University Honors Program

Honors in the Major

The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original research or performance 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. 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.

Academic Plan

Each department administers its own Honors in the Major program. Please contact your major department or major advisor for more information (see department phone numbers below). If you are interested in participating in the Honors in the Major program but your major is not listed, please contact your department chair.

Majors offers HIM

  • Agricultural Business
  • Agriculture
  • Animal Science
  • Anthropology
  • Art & Art History
  • Asian Studies
  • Biological Science
  • Business Administration
  • Business Information Systems 
  • Chemistry
  • Child Development
  • Communication Sciences & Disorders
  • Comparative Religion and Humanities 
  • Computer Animation & Game Develop.
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management 
  • Economics
  • Engineering
  • English
  • French
  • Geography & Planning
  • Geosciences
  • German
  • Health & Community Services
  • History
  • Kinesiology
  • Mathematics
  • Multicultural and Gender Studies 
  • Nursing
  • Nutrition & Food Science
  • Philosophy
  • Plant and Soil Science
  • Psychology
  • Recreation Administration
  • Religious Studies
  • Social Science
  • Social Work
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Theatre Arts
Courses Offered for Honors in the Major
DepartmentPhoneCourse NameCourse #
Accounting530-898-6463Honors Seminar in AccountingACCT 499H
Agriculture530-898-5844Honors Research in Agriculture
Honors Independent Study in Agriculture Business
Honors Research in Animal Science
AGRI 499H
ABUS 499H
ANSC 499H
Anthropology530-898-6192Proseminar in the History of Theory
and Method in Anthropology 
Honors in Anthropology
ANTH 496HW
ANTH 499H
Art530-898-5331Honors ProjectARTS 499H
Asian Studies530-898-6062Honors in Asian Studies

ASST 499H

Biological Sciences530-898-5356Honors Research in Biological SciencesBIOL 499H
Business Administration530-898-6272Honors Seminar in Business Applied Strategic Decision-Making - HonorsBADM 499H BADM 495H
Business Information Systems530-898-5773Honors Seminar in MISMINS 499H
Chemistry530-898-5259Honors Research Project (W)CHEM 499H
Child Development530-898-5250Honors Senior Seminar in Child Development (W)
Honors Independent Study
CHLD 495HW
CHLD 499H
Communication Sciences and Disorders530-898-4015Honors in Communication Sciences and DisordersCOMM 499H
Comparative Religion and Humanities530-898-5351Senior Honors Research Paper (W)

HUMN 499HW
RELS 499HW

Computer Animation and Game Development530-898-5963Honors Project

CAGD 499H

Computer Science530-898-6442

Honors Research Project/Thesis

(Other 400/500 level cource can also apply; please talk with department about making this work for you.)

CSCI 499H
Construction Management530-898-5216Legal Aspects of Construction - Honors
Honors Project in Construction Management
CMGT 460H
CMGT 499H
Economics530-898-6141Theory of Money - Honors
Environmental and Natural Resource Economics - Honors
International Economics - Honors
Introductory Econometrics - Honors
Honors Independent Study in Economics

ECON 431H
ECON 466H
ECON 470H
ECON 481H
ECON 499H
Engineering, Civil530-898-5342

Available by request through department

Engineering, Electrical & Computer530-898-5343Honors ProjectEECE 499H
Engineering, Mechanical530-898-5346Honors ProjectMECH 499H
Engineering, Mechatronic530-898-5346Honors ProjectMECA 499H
English530-898-5124Special Topics/Honors
Honors Senior Thesis
ENGL 498H
ENGL 599H
French530-898-5388Senior Honors ThesisFREN 499H
Geography & Planning530-898-5285Special Topics - Honors
Honors Research in Geography
GEOG 398H
GEOG 499H
Geosciences530-898-5262Honors Research in GeosciencesGEOS 499H
German530-898-5388Senior Honors Thesis or ProjectGERM 499H
Health & Community Services530-898-6661Research and Evaluation in Health - Honors
Honors in Health and Community Services
PHHA 425H
PHHA 499H
History530-898-5366Senior Honors ThesisHIST 499H
Kinesiology530-898-6373Physical Education Honors Senior ResearchKINE 599H
Mathematics530-898-6111Honors Reading
Honors Thesis
MATH 495H
MATH 499H
Multicultural and Gender Studies530-898-6171Honors in Multicultural and Gender StudiesMCGS 499H
Nursing530-898-5891Honors in Nursing PracticumNURS 399H
Nutrition and Food Science530-898-6805Honors Senior Thesis or ProjectNFSC 499H
Philosophy530-898-6183Senior Honor Research PaperPHIL 499H
Plant and Soil Science530-898-5844Honors Research in Plant and Soil SciencePSSC 499H
Psychology530-898-5147Honors Seminar in Psychology I
Honors Seminar in Psychology II
PSYC 399H
PSYC 499H
Recreation Administration530-898-6408Honors Seminar in Recr & Parks MgmtRECR 499H
Social Science530-898-5688Senior Honors Research Seminar (W)
Honors: Behavioral/Social Science
SOSC 495H
SOSC 499H
Social Work530-898-6204Honors in Social WorkSWRK 499H
Sociology530-898-6384Public Sociology - Honors (W)
Honors in Sociology
SOCI 441HW
SOCI 499H
Spanish530-898-5388Spanish Honors ThesisSPAN 499H
Theatre Arts530-898-6161Independent Study for Honors
Independent Study for Honors
THEA 399H
THEA 499H

General Requirements for Honors in the Major

  • You must take six units of Honors in the Major course work.
    • All six units are Honors classes (###H), at least three of which are independent study (499H) as specified by your department; a minimum grade of a B must be achieved in each class.
  • 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 for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
  • Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  • Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  • Most students apply for, or are invited, to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. They then complete the six units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
  • Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

Note: This Program is not available to Freshman Students.

Application

To apply for Honors in the Major you need to speak with the Honors advisor for that major.