Honors College Distinction

Program Admission and Requirements

Prospective first-time undergraduate students are automatically eligible to take Honors College courses if they have earned a 27+ on their ACT, a 1280 or higher SAT score, or earned a cumulative high school GPA of 3.7 or higher. Current SDSU or transfer students would be automatically eligible to join the Honors College with a 3.2 or higher college GPA. Incoming and current students who do not meet automatic eligibility criteria but wish to be part of the Honors College can apply for admission through the Honors College website.

When a student decides to pursue graduation with Honors College distinction, they submit an Honors College Continuing Enrollment Form and sign the Honors College Student Ethic. At this point, students are officially enrolled as Honors College students, the Honors advisor is added as an advisor to their program, and their coursework is audited each semester to ensure progress toward requirements for graduation with Honors College distinction and eligibility for priority registration. Students complete 24 credits of Honors coursework integrated into their academic requirements and must earn a 3.5 cumulative grade point average upon graduation. Students must receive a grade of C or better in a course in order for a course to count toward the student’s Honors graduation requirements. 

Students enrolled in SDSU’s Honors College are granted priority registration if they are meeting the established Honors progression standards. This privilege is provided to allow students to meet the academic requirements of their major while also fulfilling unique scheduling demands associated with graduating with Honors College distinction. Priority registration is intended only for students who are committed to pursuing graduation with Honors College distinction.

Each semester, the Honors College office will conduct an audit of students’ academic progress to determine eligibility for priority registration. Students intending to graduate with Honors College distinction who do not meet the progression standards will not be granted priority registration for that term. However, they are still part of the Honors College and are encouraged to work toward these standards to earn priority registration in future semesters. 

Eligibility for priority registration will be based on the following progression standards:

1. Students must have an Honors Continued Enrollment Form on file in order to be eligible for priority registration.
2. Honors credit and GPA requirements are as follows:

*Current Semester refers only to fall and spring semesters. Summers are excluded.

Students are in good standing if they are meeting the Honors College progression standards. Students who fail to meet progression standards for two consecutive semesters will no longer be in good standing within the Honors College. These students will be required to meet with the Honors advisor during the semester they lose good standing and demonstrate progress toward meeting the Honors progression standards. If students fail to complete these steps, their enrollment in the Honors College will be ended. Students who are unenrolled from the Honors College voluntarily or because of the good standing policy are always welcome to reapply in the future if they are meeting the eligibility criteria or through the application process.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates from the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College will demonstrate excellence in the following student learning outcomes:

• Effectively communicate ideas and beliefs with clarity, civility, and respect.
• Analyze and integrate multiple sources of information and demonstrate applications of critical thinking.
• Articulate personal values, beliefs, and self-identity.
• Articulate the value of diversity, inclusion, and equity.
• Demonstrate professionalism in a variety of contexts.

Requirements for Honors College Distinction: 24 Credits

Students can earn Honors College distinction by completing the required coursework below and earning a 3.5 cumulative grade point average upon graduation. The Applied Thinking and Innovation Minor  can also serve as a pathway for students to earn Honors College distinction. Students who complete the minor would need to complete an additional 6 credits of Honors coursework from any of the options below and earn a 3.5 cumulative grade point average upon graduation in order to graduate with Honors College distinction.

• HON 383 - Honors Colloquium Credits: 1-3 (Minimum of 3 credits required)

• or HON 482 - Travel Studies Credits: 1-3  (Minimum of 3 credits required)
  Honors Colloquium courses are exciting, multidisciplinary courses focused on teaching material that is both relevant and contemporary. Topics vary from semester to semester, and the purpose of the course is to emphasize higher order thinking skills, as well as oral and written communication skills. Travel study courses are connected to a travel or study abroad experience. These courses allow students to learn more about another part of the world and then experience the things they learn about first-hard through traveling to that location.

• HON 498 - Research (COM) Credits: 1-12 (Minimum of 2 credits required)

• Students conduct original research, creative work, or scholarly activity under the direction of a faculty mentor to fulfill this requirement. The project is accompanied by an academic paper and a presentation in a public venue. Students can enroll in HON 498 or approved credits through another department.

• Honors Designated Coursework Credits: 0-19
  Students can enroll in Honors sections of courses needed for university and major/minor requirements. These Honors sections feature smaller classes, outstanding faculty, and more in-depth discussion and activities. 
• Honors Contracted Coursework Credits: 0-19
  Students are able to contract a non-Honors course by working with the faculty member on a supplemental project that allows the student to engage more with the course material. Once the contract is completed, the student earns Honors credit for the course.
• Experiential Learning Credits: 0-6
  Students can earn Honors credit for the following experiences as long as the student is also enrolled in academic credit for the experience. A maximum of 3 credits will be applied toward Honors graduation requirements for a single experience. Students can complete the same type of experience twice (for up to 3 credits each).
  - Graduate-level coursework as an undergraduate student
  - Non-Honors study abroad/travel study
  - Internship* 
  - Non-Honors teaching assistant/research assistant credit*
  - Student teaching/practicum*
  *Requires additional reflection incorporating the Honors College values

• Honors Enrichment Credits: 0-6
  Students can earn Honors credit through several Honors leadership experiences and enrichment programs. Students must be enrolled in academic credit (HON 495 or similar) and complete the necessary reflection incorporating the Honors College values in order to earn credit toward their Honors graduation requirements. Opportunities for Honors enrichment credit include:
  - Honors program participation (i.e. First Year Fellowship)*
  - Honors organization leadership (HCSO officer, peer mentor program coordination, etc.)*
  - Honors undergraduate teaching assistant (TA)*
  - Honors conference attendance & presentation*
  *Requires additional reflection incorporating the Honors College values

Total Required Credits: 24