University Honors Program

Applying to Honors

The Honors Program

Advising

Registration for Classes

Honors Classes

Your Major

About Applying to Honors

What are the requirements to get into the Honors Program?

Most students who qualify for admission have at least a 3.7 high school GPA and an ACT composite score of approximately 27 and/or an SAT verbal/math score of around 1200. Read more about the admission requirements here.

When do I apply to the Honors Program?

If you meet our minimum qualifications, you will be invited to apply to the Honors Program a week or two after you have been accepted to CSU. Strong students with outstanding high school records of academic achievement may be automatically admitted and will receive an acceptance letter within a week or two of acceptance into the university. For more information about the application process go here.

What if I was not invited to apply to the Honors Program?

The Honors Application is available on our website and all submitted applications will be considered.

What are the advantages of participating in the Honors Program?

The Honors Program provides students with many opportunities and resources that are not available to non-Honors students. For more information on these benefits, go here.

What are the requirements to remain in the Honors Program?

You need to maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and make satisfactory progress in completing the Honors course requirements by the end of each academic year to remain in good standing.

May I join the Honors Program my sophomore year or later?

Yes. The Honors Program offers two unique curricular tracks to fit the needs of our students. Transfer and upper-class students typically follow our Track 2 program.

Does the Honors Program provide any scholarships for students?

Yes. The Honors Program offers several different types of scholarships to students throughout their education. Read more about the scholarships available through Honors here.

How much does it cost to join the Honors Program?

There is no additional cost to join the Honors Program.

About the Honors Program

Is the Honors Program difficult?

The Honors Program is designed to challenge and enrich your education by providing a lively, stimulating, learning environment. The content in Honors classes is not harder than regular sections, but the classroom environment is different. There is more discussion and increased interaction with professors.

Do students take Honors courses for all of their classes?

Students typically take one or two Honors courses each semester. A student who completes Track 1 and/or Track 2 and takes advantage of Honors elective courses will complete approximately thirty percent of all academic work in the Honors Program. Read more here.

Can I still graduate in four years?

That depends on your major. If you only have one major there is absolutely no reason why you cannot graduate in four years (or less). The Honors Program will not add coursework that will delay your graduation. Our seminars substitute for some courses in the All University Core Curriculum (AUCC) and the Honors requirements in your major are met through courses you would be taking anyway. However, changing majors, adding a minor or a second major, and studying abroad can all delay your graduation unless you take extra courses each semester or enroll in summer classes. We have many students who graduate in three (or three and a half) years as well.

Are Honors classes harder than regular courses?

Honors courses are enhanced rather than accelerated. They focus on in-depth coverage, active participation, and interactive learning experiences. Honors students' grades in Honors courses are slightly higher on average than grades in their regular courses. Read more about Honors academics here.

How many students are in the Honors Program ?

At the present time, we have approximately 1,400 participants.

Do I have to be in the Honors Program to live in the Academic Village?

The Academic Village includes two completed residence halls with an additional hall scheduled to open in Fall 2009. To be eligible to reside in the Honors building, you need to be accepted into the Honors Program. The Honors Academic Village is reserved for first-year students. The Engineering residence hall is restricted to Engineering majors but the third residence hall is open to students of all majors. All three buildings are filled on a “first come, first serve” basis. Honors also has floors reserved in Edwards Hall, just to the west of the Academic Village. Learn more about the Honors Residential Learning Communities here.

What if I decide the Honors Program is not for me?

We hope that you will never regret your decision to participate in Honors, but if you change your mind, let us know and we will drop you from the program and cancel your Honors scholarship (if applicable). To determine which AUCC categories your completed Honors seminars satisfy, go here.

About Advising

How do I know who my adviser is?

Your adviser may be listed on RAMweb, but if not, call your department and ask if you have been assigned to a specific adviser. We recommend meeting with your adviser several weeks before registration begins, so you can get your advising code and work out the kinks in your schedule before you try to register for classes.

How do I find the requirements for my major?

Check the on-line catalog in RAMweb, go to the website of your major and find the major requirements, or get a checksheet from your adviser or the Honors office. To see the Honors requirements for your major, go here.

Is there Health Professions advising on campus?

The Center for Advising and Student Achievement has four dedicated advisers to assist students who are interested in a human health profession or veterinary medicine. You can make an appointment to meet with a health professions adviser by calling (970)491-7095. They will provide you with information about student clubs, opportunities to volunteer and job shadow, as well as course requirements for admission to a professional program.

The Health Professions advisers are:

Jim Zakely: medicine, physician’s assistant, and podiatry

Ann Bowen: veterinary medicine

Camille Ibbotson: nursing, chiropractic, dental, optometry

Linda Stoddard: physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy

There are student clubs associated with most of these areas.

About Registration for Classes

When do Honors students register for classes?

Except for incoming freshmen (who register at Preview like everybody else), Honors students register on the first day of registration each semester. No need to worry; we will send you an email to let you know when registration begins and to give you the information you will need in order to register. Your exact registration time will be on RAMweb.

How do I prepare to register?

The first step is to complete Registration Ready in RAMweb. Next, meet with your adviser, get your advising code (if you have one) and decide which classes you want to take. If you have any questions, schedule a time to meet with Diane by calling 970-491-5679.

Is there a limit to how many credits I can take?

If you attempt to register for more than 18 credits, you will need a credit overload approval. You can get this from your department adviser or the Honors Office. Plan your schedule in advance of the first day of registration and send an email to Diane.Burton@colostate.edu if you want to take more than 18 credits. It will take a few hours to process, so if you do it in advance, you’ll be covered.

I am having trouble registering for my class. What am I doing wrong?

You will get a clue from the error message you get when your registration does not go through. If you get a "prereq" or "test score error", click on the CRN for the class and the catalog description. That will list any courses you need to take before you can take this one. If you get a “class level restriction” error, this means you do not have enough credits to take the class yet. Some classes are restricted to juniors and seniors. A “major restriction” error means that only specific majors can register for the class. If the error message indicates that additional components are required (very common with lab classes), click on the CRN to determine if specific labs and/or recitation sections need to be taken with your lecture. If all else fails, call the Honors office at (970) 491-5679 or email the Honors office adviser at Diane.Burton@colostate.edu. Chem 111 generally causes the most trouble for new students. In that class, there are restricted lectures (not open to all students) and students MUST register for specific recitations attached to their lecture.

I am trying to register for math and a foreign language class and my registration will not go through. Why not?

This is most likely a prerequisite problem. You need to take the Math Placement Exam (MPE) to register for any math class at CSU (unless you have transfer credit for non-CSU classes or AP/IB credit). Information about the MPE is available on the Math Department website.

You can take any entry foreign language classes you wish without a placement exam (entry level classes are the five-day “105” classes, such as LSPA 105 or LFRE 105). If you want to take a higher level class such as LSPA 107 or LFRE200, you will need to meet the prerequisites either through lower level classes, AP/transfer credit or your placement score on the Foreign Language Placement Exam.

What can I do if a class is full?

You will need an enrollment limit override from the instructor or department. There is no obligation for an instructor to give you an override but many instructors are willing to grant them if you ask politely and explain why you need the class this semester. The best approach is to send the instructor an email, mention that you are an Honors student, state your case and be sure to include your CSUID and the CRN for the class. If you are shy about this, come into the Honors office and ask Diane. She is pretty good at this. Once the instructor has done the override, you will still need to register for the class through RamWeb.

About Honors Classes

How do I know which Honors classes are being offered each semester?

Check the Honors website about a month before registration. We will list the classes and course descriptions for the seminars. Honors sections can also be identified in RAMweb through the section number (201, 220, 230 etc.) and the “Honors” designation that appears in the title. Finally, “Honors” is listed in the Attribute column.

How many Honors classes do I need to take?

You can take as many Honors classes as you wish, but you need to satisfy the Honors requirements in your major (see our website for specific information about major requirements for Track 1 and Track 2 students). Track 1 students normally take eight Honors classes out of the approximate 32 courses generally required for graduation. Track 2 students normally take three or four Honors classes, and complete their thesis in their major. You are certainly encouraged to take the Honors section of a regular class, even if you do not “need” it. Honors classes are smaller, more discussion based, and provide an outstanding classroom environment. Honors classes cover the same material as regular classes but are designated as Honors classes on your transcript.

What is an Honors Option?

Although we wish we could offer an Honors section of every course, we simply do not have the resources to do so. If you need a course to satisfy a requirement in your major, you will want to consider taking the regular course for Honors credit, adding an enrichment component selected by you and the instructor. You do this by following the instructions on the Honors website for the Honors Option. All the information you need is right there, but if you have any questions, just ask someone in the Honors office.

About Your Major

Where do I find the requirements for my major ?

Major requirements are listed in the general catalog and on line at http://www.catalog.colostate.edu. You can also find information about your major on your major department’s website. Another excellent source of information is your academic adviser in your major.

What resources are available to help me decide on a major?

The Center for Advising and Student Achievement (CASA) advises undeclared students and students seeking controlled majors. You can call them at 491-7095 to schedule an appointment with one of their advisers. They also schedule workshops and “Exploring Majors” fairs. The CASA website is an excellent source of information for undeclared students.

How do I change my major?

In general, it is pretty easy to change your major or add a second major. You need to take a Change of Major form to the department that houses the major you desire. These forms are available in the Honors Office, the Registrar’s Office, and most departmental offices.

How do I add a second major, a minor or an Interdisciplinary Studies Program?

You follow the same process; simply bring the Change of Major form to the appropriate department. Note that the College of Business requires students to attend an information session before adding the Business minor.

What is a “controlled major”?

Some majors have certain course and/or GPA requirements you must meet before you are permitted to add that major. Once you meet the requirements, you may add the major. Controlled majors include all engineering majors, business, technical journalism, computer science, landscape architecture, art and music. You can discuss controls with the Honors office staff or with the departmental adviser for those majors.

Biomedical sciences is CSU’s only capped major, which means that only a certain number of students are accepted into the major each year. If you want to change your major to Biomedical Sciences, email Kelly Swetich at Kelly.Swetich@colostate.edu to determine if there is space in the program or what you need to do to get on the wait list for the major.

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