The University of South Alabama Honors College offers a curriculum of interdisciplinary excellence designed to stimulate the analytical and critical thinking of exceptionally qualified and highly motivated students. To do so, the Honors College challenges these students with scholarly creative activities, exposes them to cultural enrichment, and provides avenues to engage in community service. The Honors College bases its curriculum and learning experiences around 3 major pillars: intellectual curiosity, leadership and engagement with the University, and the creation of knowledge and culture.
Within the context and diversity of a midsize urban university, the Honors College provides the academic and cultural atmosphere one expects of a small, personal campus community of excellence.
Program Description
The Honors College includes honors course work and extracurricular activities throughout the four years of a student's undergraduate career. In addition to general university curriculum requirements and degree requirements of the selected major, Honors students also complete enriched honors core courses, honors seminars and a Honors Senior Project. Honors students also meet and engage with Faculty, eventually choosing a mentor, who works with the student on research and scholarly experience that culminates in an Honors Seniors Project. Honors classes are small, typically limited to 15 students.
In addition to a challenging academic curriculum, the Honors College offers a variety of experiences that extend learning beyond the classroom, including social and cultural events and community service projects. Honors students often participate in international programs, such as study abroad or exchange programs, and off-campus internship opportunities.
Students who complete the requirements of both the Honors College and of the selected major with a grade-point average of 3.50 or higher will receive the relevant designation on the transcript and the diploma.
Qualifications For Consideration For The Honors College
Applicants usually have a 27 or higher ACT Composite (or comparable SAT score) and a minimum 3.5 high school grade-point average (4.0 system) (as computed by the University of South Alabama). Students without the above qualifications can submit an application package and documentation of their special qualifications for review by the Honors Admissions Committee.
Procedure To Apply For The Honors College
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Apply for admission to the University of South Alabama and complete all necessary steps for acceptance.
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After admission to the university, complete and submit the University of South Alabama Honors College Application Form in JagSPOT: (https://southalabama.academicworks.com/users/sign_in). You will need your university I.D. number and university e-mail address password to sign in.
Other Honors Options
For transfer students, or others, who have completed significant credits toward graduation, the specific curriculum requirements for the Honors Degree may be impracticable. Additionally, other non-honors students may find certain honors courses desirable while being unable to commit to the entire honors curriculum. Options available in these cases include enrollment in specific honors courses (indicated on the transcript as honors credit) with permission of the instructor and the Honors College Dean when space is available, and/or pursuing and completing an appropriate Honors Senior Project. Students interested in these options should consult with the Honors College Dean.
USA International Education/study Abroad
Honors College students are encouraged to participate in an international experience through study, research, internship or work abroad. Honors students should seriously consider applying for one of the many international prestigious scholarship programs such as the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Program, Winston Churchill Foundation Scholarship, George J. Mitchell Scholarship, Rhodes Scholarship, Fulbright Student Grants, Gates Cambridge, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships and NSEP Boren Scholarship and Gilman Scholarship. For more information contact your Honors advisor and the Office of International Education.
Descriptions Of All Honors (HON) Courses
Departments of Instruction
Honors College Curriculum Requirements
The following courses, or a substitute approved by the Honors College Dean, must be completed with a grade of "C" or better, in addition to general studies requirements and specific requirements of the major department, to graduate with Honors College recognition. Transfer students may petition to receive credit for honors courses taken elsewhere. High School AP and IBP credits may not substitute for Honors required courses.
| Honors Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| HON 101 Honors Introduction-Research (Required in first semester) |
1 |
| HON 201 Professional Skills Research-H | 1 |
| HON 301 Intro Senior Honors Project (Variable content) |
1 |
|
One (1) Lower-level Honors elective (general elective, courses ranging between 100-299, variable content) |
3 |
| Three (3) Honors elective, either upper or lower level. (courses ranging between 100-499, variable content) | 9 |
| One (1) Upper-level Honors elective (courses ranging between 300-499, senior thesis project does not apply, variable content | 3 |
| **Honors Senior Thesis/Project (may count toward major) | 6 |
| Total | 24 |
| ** Student should determine early in their program the requirements in their major. | |
Honors Seminars are special topics courses, and a variety are available each fall and spring semester for students to make their selection.
The Honors Electives requirements can be satisfied by taking any courses offered for Honors credit (courses with "Honors" in the title or an "H" suffix).
Undergraduate
Honors students must maintain satisfactory progress in the required curriculum to remain in the Honors College. Scholarship recipients, must meet any additional requirements of their specific award. To remain in good standing with the Honors College, honors students must maintain satisfactory progress in the required curriculum and must maintain a GPA of 3.50 or higher after their first year. Scholarship recipients must meet any additional requirements of their specific award. A student may be placed on honors probation if GPA requirements aren’t met. Scholarships that depend on GPA will not be reinstated after probation.
Honors students participate in and attend cultural, service, and scholarly events on campus and in the community. These activities will be facilitated by the Honors College and student mentors.
By the junior year, each Honors student will identify a suitable faculty mentor and design an Honors Senior Project. The project represents a scholarly effort appropriate to the student, including a significant component of investigation and written presentation. The Honors Senior Project will total 6.00 credit hours. Graduating Honors seniors will present their Honors senior project at a defense before their committee in a professional format suitable for the project and discipline (e.g., an exhibition, research presentation or poster, or performance). The senior project will be evaluated and graded by a committee of three faculty members, and chaired by the honors project mentor. The senior project also must be approved by the Dean of the Honors College in order to graduate with an Honors designation.