.0 varies
HIST 050H United States History 3.0
(A State-mandated code course)
POLS 055H American Government 3.0
(A State-mandated code course)
Honors Connections: Incoming freshmen taking individual honors classes
should enroll in Honors Connections. The 3 units earned in this class can
be used to satisfy any General Education requirement for area C, D, or
E of the student’s choice.
HNRS 010 Honors Connections 3.0
Upper-Division Honors Theme: You must complete 9 units of upper-division
Honors theme courses to earn Honors in General Education.
1 course selected from:
BIOL/PHIL 116H Science & Human Values 3.0
CSCI/PSY
116H Mind in the Machine 3.0
1 course selected from:
ANTH/MCGS 116H
Gender and Modernization 3.0
CMST/SOCI
156HNW
Genocide and Mass Persuasion 3.0
CAPSTONE
1 course selected from:
SOCI 107H
The Global Within the Community 3.0
HNRS
199H Honors GE Thesis 3.0
Admission to the Honors in General Education Program
Admission as a Freshman
If you are an incoming freshman who has exhibited scholastic ability and
intellectual promise, we encourage you to apply for entrance into the Honors
Program in General Education. You must have a high school GPA of 3.5 or
an SAT of 1200 or an ACT of 27 or above.
Admission as a Transfer, Re-Entry, or Currently Enrolled Student
If you are transferring to the university and will have sophomore standing
or better (30 or more transferable units), you will need a 3.3 or better
GPA in your transferable course work to join the program.
If you are already enrolled in the university, you may still apply for
entrance into the Honors Program. You must have at least a 3.3 cumulative
GPA.
Application
Application forms for the Honors Program in General Education are available
from the Honors Office (ONCL 236), 898-5749. The application should be
submitted to:
Director
Honors Program
California State University, Chico
Chico, California
95929-0115
Honors Houses
Honors students from various majors can apply to live in the Honors Houses
(part of Konkow Hall, one of the newest campus residence halls). Honors
Houses offer a study-oriented atmosphere and social events. They are managed
by the University Housing Office.
HONORS IN THE MAJOR
Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It
involves six units of honors course work completed over two semesters.
Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent
transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of
commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.
Most importantly, however, the Honors in the Major program allows you to
work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original
performance or research project. This year- long collaboration allows you
to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public
presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond
the university for submission in professional journals, presentation at
conferences, or competition in shows; such experience is valuable for graduate
school and professional life.
Some common features of Honors in the Major programs are
1) You must take six units of Honors in the Major course work. At least
three of these units are independent study (299H) as specified by your
department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
2) You must have completed nine units of upper division course work or
21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in
the Major. Check the requirements carefully, as there may be specific courses
that must be included in these units.
3) Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors
in your department.
4) Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of
majors in your department.
5) Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the
Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete
the six units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
6) Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors
project.
While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department
administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major
adviser to apply.
You can earn honors in the following majors:
Agricultural Business
Agriculture
Anthropology
Art
and Art History Asian Studies
Biological Sciences
Business (all options)
Chemistry
Child
Development
Communication
Construction Management
Computer Science
Economics
Engineering
(all options)
English
French
Geography and Planning
Geosciences
Health and Community
Services
History
Humanities
Journalism
Liberal Studies
Mathematics
Nursing
Nutrition
and Food Science
Philosophy
Physical Education
Political Science
Psychology
Recreation
Administration
Religious Studies
Social Science
Social Work
Sociology
Theatre
Arts
If you are interested in participating in this honors program but your
major is not listed, contact the Honors director at 530-898-4767.
HONOR SOCIETIES
Phi Eta Sigma is a national honor society for freshmen from all majors
who have a GPA of 3.5 or better and have completed 12 or more units.
Golden Key National Honor Society recognizes academic achievement in junior
and senior undergraduates in all fields of study who are in the top 15%
of their respective class.
Phi Kappa Phi is a national honor society for second-semester juniors (upper
5 percent of their class) and seniors (upper 10 percent of their class)
from all majors. For more information browse www.csuchico.edu/pkphs.
Discipline Associated Honor Societies exist in many departments across
campus. Check with your major department for details.
Pinnacle National Honor Society for non-traditional students. Requires
3.0 GPA for undergraduates and 3.5 for master’s candidates. Contact the
Re-Entry Center for details.
DEAN’S LIST
Each semester the college deans recognize superior scholarship by including
on their Dean’s List those students who earn a 3.5 GPA or better on 12
or more graded units the preceding semester.
HONORS AT GRADUATION
The university recognizes superior academic performance at graduation and
on students’ diplomas and transcripts. Each college of the university may
award honors to up to 5 percent of its undergraduates each year. Honors
designations are distributed as follows:
Summa cum laude may be given to
no more than the top 1 percent of the graduating class.
Magna cum laude
may be given to no more than the top 3 percent of the graduating class.
Cum
laude may be given to no more than the top 5 percent of the graduating
class.
“With distinction” is the honors designation used for master’s degree
graduates. This honor is awarded to students who maintain a 3.9 or above
grade point average on all approved master’s program course work and satisfy
criteria established by the graduate committee of the program offering
the degree.
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