Navigating the UTA Honors College: A Comprehensive Guide to Requirements and Opportunities

The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) Honors College provides a unique and enriching academic experience for undergraduate students seeking a challenging and interdisciplinary education. This article delves into the various aspects of the UTA Honors College, covering admission requirements, curriculum structure, course offerings, and the overall experience of being an Honors student.

Admission to the UTA Honors College

Admission to the Honors College is a competitive process, emphasizing a holistic review of each applicant. The Honors College does not offer rolling or automatic admissions, ensuring that all applications receive thorough consideration after the deadline. While meeting the minimum criteria is essential, it does not guarantee admission.

Holistic Review Process

The admissions committee evaluates students based on several factors, including:

Academic Record: An excellent high-school academic record is a significant factor.
Standardized Test Scores: A 1270+ SAT score (or ACT equivalent) is generally expected.
Engagement in Academic Development: Evidence of engagement through accelerated coursework or extracurricular involvement is highly valued.
Resume: A well-crafted resume showcasing achievements and experiences.
Writing Ability: Demonstrated college-level writing ability is crucial, with a strong essay being an important consideration.
Analytical Skills: Evidence of strong analytical skills is essential.

Students who do not meet the minimum requirements may still apply, but they MUST complete the optional essay portion of the application.

Application Timeline

The application is typically open until the incoming class is full.
Students can expect to hear back from Honors in mid-March (for Fall students) or late Fall (for Spring students).

Current UTA Students and Transfer Students

UTA students who have earned between 12 and 60 credit hours with a UTA GPA of 3.5 or higher are encouraged to apply.
Transfer students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher are also encouraged to apply.

UT Coordinated Admissions Program (CAP) Students

Interested incoming UT Coordinated Admissions Program (CAP) students who are not automatically admitted must apply for their entering Fall semester. If admitted, CAP students are required to earn early registration by participating in a minimum of three (3) Honors registration reward events by the posted deadline during their first semester. Additionally, CAP students are encouraged to fulfill the milestones of first-year Honors students. Those who are unable to meet these conditions will be dismissed from the Honors College.

Acceptance of Invitation

If you have been automatically invited to join the Honors College, you must accept the invitation by filling out the acceptance form that was in your invitation.

Honors Curriculum and Requirements

The Honors curriculum is designed to offer a special interdisciplinary emphasis at each level of the student's academic career. Honors students will be required to earn 18 Honors Points plus a Capstone Project to receive an Honors Degree.

Honors Points System

Fifteen (15) Course Points and three (3) Experience Points make up the 18 Honors Points total.
Students must complete 15 Course Points by enrolling in Honors-designated or cross-listed courses or contracting existing courses. Each successfully completed course will award the student 3 Course Points. Each college will set their own course requirements.
Students must earn at minimum 3 Experience Points.

Capstone Project

In addition to earning the required number of Honors Points, students will complete a Capstone Project to receive an Honors Degree. Each college/department/major will determine which of the following “tracks” their students can select. Although not all students will be required to write a thesis, all students will be required to produce a written deliverable. HONR-4000 is required of all students completing their Honors Capstone Project.

Academic Standing

Honors students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.200 will be placed on probation.

Honors Course Offerings

The Honors College offers a wide range of courses designed to provide a challenging and interdisciplinary perspective. Emphasis is placed on allowing students more personal involvement, discussion time, and interaction with Honors faculty and other Honors students. Grades in Honors courses are computed exactly as in other courses. Honors courses are not "accelerated" but are designed to offer greater flexibility in teaching techniques, more faculty/student interaction, and a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Read also: UMD Honors Programs

HONR Courses

HONR 1100. ENRICHMENT SERIES: Provides an introduction and orientation to the Honors College, assisting students in acquiring skills for academic survival, individual success, and pursuit of their Honors degree and career possibilities.
HONR 1304. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study courses are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 2104. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis.
HONR 2106. HONORS SEMINAR: Covers topics of general interdisciplinary interest to students from a wide variety of academic disciplines. Active learning is stressed with all students expected to both moderate and participate in classroom discussions of seminar topics.
HONR 2111. HONORS COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING: Intensive course in the history and practice of community service learning (CSL). Students will design and implement a CSL project based on their major, and in conjunction with an area non-profit organization.
HONR 2203. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 2204. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 2300. SEMINAR: Team-taught interdisciplinary course that introduces knowledge and perspectives from the arts, sciences, and humanities. Designed around a theme of current or historical significance. Writing-intensive.
HONR 2304. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 2403. SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 2404. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 2435. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the course.
HONR 3103. INDEPENDENT STUDY: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 3104. SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 3203. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis.
HONR 3204. SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 3303. INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis.
HONR 3403. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 3404. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 3435. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the course.
HONR 3504. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 3535. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the course.
HONR 4000. HONORS INDEPENDENT RESEARCH: Individualized research conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. This is a zero-credit course. May be repeated.
HONR 4103. ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS: Advanced special topics in Honors.
HONR 4104. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 4106. HONORS ADVANCED SEMINAR: Covers topics of general interdisciplinary interest to students from a wide variety of academic disciplines. Active learning is stressed with all students expected to research and prepare seminar presentations and moderate class discussions on assigned seminar topics.
HONR 4144. HONORS SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: Credit will be given for supervised service to a community agency. The service must be related to formal coursework and approved by a faculty mentor and a degree plan advisor.
HONR 4203. ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS: Advanced special topics in Honors.
HONR 4204. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 4244. HONORS SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: Credit will be given for supervised service to a community agency. The service must be related to formal coursework and approved by a faculty mentor and a degree plan advisor.
HONR 4300. ADVANCED SEMINAR: Integrates substantive knowledge in the arts, sciences, and humanities around a theme of current or historical significance.
HONR 4303. ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS: Advanced special topics in Honors.
HONR 4304. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 4310. HONORS STUDY ABROAD: Interdisciplinary course in an out-of-country location around a theme or topic appropriate to the location.
HONR 4320. HONORS INTERNSHIP: Supervised employment in student's area(s) of interest.
HONR 4344. HONORS SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: Credit will be given for supervised service to a community agency. The service must be related to formal coursework and approved by a faculty mentor and a degree plan advisor.
HONR 4394. HONORS SENIOR RESEARCH THESIS/CREATIVE PROJECT: A research thesis or creative project and oral presentation are required for the Honors degree.
HONR 4403. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 4404. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 4435. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the course.
HONR 4503. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR 4504. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis with permission of an instructor.
HONR 4535. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the course.

HONR-BU Courses

HONR-BU 2303. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-BU 3304. SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-BU 4303. ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS: Advanced special topics in Honors.
HONR-BU 4311. LEADER AS COMMUNICATOR: Helps students excel in written and oral communication skills.
HONR-BU 4312. LEADER ETHICS: Addresses rule-based, consequential, and virtue ethics by examining intentions, actions, and consequences of individual behavior.
HONR-BU 4313. SENIOR & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP: Introduces and compares the traditional levels of leadership within organizations-front line, middle, senior, and executive.
HONR-BU 4314. GLOBAL MARKETPLACE: Designed to assist Goolsby Scholars become competent in an intercultural world.
HONR-BU 4315. EXECUTIVE INTERNSHIP: This internship experience places Goolsby Fellows in field settings with executives from the college's Advisory Council and other executive leaders in specialized areas for students.
HONR-BU 4394. HONORS SENIOR RESEARCH THESIS/CREATIVE PROJECT: A research thesis or creative project and oral presentation are required for the Honors degree.

HONR-LA Courses

HONR-LA 1301. HONORS COMPOSITION I.
HONR-LA 1302. HONORS COMPOSITION II: A course in academic argumentation in which students learn how to conduct and organize research.
HONR-LA 2300. SEMINAR: Team-taught interdisciplinary course that introduces knowledge and perspectives from the arts, sciences, and humanities.
HONR-LA 2303. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-LA 2407. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS WITH LAB: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-LA 3300. LIBERAL ARTS HONORS SEMINAR: Intensive small class lecture or seminar course addressing basic issues in various liberal arts disciplines.
HONR-LA 3303. INDEPENDENT STUDY: Independent study topics are arranged on an individual basis.
HONR-LA 3304. SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-LA 3310. POLITICAL & COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP: Examines theories and concepts of leadership in political and community contexts.
HONR-LA 3404. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-LA 3407. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS WITH LAB: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-LA 4303. ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS: Advanced special topics in Honors.
HONR-LA 4407. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS WITH LAB: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.

HONR-NU Courses

HONR-NU 2203. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-NU 3304. SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-NU 3504. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-NU 4203. ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS: Advanced special topics in Honors.
HONR-NU 4303. ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS: Advanced special topics in Honors.
HONR-NU 4403. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-NU 4503. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.

HONR-VP Courses

HONR-VP 2103. SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-VP 2300. SEMINAR: Team-taught interdisciplinary course that introduces knowledge and perspectives from the arts, sciences, and humanities.
HONR-VP 2303. HONORS SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-VP 3304. SPECIAL TOPICS: Topics, format, and prerequisites to be determined by faculty offering the courses.
HONR-VP 4303. ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS: Advanced special topics in Honors.

Honors College Advising

New Honors students must be advised by an Honors Adviser during their first semester at UTA and are encouraged to be advised early in the semester or they will lose their Honors status and privileges. There is no probationary period for students who fail to make and keep this appointment.

Cheryl: Advises all students who are new to the Honors College in their first semester to discuss Honors requirements and benefits during their initial advising session. She also meets with students during their second year in Honors to discuss progress and how the program is going for each student.
Terence: Advises all first and second year Honors Engineering students.
Makenzie: As the Program Manager for Undergraduate Research, Makenzie assists students in the research process and advises juniors and seniors by tracking Honors progress and assisting with the Capstone Project by teaching the HONR 4000 Capstone Course. Makenzie is also responsible for coordinating the Honors Research Symposium (HRS), the summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program (URF), and oversees Honors Credit Contracts.

Financial Aid

The Honors College offers a variety of scholarships, most of which are exclusive to Honors students. Honors scholarships applications are distributed in the spring semester for the academic year.

Opportunities and Benefits

The Honors College offers students the opportunity to obtain an exceptional education in a small academic community within the larger University. Typically, Honors students do much better in their Honors courses than their regular courses because of the small class size and the opportunity for individual contributions.

McLennan Honors College Transfer Opportunities

Students in the McLennan Honors College have the opportunity to be admitted to and complete honors-level courses in the Tarleton State University Honors College. McLennan students meeting the Tarleton State Honors College assured admission standards for transfer students are guaranteed admission to the upper-level component of the Tarleton State Honors College. McLennan Honors College students who transfer to Baylor with a 3.5 GPA or higher have the opportunity to continue their Honors studies in one of Baylor’s prestigious honors programs with a priority status.

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