Introduction to the Program
For students who carry a college GPA of 3.3 or higher or who, upon entering K-State, have a composite ACT score of 28 or higher, the College of Arts and Sciences offers an Honors Program.
Distilled to its essence, our Honors Program allows students access to small and unique classes comprised of only honors students.
Some of our honors classes are sections of regular courses. For instance, General Psychology is offered periodically as an honors class of about 25 students. There are honors sections of this sort in several departments. We also offer special courses--Honors Introduction to the Humanities, Honors Seminars and Honors Colloquia--that have no counterparts in regular course offerings. These special courses are usually interdisciplinary in nature. They cover topics that are not covered in other courses or even in honors sections of regular courses. These have included topics such as Islam and the West, Social Implications of Genetic Engineering, and The Arts in our Lives.
For freshmen, entrance into the program is based on ACT scores. With a score of 28 you are automatically admitted if you express an interest in the program. With a score of 26 or 27, an application is required in which you state your reasons for wanting to be in the program and provide two letters of support from high school counselors or teachers.
An important benefit of participating in the Honors Program is to help you find, associate with, and learn from other honors students. There are many students on our campus who are dedicated to excellence in their studies and who want to be challenged to think and work independently. Being in the honors program is one of the very best ways for you to find such students.
Why graduate in the Honors Program? First and foremost, we think you'll end up with a better education for having been in the Program, given its stimulating classes and opportunities. Another, more practical reasons is to have a mark of distinction on your record--something to help set you apart from the many other qualified candidates for positions in the job market, in the professional schools or in graduate school. Along the same line, being in small classes and getting involved in the Honors Program outside the classroom will help you get detailed and meaningful letters of recommendation by faculty members who know you individually.
We hope you'll join with us in this exciting approach to your K-State education.