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:

ENG 112Honors Composition and Rhetoric3
MAT 167Calculus with Analytic Geometry I5
PHY 210University Physics I5

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 

BIO 101Principles of Biology4
BIO 105Principles of Organismal Biology4
CHE 101Introductory Chemistry4
CHE 111General Chemistry I5
COM 104Oral Communication3
ENG 112Honors Composition and Rhetoric3
EXS 101Fitness and Wellness3
HIS 200Ancient and Medieval Civilization3
or HIS 210 Early Modern Europe
HUM 203Humanities: Ancient and Medieval3
or HUM 204 Humanities: Middle Ages to the French Revolution
or HUM 205 Humanities: American Revolution to the Present
MAT 167Calculus with Analytic Geometry I5
MUS 101Perspectives in Music3
PHY 104Introduction to Astronomy4
PHY 210University Physics I5
PSY 101General Psychology3
REL 250Religions of East Asia and Oceania3
or REL 251 Religions of the West
or REL 252 Religions of South Asia and Africa

Fall of Odd-Numbered Years

BIO 101Principles of Biology4
BIO 105Principles of Organismal Biology4
CHE 101Introductory Chemistry4
CHE 111General Chemistry I5
COM 104Oral Communication3
ENG 112Honors Composition and Rhetoric3
ETC 200Introduction to Technical Communication3
EXS 101Fitness and Wellness3
GEO 100World Geography3
HIS 140American History to 18653
HUM 203Humanities: Ancient and Medieval3
or HUM 204 Humanities: Middle Ages to the French Revolution
or HUM 205 Humanities: American Revolution to the Present
MAT 167Calculus with Analytic Geometry I5
MUS 101Perspectives in Music3
PHY 104Introduction to Astronomy4
PHY 210University Physics I5
PSY 101General Psychology3
PSY 240Life-Span Developmental Psychology3
REL 250Religions of East Asia and Oceania3
or REL 251 Religions of the West
or REL 252 Religions of South Asia and Africa

Spring of Even-Numbered Years 

CHE 111General Chemistry I5
COM 104Oral Communication3
ECO 101Current Issues in the Economy3
ENG 112Honors Composition and Rhetoric3
EXS 101Fitness and Wellness3
GEO 160Physical Geography4
HIS 210Early Modern Europe3
or HIS 230 Modern Europe: 1789 to the Present
MAT 167Calculus with Analytic Geometry I5
PHL 230Ethics3
PHY 107Introduction to Physics4
PSC 101American National Government3

Spring of Odd-Numbered Years

ART 100Introduction to Art3
CHE 101Introductory Chemistry4
CHE 111General Chemistry I5
COM 104Oral Communication3
ENG 112Honors Composition and Rhetoric3
EXS 101Fitness and Wellness3
HIS 150American History since 18653
MAT 167Calculus with Analytic Geometry I5
PHL 230Ethics3
PHY 107Introduction to Physics4
PSC 101American National Government3
SOC 110Introduction to Sociology3
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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 1 credit hour of UNV 201 (Community Service Learning).
  4. Maintain A or B in all courses (and CR for UNV 201) to count toward Honors in the Major.
  5. 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.
  6. Complete a major research project or creative work in conjunction with the two courses.
  7. 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.