Honors College

(http://www.uncw.edu/honors)

Dr. Eva M. Mehl, Director; Dr. Aaron S. King, Interim Associate Director

Our Mission:

We offer an immediate community and a powerful, transformative experience that enriches the education and journey of each student by providing a larger context for their academic program through the completion of high-impact practices:

• Innovative and Interdisciplinary Curriculum and Experiential Learning–Honors College classes are small – usually fewer than 20 students. We encourage curiosity and critical thinking with interdisciplinary seminars and hands-on learning experiences. Honors courses are not more difficult – they allow for deeper learning through conversations with highly-dedicated, accomplished, and creative faculty, often outside of the traditional classroom walls.

• Robust and Wide-Ranging Programming–We offer a residential experience and provide comprehensive co-curricular programming from the first semester through graduation that includes leadership and service opportunities on campus and in the community, in addition to domestic and global learning experiences.

• Access to Undergraduate Research–The Honors College fosters a vibrant community of engaged scholars by helping students develop their own trajectory and actively participate in research and creative expression through one-on-one mentoring opportunities with our faculty experts. These unique experiences put our students on the leading edge of their disciplines while helping them develop independent work skills.

• Vibrant and Inclusive Community–From their first day on campus, students are immersed in a community to help them discover and pursue their academic passions and build strong relationships with other Honors students, academic advisors, and faculty mentors. Honors is an inclusive community that provides an extra layer of support and opportunities to enhance their broader UNCW experience. We do not recruit “Honors” students – we welcome academically talented, highly motivated, creative, and intellectually curious students and we support them to become career-ready individuals with skills to succeed in any professional and academic context.

Our Vision:

The Honors College strives to be a robust, rich, and stimulating program that benefits from the unique perspectives and diverse cultures of its students, faculty, and staff. An Honors education develops students into well-rounded and interdisciplinary thinkers, problem-solvers, and life-long learners who contribute to their communities and are equipped with intellectual, cultural, and ethical tools to meet regional and global demands.

Admission to Honors

Check with the Honors Director for specific requirements and the application process at each level. Multiple points of entry into the Honors Scholars College are possible:

• As entering freshman (based on holistic application process, including (but not limited to) high academic achievement/involvement in high school)
• As second semester freshman or as sophomores (based on high academic achievement/involvement in freshman year, including transfer students)
• As juniors/seniors in Departmental Honors (including transfer students)
• As a transfer student (either in their first or second semester at UNCW)

Program Requirements for Graduation with University Honors

To graduate with University Honors, a student must:

1. Complete at least 9 credit hours of university studies courses as honors sections*
2. Complete 6 credits of “Interdisciplinary Honors Seminars” (HON 110 and one of the following: HON 210 or HON 211 or HON 212)*
3. Complete one credit of “Honors Enrichment Seminar” (HON 120 or HON 121) or one credit of HON 191*
4. Complete HON 399
5. Complete three additional honors credits (additional honors seminars or university studies courses as honors sections, or honors contract course, or semester study abroad)
6. Maintain academic eligibility: at the completion of 27 credit-hours at UNCW, an overall grade point average of 3.30 or better in all coursework is required. An overall grade point average of 3.50 or better must be established by the completion of 58 credit hours and maintained thereafter.
7. Earn a minimum of a “C” (2.00) in all honors work (“B” (3.00) in 499 and honors contract courses) and have a 3.00 overall GPA in all honors curriculum coursework. If a student earns a grade below a “C” in an honors university studies course, the grade may count toward that student’s university studies requirements but not toward his or her honors requirements. If that student wishes to complete the honors requirements for University Honors, he or she must take an additional honors university studies course and earn no lower than a “C.” Students earning below a “C” in HON 210 (or HON 211 or HON 212) or HON 120 (or HON 121) must take additional seminars, respectively, and earn no lower than a “C.”
8. Complete requirements for Departmental Honors (see below)

Program Requirements for Graduation with Bridge Honors (transfer students only)

To graduate with Honors, a transfer student must:

1. Complete requirements for Departmental Honors (see below): an Honors research project (6 hours) in the student’s major (XXX 499)
2. Complete 1-credit research course, either HON 399 or HON 191 
3. Complete one of the following options for 5-6 additional credits:
   1. Students may take two (2) 3-credit courses: HON 210, HON 211, or HON 212 
   2. Students may take one (1) 3-credit class (HON 210, HON 211, or HON 212) AND two (2) 1-credit classes (HON 120, HON 121, or HON 399)
   3. Students may complete 3 credits of high-impact practice approved by the Honors College AND one of the following options (other credit substitutions in this option may be granted by the Honors College):
      1. One (1) 3-credit class (HON 210, HON 211, or HON 212)
      2. Two (2) 1-credit class (HON 120, HON 121, or HON 399)
   4. Earn a minmum of a “C” (2.00) in all honors courses counted towards graduation with Bridge Honors, earn a minimum of a “B” in XXX 499, and have a 3.00 overall GPA in all honors curriculum coursework. Students earning below a “C” in HON 210, HON 211, HON 212, HON 120, HON 121, HON 191, or HON 399  must take additional seminars, respectively, and earn no lower than a “C”.

• HON 120 - Honors Enrichment Seminar
• HON 121 - Honors Enrichment Seminar: Explorations Beyond the Classroom
• HON 191 - Introduction to Research and Discovery
• HON 210 - Topical Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar
• HON 211 - Honors Topical Interdisciplinary Seminar: Living in our Diverse Nation
• HON 212 - Honors Topical Interdisciplinary Seminar: Living in a Global Society
• HON 399 - A Preparation for the Honors Thesis

Honors Courses

These courses are restricted to students formally enrolled in the Honors College or others admitted by permission of the Honors director after consultation with the course instructor.

Honors sections of university studies courses: Each semester several honors sections of university studies courses will be offered on a rotating basis. These sections are usually restricted to 20 students to allow for enhanced student-faculty interaction and discussion.

Honors Seminars: Three kinds of honors seminars are offered each year. HON 110 is a team-taught, three-hour interdisciplinary course designed to introduce all freshman honors students to the college experience by direct involvement in research, service, and leadership activities. This course may not be repeated for additional credit. HON 120 and HON 121 are one-hour enrichment seminars that require student participation in a variety of campus visual/performing/cultural events, lectures, or research activities. HON 210, HON 211, and HON 212 are three-hour interdisciplinary seminars that offer in-depth investigations of a special topic using the approaches of several disciplines. These courses may be repeated under different subtitles. For a listing of these seminars, see the Course Descriptions section of this catalogue.

Departmental Honors

Upperclassmen who qualify as candidates for Departmental Honors must perform outstanding scholarly work appropriate to the academic standards of the student’s major in the form of a six-credit Departmental Honors project. A student who fulfills requirements for Departmental Honors will be acknowledged as having done so upon graduation.

A student who previously has not participated in the honors program may qualify as a candidate for Departmental Honors based on the student’s grade-point average. Students with at least 74 semester hours credit who have a grade point average of 3.20 or better on all college work attempted, who have completed at least 30 semester hours of work with a 3.20 or better grade point average at UNCW, and who are recommended by the major department chair (or dean where appropriate) are eligible to enroll in coursework with a 499 designation which indicates the senior project in that discipline. Academic departments may require a higher grade point average for eligibility for Departmental Honors in their discipline.

Departments in each discipline determine appropriate preparatory academic experiences for Departmental Honors in that field. Candidates for Departmental Honors may fulfill preparation for senior capstone work beginning in the junior year through one or more of the following:

1. Directed Individual Study (DIS) courses which lay the groundwork for more advanced projects;
2. Departmental or interdisciplinary seminars and/or internships which encourage independent work in a variety of ways such as performance, research, service;
3. Study Abroad; or
4. Honors components of regular department courses: “Honors Contract” courses at the 300 or 400 level in which an honors student and his or her instructor enter into a contract, which stipulates enhanced academic responsibilities for the student, such as presentations or papers. Successful performance in such classes is identified by the label “Honors Level Work” on the course as it appears in the student’s transcript.

The Departmental Honors project culminates in independent study under the supervision of a faculty member in the student’s major field. This independent study must be completed in two three-credit hour semesters or three two-credit hour semesters. The results of the honors work are summarized in a paper and presented orally before an examining committee.

If a student must withdraw from the Departmental Honors Project (499), the faculty supervisor must notify the director of the Honors College as soon as possible and indicate the reason for the withdrawal. In consultation with the honors director, the faculty supervisor may recommend that the student receive partial credit (0-3 hours total) for the honors work completed in the form of Directed Individual Study (491).

Honors Global Citizen Recognition

The Honors Global Citizen Recognition is an option for students completing University or Departmental Honors that encourages students to make global discoveries on campus and abroad. To qualify for this distinction, students must:

• Maintain the required honors GPA on all college work attempted in the United States or abroad.
• Develop and complete an honors project (499) that shows active engagement with global issues, such as an increased awareness of international issues, understanding of global interdependence, or demonstration of global citizenship. Proposals must be reviewed by the Office of International Programs and Honors College, and application is done through the Departmental Honors application process described on the Honors website.
• Earn at least 6 student credit hours in a UNCW-approved education abroad program.
• Complete at least the 202 level, or equivalent, of a foreign language with a C or better grade.
• Complete at least one HON seminar with global content. These classes may be selected from an approved list maintained on the Honors website.
• Complete nine additional hours of 3-credit hour courses with global content with a C or better in each. These classes may be selected from courses approved for the International Studies major or minor, or from the university studies courses approved for global content. At least two disciplinary areas must be represented.

Co-Curricular Activities

Students will be offered opportunities and incentives to participate in co-curricular activities such as field trips, campus events, study abroad, and community events.

Sandpiper Hall

Sandpiper Hall is a living-learning environment for freshmen students enrolled in UNCW’s Honors College. Sandpiper Hall features a dynamic student population with members committed to student leadership, scholarship, and service. In order to participate in the Honors College and reside in Sandpiper Hall, residents must meet the following qualifications: (1) be enrolled in the Honors College at UNCW; (2) be a full-time student each semester; (3) be in good standing with the university’s student judicial program; and (4) be an active member of the community. Honors housing in Terrapin Hall is an option for sophomores.