Registration • Options for Honors Credit • Graduation Distinctions
Because Honors courses are intended to foster participatory learning through the free exchange of ideas between students and professors, enrollment is limited, usually to 20 students per section. Although Honors courses are not necessarily more difficult than regular sections, the subject matter is academically challenging, and Honors students explore the material in greater depth can expect greater mastery of the material presented than would be possible in a non-Honors class. In Honors classrooms and laboratories, students are encouraged to develop their capacity for independent, creative work.
The Honors Curriculum
Honors students at Texas A&M pursue regular majors in any of the over 150 degree programs available to undergraduates. In fulfilling departmental, college, and university degree requirements, Honors students have the opportunity to choose the combination of Honors and non-Honors course sections that best meet their needs and interests. Honors classes may be special sections of regularly offered courses or special courses available only to Honors students. Some Honors courses are interdisciplinary in nature or explore topics of current interest. Although offerings vary, Honors courses are scheduled in dozens of disciplines each semester, and over 300 Honors courses are offered each academic year. Students are encouraged to not only take Honors courses in their major field of study, but across the entire curriculum as they pursue an Honors Graduation Distinction. For a complete listing of Honors courses for the upcoming semester, visit http://courses.tamu.edu or our own course listing.
Eligibility for Honors
Participation in Honors does not require formal application. Instead, any student who has earned 3.5 cumulative Grade Point Ratio (GPR) or higher at Texas A&M may enroll in an Honors course. Eligibility for incoming first-year students is determined on either of the following two criteria:
| A) | Have graduated in the top 10% of their high school graduating class |
and |
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have achieved a minimum combined score of 1250 (critical reading and math) on the SAT I or a composite score of 28 on the ACT, with respective minimum sub-scores of 570 in critical reading and math or 27 in English and math |
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OR |
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| B) | Be named a National Merit, National Achievement, or National Hispanic Scholar. |
Eligibility for s tudents who were homeschooled, who graduated from a very small graduating class, or who graduated from a school that did not rank its graduates are determined on a case-by-case basis, as is eligibility for first-semester transfer students. Students in the preceding categories should speak with an Honors Advisor to determine eligibility.
Honors Registration
Eligible students who wish to enroll in Honors courses may be able to take advantage of Honors Early Registration, which occurs in the first two days of pre-registration. Generally, continuing Honors students are limited to nine credit hours of Honors course work per semester. Incoming first-year students enroll in Honors courses during their New Student Conferences and are limited to five credits of Honors course work. For detailed information, visit the Honors Registration page.
Options for Honors Credit
The Honors curriculum may be customized through Honors Course Contracting and Honors Independent Study. With the approval of the instructor, Honors Candidates may obtain Honors credit by enrolling in a non-Honors, advanced- level course and engaging in a written "Honors Contract" to undertake more challenging work and to meet for individual instruction. Students also may undertake personalized study or research with a professor by registering for Independent Study. Honors Contracting and Honors Independent Study are available to Honors students after they have completed nine credit hours of regular Honors classroom courses. Honors Candidates may also earn Honors credit by taking graduate courses for undergraduate credit.
Additionally, students who score one point above the minimum required for course credit on Advanced Placement tests or two points above the minimum required for course credit on International Baccalaureate tests may be able to apply some of this credit towards an Honors Graduation Distinction. For detailed information, visit the Options for Honors Credit page.
Honors Graduation Distinctions
Students who complete Honors plans receive special recognition at commencement and an honors designation on their permanent transcripts. The Foundation Honors plan requires six honors courses (19 credit hours) in specific areas of the University Core Curriculum, including natural science, mathematics, communication, US history & government, social & behavioral sciences, humanities, and visual and performing arts. Additionally, the University Honors plan requires twelve honors courses (36 credit hours), including four courses in the University Core Curriculum, at least four junior- and senior-level courses, and four elective courses. For detailed information, visit the Honors Graduation Distinctions page.
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In conjunction with the Honors Programs, several colleges, including the Mays Business School, the Dwight Look College of Engineering, and the College of Liberal Arts, also coordinate college-level honors plans, and numerous academic departments, including architecture, communications, English, history, mathematics, political science, and psychology, have designed major-specific honors plans. Highly motivated students could conceivably graduate with departmental, college, and university-level honors distinctions. For further information, visit the College-level Honors Plans and the Department-level Honors Plans pages.