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Honors College Curriculum

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Honors College

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P.O. Box 8130, Statesboro, GA 30460

Honors students know their courses will offer challenges and opportunities not found in other classrooms. Professors are re-designing their courses to create seminar-style class meetings and intensive research projects that provoke students to use their critical thinking skills and creativity.

Below are the requirements expected of honors students, whether they enter as traditional first-year students or join the program as a current student or transfer student. (Students who are on the Pre-Fall 2024 Curriculum should click on the gold link in the blue bar for their requirements.)

New Requirements Begin Fall 2024

The Honors College provides an enhanced educational experience for students. We have redesigned our requirements to provide a more flexible, personalized, and skill developing experience at Georgia Southern. There are now two paths to graduate from the Honors College: Honors College Scholar or Honors College Scholar with Distinction. This change allows honors students to personalize their honors education to better meet their post-graduation goals. Furthermore, the Experiential Learning requirement now focuses on four key competencies: Community Engagement, Leadership, Service, and Professional Development. These competencies are among the areas of skills that employers are looking for in new hires, and this requirement will better prepare honors students for their next steps after Georgia Southern. Lastly, starting in Spring 2025, students will have the opportunity to create an honors experience in a non-honors course via contracting. Honors Contracts provide an engaging experience for students as students work closely with their instructors to develop individualized and personalized course materials.

Current honors students at Georgia Southern who have earned 65 or fewer credit hours (from any university) have the opportunity to select the new requirements. Current honors students are encouraged to watch this informative video from Dr. Engel to learn more about how the curriculum redesign enhances your honors experience. Students who decide to change to the new requirements must complete the Honors Requirements Change Form by November 1,2024. No extensions will be provided. Students who do not select the new requirements will follow the requirements listed in the 2023-2024 Academic Catalog.

Students entering the Honors College Fall 2024 or later will be required to complete the new requirements as either an Honors College Scholar or Honors College Scholar with Distinction.

To graduate as an Honors College Scholar:

All honors students following the redesigned requirements, regardless of when they are admitted to the Honors College, must:

  1. Courses: Complete at least 18 hours of honors credits. These credits can be earned through honors courses, honors contracts, or graduate coursework. Students must take at least 3 honors credits per semester until they reach the 18-credit requirement.
  2. Experiential Learning: Complete one Experiential Learning Activity in each of four categories: 1) Community Engagement, 2) Leadership, 3) Service, and 4) Professional Development.
  3. Grade Point Average: Maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative Georgia Southern University grade point average.

To graduate as an Honors College Scholar with Distinction:

  1. Complete the requirements to graduate as an Honors College Scholar.
  2. In addition, complete one Upper Division Honors pathway:
  • Honors Thesis: Completion of at least 3 credits of research. Includes submission and presentation.
  • Capstone Experience: Completion of an Honors College approved capstone of at least 3 credit hours. Includes submission and presentation.
  • Graduate Coursework: Acceptance into an Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Program and completion of at least 6 credit hours of graduate credit OR completion of at least 6 credit hours of graduate credit (6000 level or higher). Includes submission and presentation.
Student Accessibility Resource Center Statement

Georgia Southern University is committed to ensuring accessibility in all services. The Student Accessibility Resource Center (SARC) partners with students, faculty, and staff to facilitate disability access essential to advancing an inclusive campus experience.   Students with disabilities who anticipate or experience barriers with Honors College requirements may contact the Student Accessibility Resource Center (SARC) for assistance in determining and implementing reasonable accommodations. Our contact information is on our webpage: https://students.georgiasouthern.edu/sarc/

Pre-Fall 2024 Only

  1. Core Courses: Students entering with 0-14 hours need four honors core courses; students entering with 15-29 hours need three honors core courses; students entering with 30-44 hours need two honors core courses; students entering with 45-59 hours need one honors core course; students entering with 60+ hours are not required to take honors core courses. The number of credits earned will be determined based on the calculation of hours earned prior to matriculation in the Honors College as they appear in a student’s DegreeWorks audit.
  2. Experiential Learning: One Experiential Learning Activity per academic year. (First-year students have a specific activity that is separate from sophomore, junior, and senior requirements.)
  3. Upper Division Honors (choose one pathway):
    • Honors Thesis: Completion of at least 3 credits of independent research. Includes submission of honors thesis and presentation. 
    • Capstone Experience: Completion of an Honors College-approved capstone of at least three credit hours.  Includes submission of capstone project and presentation. 
    • Graduate Coursework: Acceptance into an Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Program and completion of at least 6 credit hours of graduate credit OR completion of at least 6 credit hours of graduate credit (6000 level or higher).  Includes submission of project and presentation. 
  4. Grade Point Average: Must maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative Georgia Southern University grade point average.