Honors Program
Dedicated to academic excellence, the nationally affiliated Honors Program at Missouri Western State University offers an enriched educational experience for the exceptional student. The program is designed for individuals who enjoy learning and whose personal goals emphasize the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. Ultimately, the program provides rigorous training in preparation for a professional career. Goals of the Honors Program are to foster the growth of intellectual inquiry, inquiry, independence, and initiative within honors participants with an array of learning experiences. These include special courses, colloquia, and independent research and study. All Honors Program activities are challenging, stimulating, and distinct.
Students wishing to participate in the Honors Program must complete an application available at www.missouriwestern.edu/Honors and meet the admission and maintenance requirements:
Incoming Students - Students may apply with minimum ACT composite score or superscore of 26 and unweighted high school GPA of 3.5 or top 10% of class. Students are admitted after review of the application by the Honors Director and/or Honors Committee. Students must maintain a 3.25 to remain in good standing with the Honors Program.
Current Students and Transfer Students - Students may apply with a minimum GPA of 3.5 based on at least 15 hours of college-level coursework at MWSU or other accredited university. Students are admitted after review of the application by the Honors Director and/or Honors Committee. Students with more than 32 hours of college credit may only be considered for Majors Honors. Students must maintain a 3.25 GPA to remain in good standing with the Honors Program. Honors students may earn General Studies Honors and/or Majors Honors, as specified below.
General Studies Honors
To earn General Studies Honors, a student must:
- Complete 12 credit hours of honors-designated courses (General Studies Honors courses or Honors Colloquia);
- HON 195 for 2 credits and HON 395 for 2 credits;
- 2 credits of UNV 201 (Community Service Learning);
- Maintain A or B in all honors courses (and CR for UNV 201);
- Maintain good standing (overall GPA of 3.25);
- Complete all honors coursework from faculty at Missouri Western.
Total 18 hours
General Studies Honors Courses
The courses listed below are always considered honors, regardless of section number:
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
ENG 112 | Honors Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
MAT 167 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
PHY 210 | University Physics I | 5 |
The following three-year cycle of general studies courses ensures that courses from the various categories and subcategories of the General Studies Program are available to the students. Courses from the General Studies Honors Program will be available at least once in every four-year cycle. Highly enrolled courses are offered each year. Honors sections are indicated with a section number in the 80's, such as EXS 101-80.
Fall of Even-Numbered Years
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
BIO 101 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
BIO 105 | Principles of Organismal Biology | 4 |
CHE 101 | Introductory Chemistry | 4 |
CHE 111 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
COM 104 | Oral Communication | 3 |
ENG 112 | Honors Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
EXS 101 | Fitness and Wellness | 3 |
HIS 200 | Ancient and Medieval Civilization | 3 |
or HIS 210 | Early Modern Europe | |
HUM 203 | Humanities: Ancient and Medieval | 3 |
or HUM 204 | Humanities: Middle Ages to the French Revolution | |
or HUM 205 | Humanities: American Revolution to the Present | |
MAT 167 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
MUS 101 | Perspectives in Music | 3 |
PHY 104 | Introduction to Astronomy | 4 |
PHY 210 | University Physics I | 5 |
PSY 101 | General Psychology | 3 |
REL 250 | Religions of East Asia and Oceania | 3 |
or REL 251 | Religions of the West | |
or REL 252 | Religions of South Asia and Africa |
Fall of Odd-Numbered Years
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
BIO 101 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
BIO 105 | Principles of Organismal Biology | 4 |
CHE 101 | Introductory Chemistry | 4 |
CHE 111 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
COM 104 | Oral Communication | 3 |
ENG 112 | Honors Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
ETC 200 | Introduction to Technical Communication | 3 |
EXS 101 | Fitness and Wellness | 3 |
GEO 100 | World Geography | 3 |
HIS 140 | American History to 1865 | 3 |
HUM 203 | Humanities: Ancient and Medieval | 3 |
or HUM 204 | Humanities: Middle Ages to the French Revolution | |
or HUM 205 | Humanities: American Revolution to the Present | |
MAT 167 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
MUS 101 | Perspectives in Music | 3 |
PHY 104 | Introduction to Astronomy | 4 |
PHY 210 | University Physics I | 5 |
PSY 101 | General Psychology | 3 |
PSY 240 | Life-Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
REL 250 | Religions of East Asia and Oceania | 3 |
or REL 251 | Religions of the West | |
or REL 252 | Religions of South Asia and Africa |
Spring of Even-Numbered Years
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
CHE 111 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
COM 104 | Oral Communication | 3 |
ECO 101 | Current Issues in the Economy | 3 |
ENG 112 | Honors Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
EXS 101 | Fitness and Wellness | 3 |
GEO 160 | Physical Geography | 4 |
HIS 210 | Early Modern Europe | 3 |
or HIS 230 | Modern Europe: 1789 to the Present | |
MAT 167 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
PHL 230 | Ethics | 3 |
PHY 107 | Introduction to Physics | 4 |
PSC 101 | American National Government | 3 |
Spring of Odd-Numbered Years
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
ART 100 | Introduction to Art | 3 |
CHE 101 | Introductory Chemistry | 4 |
CHE 111 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
COM 104 | Oral Communication | 3 |
ENG 112 | Honors Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
EXS 101 | Fitness and Wellness | 3 |
HIS 150 | American History since 1865 | 3 |
MAT 167 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
PHL 230 | Ethics | 3 |
PHY 107 | Introduction to Physics | 4 |
PSC 101 | American National Government | 3 |
SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
or SOC 120 | General Anthropology |
Majors Honors
Honors students with a 3.50 or higher GPA may pursue Majors Honors (honors within their major or discipline), solely, or in addition to General Studies Honors. Students are requested to contact their academic advisor and chairperson for information about Majors Honors within their discipline.
A student who is intending to achieve Majors Honors at MWSU must:
- Indicate intention by completing the Majors Honors Approval Form (available on the honors webpage) with his or her faculty mentor/research advisor, and submitting it to the Honors Program office (Spratt 202) for approval.
- If pursuing only Majors Honors: Complete HON 395 for 2 credits, with a grade of A or B. If pursuing both General Studies Honors and Majors Honors: Complete both HON 195 and HON 395, with a grade of A or B.
- 1 credit hour of UNV 201 (Community Service Learning).
- Maintain A or B in all courses (and CR for UNV 201) to count toward Honors in the Major.
- Complete two designated three-credit upper-division courses, with research component, in his or her major department, attaining a grade of A or B in each. These upper-division courses do not have to be the same for every student who elects Majors Honors in that department. The student must have approval from the supervising faculty member, department and honors director.
- Complete a major research project or creative work in conjunction with the two courses.
- After completion, submit the Majors Honors Progress Report (available on the honors webpage) along with a copy of the completed research project that has been (or will be) presented at a regional/national venue or submitted for publication.
Total: 24 hours (General Studies Honors plus Honors in the Major):
12 hours general studies honor credits
4 hours Honors Colloquia (HON 195 for 2 credits and HON 395 for 2 credits)
2 credits of UNV 201 (Community Service Learning)
6 hours of upper-level majors courses (with department/honors approval)
or
9 hours (Honors in the Major Only):
2 hours Honors Colloquia (HON 395 for 2 credits)
1 credit of UNV 201 (Community Service Learning)
6 hours of upper-level majors courses (with department/honors approval)
The Honors Office will verify successful completion of General Studies Honors and Majors Honors to the Registrar’s Office. These designations will appear on the student’s official transcript. Students must have at least a 3.25 GPA for the award of General Studies Honors, and a 3.5 GPA for the award of Majors Honors.
HON 195 Honors Colloquium Credits: 2
Typically Offered: Fall.
Course Description: A selected topics course designed for students participating in General Studies Honors. Elements of General Studies courses will be interrelated. This course is restricted to first semester freshmen accepted into the Honors Program.
HON 395 Honors Colloquium Credits: 2
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
Course Description: A selected topics course designed for students participating in Majors or Interdisciplinary Honors. Elements of General Studies will be interrelated. This course may be repeated for credit.
HON 490 Honors Research Credits: 1-3
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
Course Description: Original student research in a discipline or combined disciplines. Students enrolled in this course must be working toward Majors Honors. This course cannot be used in disciplines where research courses already exist. Prerequisite(s): Junior or senior standing and consent of instructor and Honors Director.