The University Honors Program at the Idaho State University is an academic learning community that offers a broad range of enriched educational experiences, typically found at a small private college, for bright, talented, and ambitious undergraduate students.

University Honors Program

Graduation from the Honors Program

Members who complete 32 credits of honors coursework earn Idaho’s only Honors Degree, and therefore a unique diploma. The Honors Degree is further noted on the transcript and at commencement. The Honors Degree requires 2 honors seminars (1 credit each), at least 6 credits of upper division honors contract courses and an honors project or thesis. Members of the University Honors Program who complete 19 credits of honors coursework, including a 1 credit honors seminar, graduate with an honors distinction. This is noted on the transcript and at commencement.

Curriculum:

The University Honors Program curriculum has been developed to enhance and enrich the college experience of high achieving students. Honors courses have been developed which fulfill general education requirements yet there is no set or required curriculum for the University Honors Program. Each student is encouraged to take those honors courses that best meet the individual student's needs.

Year 1

 

Additional courses commonly taken in Years 1 and 2:

Years 3 and 4

Honors Seminar (HONS 391)

Honors Degree students are required to complete two upper division seminar courses (HONS 391 - 1 credit which is repeatable) during the junior and senior year. In general, at least one Honors seminar will be offered each semester.

Honors Contract Courses

In addition to the interdisciplinary honors seminars (HONS 391), each Honors student must complete a minimum of 6 credits of Honors Contract Courses in the student’s major. Honors Contract Courses are departmental courses offered under an “Honors Contract” between the student and instructor. An Honors Contract Course requires that the student and instructor agree, on a case-by-case basis, to a set of requirements for the course. All Honors Contracts must be approved by the Honors Program Director. In general, 300- and 400-level courses are available for Honors contract credit, as designated by each department.

Before completing an Honors Contract Course an Honors Contract must be completed.

Honors Thesis or Project (HONS 493)

Each Honors Degree student is required to complete an honors project or thesis at the senior level in the major department. The capstone project (3-6 credits) requires the Honors student to prepare a project proposal for review by a departmental Honors Advisor. The project could be a research-based senior thesis or another appropriate project. The completed project is presented in a public forum and defended before a committee comprised of the Honors Thesis Advisor, another faculty member in the department, and the Director or Associate Director of the University Honors Program. Appropriate public venues for the presentation include but are not limited to: a departmental seminar, the ISU Undergraduate Research Symposium, an honors regional or national conference, or a discipline specific conference.

Student Progress

Students admitted to the Honors Program are required to maintain an accumulative grade point average of 3.25. Students must show evidence of continuous progress toward their degrees. Students dropping below the 3.25 have one probationary semester to raise the GPA before facing dismissal from the program.

Minimum Credit Requirements for Honors Degree and Honors Distinction
Honors Degree
Honors Distinction
Lower Division
24
18
Upper Division Contract Courses
6
0
Honors Seminar
2
1
Honors Thesis
up to 6
0
Total
32
19