what counts as a unc honors course

by Zelda Fay 7 min read

Honors Carolina students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.000 or higher and complete a minimum number of honors credit hours by graduation in order to receive the “Honors Carolina Laureate” distinction on their transcript. More than 200 honors courses are offered each year.

Courses that are more experimental or that cross disciplinary boundaries may be offered with an HNRS number managed by Honors Carolina. In all cases, instructors' home departments receive enrollment credit for honors courses. Honors Carolina students register for honors courses during a priority registration period.

Full Answer

How do I graduate with honors at UNC-Chapel Hill?

Home / Undergraduate Program / Honors. Global Studies majors who wish to graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill with honors or highest honors must complete a senior honors thesis. Junior Global Studies majors with a minimum GPA in the major of 3.5 and cumulative GPA of 3.3 are eligible to apply (see eligibility note below).

What does honors Carolina want from its students?

We want and expect our students to be committed to living a life of the mind. Some enrolling first-year students are invited to participate immediately in Honors Carolina. Other students may apply to the program at the beginning of their second semester or first year of study.

Who can take Honors courses?

Honors courses are open to all academically qualified students on a space-available basis. Honors Carolina offers programs and resources to help students explore their interests, prepare for life after graduation, and connect with students, faculty, alumni, and leaders around the globe.

When can I apply to honors Carolina?

Some enrolling first-year students are invited to participate immediately in Honors Carolina. Other students may apply to the program at the beginning of their second semester or first year of study.

What is UNC honors Program?

Honors Carolina is a remarkable collection of courses, special events, and learning opportunities geared toward the top students at Carolina. It is the University's way of investing in truly exceptional undergraduate students by providing challenges and opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom.

What are Honor level classes?

Honors classes are a step above regular classes. They are more in-depth on a subject and usually move at a faster pace. Additionally, they are more demanding in terms of preparation, time, and studying. Teachers typically expect more out of students when they are taking an honors class.

What is honors Carolina at UNC Chapel Hill?

Honors Carolina connects exceptional students who share a passion for learning with renowned faculty who love teaching. The program opens the door to everything one of the world's top public research universities has to offer. Study in cities around the globe. Work with faculty mentors on ground-breaking research.

What is special with UNC honors Program?

Honors Carolina offers more than a dozen ways to go global — including internships, fellowships, research opportunities, and study abroad programs — that immerse students in new cultures and new ways of learning.

Do honors classes raise your GPA?

Yes. Honors classes often boost your GPA by 0.5 points. Finishing with a 3.5 GPA in an honors course could equate to a 4.0 GPA in a regular course.

Are honors and advanced classes the same?

Again, this varies by school, but usually, AP courses are weighted an extra point, (so an A would be a 5.0 or a 4.0 scale), while honors courses are weighted an extra half-point (an A equalling a 4.5) or not weighted at all.

How do I know if I got into honors Carolina?

CHECK YOUR MYCAROLINA PORTAL If you are invited to join Honors Carolina, you will have a notice in your MyCarolina portal indicating your selection once admissions decisions are released.

Can non honors students take honors classes at UNC?

Honors Carolina students register for honors courses during a priority registration period. Other students who have at least a 3.0 GPA may enroll in honors courses on a space-available basis during the regular registration process.

How do you graduate with honors at UNC?

To graduate “with Distinction” or “with Highest Distinction” a student must have completed at least 45 academic hours at UNC-CH and have obtained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 and 3.8 respectively.

How many students get into honors Carolina?

More than 200 students each year are introduced to Honors Carolina this way.

How many people get honors Carolina?

More than 200 students each year are introduced to Honors Carolina courses this way. View courses.

What are the advantages of honors Carolina?

Honors Carolina offers more than a dozen global programs — including internships, fellowships, research opportunities, and study abroad programs — that immerse students in new cultures and new ways of learning.

What happens if your GPA is below 3.0?

If the student’s GPA remains below 3.0, they will be removed from the program. Students can earn half of the Honors Carolina credit hours needed for graduation through an Honors Study Abroad program or Burch Field Research Seminar. Academics. Honors Carolina Laureate. Program Requirements.

Is Honors Carolina a Laureate?

Honors Carolina has high standards for students who join our program. Students who meet these requirements before graduation will be designated an Honors Carolina Laureate in the commencement bulletin and on their academic transcripts.

What is honors Carolina?

Honors Carolina is a remarkable collection of courses, special events, and learning opportunities geared toward the top students at Carolina. It is the University’s way of investing in truly exceptional undergraduate students by providing challenges and opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom. Honors Carolina is more than honorific.

What do you need to graduate with honors?

To graduate from the University with honors or highest honors, students must complete a senior thesis in their academic major. Senior honors thesis programs are offered in nearly 50 departments, curricula, and professional schools throughout the University. Interested students should consult with the honors advisor in their major about department-specific requirements.

How many credit hours are there for honors study abroad?

Honors Study Abroad Programs (6-12 Credit Hours) Travel to Cape Town, London, or Rome through the Honors Study Abroad program and earn up to 12 Honors credit hours. Learn more about Honors Study Abroad programs.

Can you earn credit for a non-honors research course?

Earn credit for participating in a faculty member’s ongoing research project or enrolling in a non-Honors research course (see approved list below). Students participating in a faculty member’s ongoing research must submit a proposal to Honors Carolina for approval.

Can you get honors credit for a graduate degree?

Successfully complete a graduate-level course (those typically restricted to graduate students and requiring special permission for undergraduates to register). The courses below have been pre-approved to earn honors program credit as long as the student is earning a permanent letter grade (no pass/fail). To apply for credit for courses not on the list below, please submit a proposal to Honors Carolina for approval.

What is Honors Carolina?

Honors Carolina offers financial awards to support senior honors thesis research. There are two funding cycles per year, with proposal deadlines in Fall and Spring. The March funding cycle makes funding awards to students whose projects are sufficiently well-planned that they could begin work over the summer before their senior year. Award funds may be used to support any legitimate cost directly connected to the undertaking of the honors project. Students must meet the honors minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 3.3 to apply for an award. Projects with an international dimension may qualify for a supplemental award of up to $500 from the Center for Global Initiatives.

What is the first task for a prospective honors student?

The first task for a prospective honors student is to identify a thesis topic. Students are encouraged to consider integrating a study abroad into honors work, as it provides an excellent opportunity for research that can be used for an honors thesis.

When do honors students submit their prospectus?

Once a topic and adviser have been identified, the prospective honors student must submit a two–three page prospectus in the spring of their junior year.

Who can be a thesis adviser at UNC Chapel Hill?

Once a topic has been chosen, the next step is to identify a POTENTIAL thesis adviser. Any member of the UNC-Chapel Hill faculty is eligible to serve as a thesis adviser, as are retired faculty and post-doctoral fellows. Graduate students cannot serve as advisers. While the thesis adviser may come from any department at UNC, the adviser’s area of expertise should be consistent with the topic of the student’s thesis. Our joint faculty and our affiliate faculty represent a broad range of global expertise. The Center for Global Initiatives maintains a searchable database of faculty with international research experience . You do not need your identified faculty member to have agreed to serve as your adviser at this point.

How many credits are there in GLBL 691H?

The year-long honors seminar is composed of two 3-credit courses: GLBL 691H (taken in the fall of students’ senior year) and GLBL 692H (taken in the spring of students’ senior year). Students may receive three hours of major credit (as either a theme or area course) for GLBL 692H if they request and the thesis is appropriate to the theme or area for which they’re trying to receive credit. GLBL 691H only counts as elective credit. The seminar director expects each student to produce a rough draft of about two-thirds of the thesis in the first semester. The second semester will be devoted to finishing the rough draft, rewriting, and finalizing the thesis, as well as preparing for the oral defense of the thesis. The oral defense must be completed by early April for May graduates; the exact deadline will be provided to students enrolled in the seminar. The defense will take place before the student’s honors committee, composed of his or her adviser and a second reader. The committee will determine whether the student should receive highest honors, honors, or course credit only.

Eligibility

This opportunity is available to any 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year member of Honors Carolina. Students must submit a proposal using the form below. Proposals will route directly to the course instructor for initial approval and to the Honors Carolina office for final approval.

Available Courses

Students may design an Honors Contract for any non-honors course in which they are currently enrolled, assuming the course is not on the list of excluded course types below. Honors Contracts may not be applied retroactively.

Deadline for Spring 2022 Proposals

Completed proposal forms must be submitted online and approved by the professor by Monday, January 31 at 12:00 noon Eastern Time. Students will be notified of the status of their proposal by Monday, February 7.

What is the honor code?

The Honor Code. The Honor System forms a bond of trust among students, faculty, and administrators. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill operates under a system of self-governance, as students are responsible for governing themselves.

How to report a violation of the Honor Code?

Members of the University community who wish to report possible violations of the Honor Code should contact the Office of Student Conduct at (919) 962-0805 or fill out the online form. The Office of Student Conduct will review the report and refer it to the appropriate Student Attorney General for action.

What are mutual responsibilities of faculty and students?

Both have a fundamental investment in the enterprise and both must share responsibility for ensuring its integrity. In relation to the Honor Code, therefore, specific responsibilities of the faculty which parallel ...

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Honors Study Abroad Programs

Burch Field Research Seminars

Dunlevie Honors Colloquium

Honors Contract

Honors Carolina Fellowships

Faculty-Mentored Research

  • Earn credit for participating in a faculty member’s ongoing research project or enrolling in a non-Honors research course (see approved list below). Students participating in a faculty member’s ongoing research must submit a proposalto Honors Carolina for approval. Students automatically earn program credit for enrollment in the following courses; ...
See more on honorscarolina.unc.edu

Graduate-Level Coursework

Non-Honors Study Abroad Programs