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The!University!of!North!Texas!
HONORS!COLLEGE!HANDBOOK!
Revised!July!2019!
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1155!Union!Circle,!#310529!
Sage!Hall!320!
Denton,!TX!!76203-0529!
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Phone:!940-565-3305!
Fax:!940-369-7370!
HonorsC[email protected]!
!Honors.unt.edu!!
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TABLE!OF!CONTENTS!
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A.! About!the!Honors!College!! ! Page!1!
B.! Membership!in!the!Honors!College! ! Page!2!
C.!!!! How!to!Earn!Honors!Credits! ! Page!3!
D.!!! Honors!College!Awards! ! Page!5!
E.! Advising!Information! ! Page!5!
F.!!! Special!Honors!College!Opportunities! ! Page!7! !
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A.! About!the!Honors!College!
The!Honors!College!at!the!University!of!North!Texas!is!committed!to!promoting!academic!
excellence!and!fostering!intellectual!growth,!while!also!focusing!on!the!whole!ex perience!of!
the!students.!!Honors!students!become!part!of!a!community!of!scholars,!with!access!to!
Honors!classes!and!a!wide!array!of!special!programming!and!privileges.!!
The!Honors!College!is!designed!to!work!with!every!major!at!UNT.!Many!Honors!courses!can!
be!substituted!into!the!general!education!core!requirements!that!all!students!must!satisfy!
to!receive!the!baccalaureate!degree.!That!means!that!students!will!often!be!able!to!take!an!
Honors!course!for!core!credit.!Upon!commencement,!Honors!College!graduates!are!entitled!
to!wear!the!Honors!College!Medallion!and!to!have!transcript!designation.!
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Mission!of!the!Honors!College!
The!mission!of!the!Honors!College!is!to!enrich!the!academic!and!intellectual!experience!
of!talented!and!motivated!undergraduate!students!by!promoting!the!pursuit!of!
excellence!at!the!University!of!North!Texas.!Honors!students!have!opportunit ies! to!
build!an!intellectual!and!academic!framework!that!fully!prepares!them!for!graduate!
school,!a!career,!and!lifelong!learning.!!
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Benefits!of!Honors!College!Membership!
Honors!students!may!take!advantage!of!many!opportunities,!including:!!
Specially!designed!classes!to!provide!a!challenging!but!supportive!academic!
environment;!
Training!in!research!methods!and!skills,!providing!opportunities!to!present!
research!at!Honors!and!professional!conferences;!
Advising!by!Honors!College!academic!counselors;!
Honors!housing;!
Special!programming!for!Honors!College!students!developed!by!Honors!College!
Student!Life!staff!and!the!Honors!College!Programming!Council!(HCPC)!
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Opportunities!to!engage!with!professors,!deans,!and!faculty!members;!
Assistance!in!applying!for!major!scholarships,!fellowships,!and!awards;!
Special!library!privileges;!
Conferral!of!the!Honors!Medallion!and!special!listing!in!the!commencement!
program;!
Transcript!designation!to!provide!a!permanent!record!of!Honors!participation;!and!
Priority!registration!once!a!student!has!enrolled!in!or!completed!an!Honors!class.!
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B.! Membership!in!the!Honors!College!
Application!and!Activation!of!Membership!
Students!who!wish!to!be!members!of!the!Honors!College!must!submit!an!application!at!
Honors.unt.edu.!!Once!admitted!to!the!Honors!College,!a!student!activates!their!
membership!by!enrolling!in!an!Honors!class!the!semester!following!admission.!Only%
students%with%active%membership%may%enroll%in%Honors%classes,%participate%in%Honors%
College%events,%live%in%Honors%housing,%and%enjoy%priority%registration.!!
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Maintaining!Active!Membership!
To!maintain!active!membership,!an!Honors!Student!must!successfully!complete!at!least!
three!Honors!credits!per!academic!year!and!maintain!a!cumulative!UNT!Grade!Point!
Average!of!at!least!3.0.!Note!that!the!GPA!requirement!for!all!Honors!College!
Distinctions!is!3.25!and!completion!of!a!minimum!18!hours!of!Honors!credit.!Thus,!
maintaining!active!membership!does!not!guarantee!eligibility!for!an!Honors!College!
recognition!upon!graduation;!all!award!requirements!are!discussed!in!Section!D.!!
A!student!whose!semester!or!cumulative!GPA!is!below!3.0!will!be!placed!on!
probation/alert!for!the!next!semester.!During!that!time,!the!student!will!still!have!
access!to!all!benefits!of!Honors!College!membership.!!If!the!student’s!GPA!remains!
below!3.0!for!two!semesters,!their!Honors!College!membership!will!become!inactive!
and!they!will!lose!access!to!Honors!College!membership!benefits.!A!student!can!return!
to!active!membership!by!raising!their!cumulative!and!semester!GPA!to!3.0!or!higher.!!
Once!a!student!earns!18!Honors!credits!the!student’s!membership!is!considered!active!
until!completion!of!the!baccalaureate!degree!as!long!as!the!student!maintains!the!
required!GPA!and!adheres!to!the!conduct!standards!of!the!Honors!College.!
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Conduct!Standards!
In!addition!to!maintaining!the!academic!standards!for!active!membership,!Honors!
College!students!are!expected!to!adhere!to!the!University%of%North%Texas%Code%of%Student%
Conduct.!Honors!College!students!are!expected!to!attend!events!when!they!have!made!
commitments!to!do!so.!!
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Termination!of!Membership!
! Membership!in!the!Honors!College!will!be!terminated!if:!
A!student!fails!to!activate!his!or!her!membership!in!the!semester!after!admission;!
A!student!whose!membership!has!been!activated!but!has!not!earned!18!Honors!
credits,!fails!to!successfully!complete!at!least!3!Honors!credits!per!academic!year;!
A!student’s!cumulative!UNT!GPA!falls!below!3.0!and!is!not!raised!to!3.0!by!the!end!of!
the!following!semester;!!
A!student!accumulates!two!or!more!Incompletes!in!Honors!classes!and!fails!to!clear!
them!by!the!end!of!the!following!semester!and/or!withdraws!from!two!or!more!
Honors!classes!(whether!passing!or!failing!at!the!time!of!withdrawal);!
A!student!is!found!guilty!of,!or!pleads!guilty!to,!violations!of!the!University%of%North%
Texas%Code%of%Student%Conduct%or!state!or!federal!law.!For!example,!a!student’s!
membership!in!the!Honors!College!will!be!terminated!for!a!violation!such!as!
academic!dishonesty!or!a!legal!felony,!such!as!an!assault,!to!which!they!have!pled!
guilty!or!has!been!convicted.!!
A!student!requests!in!writing!to!have!their!name!removed!from!Honors!College!
membership.!
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C.! How!to!Earn!Honors!Credits!
Honors!Classes!
Honors!classes!are!specially!designed!courses!that!offer!an!intellectually!exciting!and!
challenging!experience!for!the!student.!Honors!classes!are!kept!small!in!order!to!foster!
student!involvement!and!classroom!discussion.!Each!semester!Honors!students!may!
choose!to!take!any!combination!of!Honors!classes,!non-Honors!classes,!and!classes!in!
their!major,!as!long!as!they!take!Honors!classes!on!a!regular!basis.!
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% Honors%courses%will:!
Assist!students!in!building!an!intellectual!framework!that!will!prepare!them!for!
graduate!study,!a!career,!and!a!lifetime!of!learning;!
Provide!opportunities!for!students!to!explore!ideas!and!make!conceptual!linkages!
across!disciplinary!boundaries;!
Encourage!students!to!explore!concepts!and!values!of!community,!including!a!
cosmopolitan!worldview;!
Give!students!the!opportunity!to!engage!the!best!faculty!in!small!classes!that!
emphasize!excellence!in!a!supportive!learning!environment;!and!
Encourage!faculty!members!to!develop!and!try!innovative!approaches!to!course!
content!and!teaching.!
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Honors!Contracts!
An!Honors!Contract!allows!an!Honors!College!student!to!earn!Honors!credit!in!a!regular!
3000/4000-level!course!by!undertaking!independent!academic!work!under!the!
supervision!of!a!UNT!faculty!member.!In!order!to!earn!Honors!credit,!a!student!must!
earn!an!A!or!B!in!the!course!and!the!contract!project!must!be!submitted!on!time!and!
evaluated!as!worthy!of!Honors!credit!by!the!course!instructor!and!the!Honors!College.!!
Contract!projects!may!take!many!forms!but!all!must!include!a!written!component!and!
must!be!an!additional!assignment!that!is!not!required!of!non-Honors!students!
completing!the!course.!Specific!guidelines!and!forms!for!Honors!Contracts!are!posted!
on!the!Honors!College!website:!honors.unt.edu.!
A!student!may!complete!a!maximum!of!2!contracts!for!a!total!of!6!Honors!credits.!!
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Study!Abroad!
The!Honors!College!sponsors!one!Study!Abroad!course!each!summer,!including!courses!
to!London,!Italy,!and!France/Belgium.!!Students!analyze!a!variety!of!topics!focused!on!
those!regions!while!absorbing!local!culture!and!ways!of!living.!!The!Honors!College!
strongly!encourages!students!to!study!abroad!during! t heir!undergraduate!career.!
A!student!may!earn!up!to!6!Honors!credits!for!a!semester-long!study!abroad!experience!
and!up!to!3!Honors!credits!for!a!summer!study!abroad!experience.!!
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Mentored!Undergraduate!Research!
Students!may!earn!Honors!credit!by!working!with!a!faculty!mentor!to!conduct!research.!
A!mentored!research!project!requires!independent!work!but!the!project!may!be!
designed!and/or!executed!primarily!by!the!supervising!faculty!member.!For!example,!
working!as!a!research!assistant!on!a!faculty!member’s!ongoing!research!project!would!
be!an!appropriate!mentored!research!project.!!
Students!may!complete!one!HNRS!2996!(freshman/sophomore!level)!and!one!HNRS!
3996!(junior/senior!level)!course!in!a!department!for!a!total!of!6!Honors!credits.!!
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Completing!an!Honors!Thesis!
An!Honors!thesis!is!an!extended!piece!of!independent!student!research.!Completing!a!
thesis!is!a!multiple-semester!process.!Students!develop!thesis!proposals!in!HNRS!3500!
and!then!finish!their!theses!under!the!guidance!of!faculty!mentors!in!their!major!areas.!
Students!earn!3!Honors!credits!for!thesis!work!by!enrolling!in!their!department’s!
section!of!Honors!thesis!4951.!Honors!faculty!members!remain!available!to!work!with!
mentors!and!students!as!thesis!committee!members.!Students!defend!their!theses!in!
front!of!their!thesis!committee!and!members!of!the!Honors!College!staff.!!
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Forms!
Guidelines!and!forms!for!non-course!based!Honors!credits!are!available!at:!
http://honors.unt.edu/academics/honors-credits:!
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D.!!!Honors!College!Distinctions!!
Students meeting the criteria for Honors College Awards receive the Honors College medallion
to wear at commencement and have the accomplishment noted on their UNT transcript. !
Academic Distinctions
Honors
Credits
Required
Thesis
Required
Maximum
Contract
Hours
Honors College Scholar Award
18
No
6
Advanced Honors College
Scholar Award (transfer
students only)
12
Yes
3
Distinguished Honors College
Scholar Award
21
Yes
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For all awards, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25. While Honors!College!
membership!status!is!based!on!the!UNT!cumulative!GPA,!Honors!College!awards!and!
transcript!designation!take!into!consideration!all!college!work!a!student!has!
attempted.!Therefore,!work!at!another!university!may!affect!the!award!conferred!by!
the!Honors!College.!
Students may apply up to six hours of Honors study abroad credit toward any award. !
Up to 9 hours of Honors transfer credit completed prior to acceptance into UNT’s Honors
College may be applied toward the Honors College Scholar Award and the Distinguished
Honors College Scholar Award. No transfer credit may be applied toward the Advanced
Honors College Scholar Award.!
The Honors Engagement Award
Students that meet the minimum requirements for an Honors College academic award and
accumulate 100 hours of Honors campus engagement activities via events in the Honors
residence halls and/or Honors College programming will receive the Honors Engagement
Award in conjunction with their academic award. Honors engagement hours must be tracked
at honors.unt.edu. !
E.!Advising!Information!
The!Honors!College!has!dedicated!academic!counselors!for!Honors!College!students.!
Students!can!schedule!an!advising!appointment!with!any!UNT!advisor!at!
https://appointments.unt.edu/ramonline/!
Honors%students%should%see%an%Honors%College%academic%counselor:%
To!formulate!a!four-year!plan!to!achieve!the!level!of!designation!to!which!the!student!
aspires;!
To!discuss!Honors!class!options!for!priority!registration;!
For!assistance!in!getting!into!Honors!cla sses! and!changing!one’s!schedule;!
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To!discuss!Honors!academic!progress;!
To!seek!Honors!academic!clarifications;!
For!answers!to!questions!about!Honors.!
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Honors%students%should%see%a%major%advisor:%
For!overload!approval.!
For!Advising!codes!
For!questions!regarding!non-Honors!classes.!
For!Pass/No!Pass!options!for!non-Honors!classes.!
For!graduation!checks.!
To!discuss!major/minor!academic!progress.!
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Transfer!Credit!Policies!
Honors!transfer!hours!count!only!when!the!course!grade!is!B!or!better!and!the!hours!
are!earned!in!a!program!or!college!that!holds!membership!in!the!National!Collegiate!
Honors!Council.!!!
Once!admitted!to!the!Honors!College,!a!student!may!not!take!Honors!courses!at!
another!institution!to!transfer!back!to!UNT’s!Honors!College.!!
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Course!Duplication!Policy!
Any!Honors!course!duplications!must!be!approved!by!an!Honors!College!academic!
counselor.!Honors!courses!must!be!duplicated!by!the!exact!Honors!course.!It!is!not!
possible!to!duplicate!an!Honors!course!with!a!non-Honors!course!equivalent.!Honors!
duplications!are!allowed!only!when!the!student’s!cumulative!GPA!is!3.25!or!better.!
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Scholarships!
Some!scholarships!require!that!Honors!classes!be!taken!each!semester.!Students!are!
responsible!for!being!aware!of!and!meeting!the!requirements!of!the!scholarships!they!
hold.!The!Honors!College!cannot!alter!scholarship!requirements.!Students!are!expected!
to!adhere!to!the!requirements!of!their!scholarships!and!take!Honors!courses!as!
stipulated.!A!full!listing!of!Honors!Scholarships!can!be!found!on!the!Honors!College!
webpage!(Honors.unt.edu).!To!apply!for!Honors!scholarships!students!need!to!
complete!the!General!Scholarship!Application!by!the!deadline!posted!on!our!website.!
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Graduation!Information!
Graduating!Honors!College!members!will!be!invited!to!an!event!at!which!Honors!
College!medallions!are!presented.!Graduating!seniors!need!to!complete!an!Honors!
College!Graduation!Application!packet.!!The!packet!is!found!on!the!Honors!website,!
Honors.unt.edu>!Current!Students!>!Graduation!Information!>!Graduation!Information!
&!Application.!!
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F.!Special!Honors!College!Opportunities!!
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Honors!Housing!in!Rawlins!Hall!and!Honors!Hall!
Honors!College!members!in!good!standing!are!eligible!to!live!in!Honors!housing.!
Honors!Hall!is!reserved!for!upperclassman.!Students!in!Honors!housing!enjoy!a!
supportive!academic!community!along!with!programs!and!social!activities.!!Rawlins!
Hall!and!Honors!Hall!each!host!a!facul ty-in-residence!(FIR)!who!lives!in!the!residence!
hall.!Faculty-in-residence!host!special!events!for!student s!and!are!available!to!provide!
advice!to!students!on!topics!ranging!from!course!selection!to!how!to!approach!a!
professor!to!discuss!an!issue!important!to!the!student.!!
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Honors!College!Programming!Council!
The!Honors!College!Programming!Council!(HCPC)!works!with!the!Assistant!Director!of!
Student!Life!to!plan,!coordinate,!and!conduct!student!activities!exclusively!for!Honors!
College!students.!The!HCPC!strives!to!create!co-curricular!activities!that!enhance!the!
academic!goals!of!each!student.!!
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Honors!Student!Ambassador!
Honors!Student!Ambassadors!represent!the!Honors!College!at!events!including!
Preview!Days,!Dallas!and!Fort!Worth!high!school!recruitment!nights,!transfer!
orientations,!and!music!auditions.!The!Ambassadors!work!at!the!Honors!College!table!
at!activity!fairs!to!answer!parent!and!student!questions!about!the!Honors!College.!!
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University!Scholars!Day!
Each!spring,!the!Honors!College!sponsors!University!Scholars!Day.!This!event!provides!
undergraduate!students!from!across!UNT!an!opportunity!to!present!their!research.!
University!Scholars!Day!welcomes!submissions!from!all!undergraduates.!
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The!Eagle!Feather:!The!North!Texas!Journal!of!Undergraduate!Research!
Honors!students!and!their!mentors!are!invited!to!submit!journal!length!articles!for!
review!and!possible!publication!in!the! Hon ors!College’s!online!undergraduate!research!
journal,!The%Eagle%Feather.!
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