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The Augusta University Honors Program offers superior students the opportunity to pursue a program of study that leads to recognition as either an Augusta University Honors Program Graduate or an Augusta University Honors Scholar. The honors program offers sections of core courses specifically designed for able and energetic learners, seminars that cross the boundaries of discipline and/or culture, the faculty and administrative support to produce an honors thesis in the student’s academic field, and support for the students to present their research at appropriate academic or professional venues. The honors program is not a separate degree program but is designed to augment the course work required for a degree and to prepare capable students for graduate and professional schools and challenging career paths. In most cases, honors courses can be substituted for required credits. The honors program office is housed in the Quad Wall and can be reached at (706-729-2083) and (706-729-2452), and at honorsprogram@augusta.edu.
The honors program is affiliated with the National Collegiate Honors Council, the Southern Regional Honors Council, and the Georgia Collegiate Honors Council, making available to interested students a variety of honors opportunities locally and nationwide.
Honors Program Classes
Honors classes differ in kind from other classes. They are usually smaller; they involve more interaction with primary materials; and they encourage both independent work and collaboration among students and between students and professors. Honors classes ask students to explore course work more actively and intensively, but students are not evaluated on a more demanding grading scale than in other courses, nor should they require more work than non-honors sections.
The diplomas and transcripts of graduating honors students who complete all program requirements carry the designation of Honors Program Graduate. Honors Program Graduates also receive honors cords, an honors stole, and an honors medallion to wear at graduation and will be designated as Honors Program Graduates in the program. Honors Scholars receive honors cords and an honors stole to wear at graduation and will be designated as Honors Scholars in the program.
Honors Program Graduate Track
To earn recognition as an Honors Program Graduate, a student accepted into the program must complete the requirements below—-totaling at least 26 hours-—and have an overall GPA of 3.3 or better. Should the GPA drop below the required 3.3, the student will be allowed to continue in the program on probationary status as long as the GPA does not drop below 3.0.Students will not be allowed to begin work on a thesis prospectus (HONR 3999H - Honors: Thesis Prospectus (1 Credit Hour) or a thesis HONR 4000H - Honors Thesis (2 TO 3 Credit Hours) with a GPA below 3.2.
Freshman/Sophomore Requirement: 16 semester hours
- 16 hours of honors sections of core courses
- Students may substitute one of the following for one hour of honors core coursework:
- one hour of a departmental undergraduate research course
- one semester of a CURS undergraduate research course
- Students must earn a grade of “C” or better (or “S” for pass/fail courses) to gain honors credit for core coursework
Junior/Senior Requirement:
- HONR 3900H Honors: Breaking Boundaries (3 semester hours)
- One upper division honors elective to be selected from the following: (3 semester hours)
- a second section of HONR 3900H Honors: Breaking Boundaries ,
- a departmental honors course (a departmentally approved independent study or a regular departmental offering with an additional honors component), or
- an approved honors alternative
Honors Thesis Sequence (usually begun in the junior year and completed by the end of student’s final semester):
Honors Scholars Track
To earn recognition as an Honors Scholar, a student accepted into the program must complete the requirements below—totaling at least 18 hours—and have an overall GPA of 3.3 or better. Should the GPA drop below the required 3.3, the student will be allowed to continue in the program on probationary status as long as the GPA does not drop below 3.0. Students will not be allowed to begin work on a thesis prospectus (HONR 3999H ) or a thesis (HONR 4000H ) with a GPA below 3.2.
Freshman/Sophomore Requirement: 0-6 semester hours
- 0-6 hours of honors sections of core courses
- Students must earn a grade of “C” or better to gain honor credit for core coursework
Junior/Senior Requirement: 6-12 semester hours
- HONR 3900H Honors: Breaking Boundaries (3 semester hours)
- 1-3 upper division honors electives to be selected from the following: (3-9 semester hours)
- One or more additional section of HONR 3900H Honors: Breaking Boundaries
- No more than one departmental honors option course (a departmentally approved independent study or a regular departmental offering with an additional honors component), or
- No more than one approved honors alternative
Undergraduate Research Requirement (0-1 semester hours): one hour of a departmental undergraduate research course or one semester of a CURS undergraduate research course
Honors Thesis Sequence (usually begun in the junior year and completed by the end of student’s final semester):
Eligibility and Admissions
Honors Program Graduate Track
Students may seek entry into the honors program by submitting a completed online application to the honors program. Application forms are available on the honors program website at http://augusta.edu/honors/.
Entering Freshmen who meet one of the following criteria are invited to join the Augusta University Honors Program:
- A Combined SAT Math and Verbal score of 1200 or higher and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 or better
- A Combined SAT Math and Verbal score of 1100 or higher and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or better
- An ACT score of 27 or higher and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 or better
- An ACT score of 24 or higher and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or better
- A Freshman Index of 3000 or higher
Students Already Enrolled at Augusta University who have completed 12 semester hours of academic work and have an overall GPA of 3.4 will be eligible to apply for admission to the honors program.
Transfer students who bring in an unadjusted 3.4 GPA on at least 12 semester hours of course work from another institution will be eligible to apply for admission to the honors program.
Once admitted to the honors program, students transferring from another institution’s honors program may count honors program hours completed at their previous institution(s) toward completing honors requirements.
To be able to complete program requirements without taking several additional courses, students should seek acceptance into the program and begin taking honors courses early in their careers.
Honors Scholars Track
Students may seek entry into the Honors Scholars track by submitting a completed online application to the honors program. Application forms are available on the Honors Program website at http://augusta.edu/honors.
Entering Freshmen who have completed 24 or more semester hours of academic work and meet one of the following criteria are invited to join the Honors Scholars track:
- A combined SAT Math and Verbal score of 1200 or higher and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 or better
- A combined SAT Math and Verbal score of 1100 or higher and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or better
- An ACT score of 27 or higher and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 or better
- An ACT score of 24 or higher and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or better
- A Freshman Index of 3000 or higher
Students Already Enrolled at Augusta University are invited to join the Honors Scholars track if they have completed between 24 and 75 semester hours of academic work and have an overall GPA of 3.4 or better.
Transfer students who bring in an unadjusted overall GPA of 3.4 or better on between 24 and 75 semester hours of course work from another institution and have SAT or ACT scores at least equivalent to those required of entering honors freshmen will be eligible to apply for admission to the Honors Scholars Track.
Once admitted to the honors program, students transferring from another institution’s honors program may count honors program hours completed at their previous institution(s) toward completing honors requirements.
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