University Honors Program
The University Honors Program provides intellectually enriching opportunities for academically talented and motivated students at UT Tyler. The Honors Program provides an intellectually rigorous, innovative education for students seeking to be challenged and stimulated by new ideas, fresh ways of thinking, and interdisciplinary opportunities. The Program emphasizes small classes, enriched coursework, independent learning, speaking and writing, research within the discipline, sharing ideas, and discovering new worlds beyond the campus.
Eligibility
The Honors Program is open to all majors. Students may enter the Honors Program in the fall semester of their first year or in a subsequent semester as a transfer student. The application for admission to the Honors Program is separate from the application for admission to the university, and must be submitted separately to the Honors Program Office. Contact Dr. Paul Streufert, Director of the University Honors Program, at 903-565-5823 or e-mail: pstreufert@uttyler.edu or honors@uttyler.edu.
Honors Endowed Scholarship
Students who meet the entrance requirements for the University Honors Program as first-semester freshmen are eligible to receive an Honors Endowed Scholarship. Honors students will receive this scholarship up to four years as long as they remain in good standing in the Honors Program. Students who enter the Honors Program after the freshman year are also eligible for the Honors Endowed Scholarship, renewable up to two years.
The application to the Honors Program serves as application for the Honors Endowed Scholarship. No additional scholarship application is required.
Honors Curriculum
The curriculum of the UT Tyler Honors Program consists of a minimum of 18 hours of honors courses for the university's core curriculum, 6 hours of honors in the major/contract courses, and an honors senior project. To be eligible for special Honors designation at graduation, students must complete Honors Program requirements and attend all Honors Colloquia and zero-credit seminars (HNRS 1000-4000), as described below.
Honors Colloquium
One of the hallmarks of the Honors Program is the Honors Colloquium, which is an opportunity for students to meet and talk with scholars, as well as local, regional, and national leaders about topics that relate to each semester's courses. Colloquia may also include museum trips, service projects, productions, and other leadership and learning activities. Typically the Honors Program hosts four colloquia per semester.
Honors Zero-Credit Seminars
Honors students must enroll in the appropriate section of a zero-credit Honors seminar HNRS 1000, HNRS 2000, HNRS 3000, or HNRS 4000 each semester. These courses will prepare students for colloquia and ensure progress on requirements like contract courses and the senior project.
Honors in the Core (18 hrs.)
Honors students must enroll in at least one Honors core course (HNRS or honors sections of a pre-existing course) in each of the student's first 4 semesters to reach the 18 hour minimum. HNRS 1351 and HNRS 1352 are required of all students entering the program in the freshman year. These 18 hours of Honors core courses will replace an equal number of hours of the standard Core Curriculum. Students will be required to meet the remaining hours of the Core Curriculum as determined by the Honors staff in consultation with college academic advisors.
Honors in the Major/Contract Courses (6 hrs.)
Each semester of the junior year, students will enroll in Honors in the Major or contract courses in their major in which they will complete an additional research project. Contract courses will be chosen in consultation with the Honors director.
Honors Senior Project
In their final two semesters, students will complete an honors project in the major. The project will be written under the guidance of a faculty member in the student's discipline with the approval of the Honors director.