Curriculum Details

In addition to holding a 3.5+ GPA at the time of graduation, UHP students will be required to complete requirements in four distinct categories: a one-credit Honors First-Year Seminar course, four honors Courses, three Co-curricular Experiences, and an honors Project. Each requirement category is described in detail below.

Rules:

Courses by contract, experiences, and projects are proposed, approved, and monitored for completion through the Honors Administration Link, more commonly known as HAL.
Approval should be obtained prior to starting the course or activity.
You may not “double dip” by counting a course or activity in more than one category.
If an activity such as an internship or capstone project is formally required by your major, that activity may only satisfy a UHP requirement if an additional enrichment and/or intellectual product is agreed upon and verified.

Requirements (by Category):

UHP students must complete the requirements specified in each of these four categories (in addition to earning a 3.5+ cumulative GPA). Click the purple arrow to read the details.

Honors First-Year Seminar

UHP students will complete UHP 189: Honors First-Year Seminar (1 credit) Each UHP 189 section will have a distinct topical focus developed by its instructor, but all sections will also include a few common elements, such as instructions regarding how to use the Honors Administration Link and an introduction to the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships. We encourage students to take UHP 189 during their first semester in the program. Students entering the Honors Program after the freshman year may petition to make a substitution for UHP 189, usually an additional Honors course or co-curricular experience. Research Topic and Proposal Development (cross-listed as either DHE399 or GENAG396) is recommended.

Courses

Four (4) for-credit academic courses (12 credits minimum)

At least four UHP-eligible courses must be completed for credit for a minimum total of twelve credit hours. UHP students will have the flexibility to choose from a menu of three eligible options:

UHP-designated courses (e.g., Honors Chemistry, Honors Introduction to the Humanities) that carry course credit. Available courses are listed here.
Contract courses (i.e., a regular for-credit course where the student and instructor agree upon additional scholarly expectations and outcomes).
Course credits taken for undergraduate research. We will bring these research credits into HAL automatically (but let the office know if they are not showing up)
Instructions for how to initiate and record contracts in HAL are available on the Honors Courses page.

Co-curricular Experiences

Three (3) co-curricular experiences and/or additional for-credit academic courses (total credits will vary: no minimum)

Co-curricular experiences must be recorded and approved in HAL. Here are instructions for doing that: How to Enter a Co-Curricular Experience into HAL.

The co-curricular requirement is intended to accommodate multiple forms of experiential learning, co-curricular enrichment, and/or additional UHP-eligible coursework.

Read more about eligible co-curricular options for detailed guidelines for what constitutes a qualifying experience.

Project

Students can select one of four tracks to complete their UHP Project as a capstone activity. Each track emphasizes integrative, independent learning and skill development.

Research track | A traditional “honors thesis” where students complete research under the supervision of faculty members
International track | Project based upon study or service abroad for a minimum duration of ten weeks.
Professional track | Project based upon a full-time internship or co-op experience for a minimum duration of ten weeks. Two distinct internships with a single employer may also be used as the basis for a project, provided they total at least ten weeks (with UHP approval granted before the second internship).
Creative track | Project based upon the creation of original creative work, principally for students in the fine and performing arts for whom artistic production is an essential scholarly activity.

All four tracks will require a significant intellectual product that is supervised and approved by a K-State mentor with appropriate expertise. This project can take many forms, given the diversity of academic disciplines that exist in our university. Common themes for the project are: independent study, close supervision of a faculty member, and final documentation (written thesis, video or audio record of performance) of the project.

Project approval must be obtained prior to beginning the proposed project via HAL.

Students have the option for earning academic credit for the Honors Project. Consult with the UHP if you think that will be beneficial for your degree requirements.

Students are strongly encouraged, but not required, to share their completed projects with the academic community. This normally involves a poster or presentation and can be done at a number of venues; undergraduate research forums, class presentations, or a UHP spring gathering are all good options.

Have questions about the Honors requirements? Our Frequently Asked Questions are a good place to start.

Special note: students who matriculated (started taking K-State classes) and entered the UHP prior to January 2016 may continue to follow the previous curriculum. Those requirements are preserved for reference at UHP Requirements Prior to January 2016.

Honors Project Details

The Honors Project serves as the culminating experience for the University Honors Program and is an opportunity to both develop and showcase your growing skills as a scholar. As you plan to complete the honors project, refer to the guidelines and instructions below, and please don't hesitate to contact the UHP if you have additional questions.

Honors Project Guidelines

Step-by-step instructions for project approval

Progress & Performance

Membership in the UHP confers certain benefits, and students must both make satisfactory progress toward completion of the UHP curriculum and uphold a high standard of academic performance in order to maintain membership in the UHP. The benchmarks for satisfactory progress and performance are fully detailed in the following link:

UHP Progress and Performance Policy

Transfer Credit Policy

We encourage high-achieving transfer students to apply for the University Honors Program. To qualify for the program, transfer applicants must have a 3.5 GPA from their transfer institution.

Students may transfer honors courses from another accredited college or university to fulfill some of the Honors Program requirements. At a minimum the following must be completed at K-State:

At least two courses or co-curricular experiences
The honors project

The UHP 189: Honors First-Year Seminar requirement may be satisfied through the transfer of an equivalent course from another institution. Transfer students who have not taken an equivalent course may petition to substitute our Research Topic and Proposal Development course instead (cross-listed as either DHE399 or GENAG396).