Honors Program

"Liberal arts education encourages you to appreciate and expand your idea of what it means to be human in different ways. Those tools are indispensable in this day and age."
France Córdova
President, Purdue University

Graduating with Full Honors

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How do I graduate with Full Honors?

To graduate with Full Honors, a student must first apply to the Honors Program, and maintain a cumulative Purdue GPA of 3.3/4.0 or better. Students must also take a minimum of 24 credit hours in Honors (8 courses) over four years, fulfilling the distribution requirements designated on the Honors Program Guideline. Students must receive at least a B in each of the honors courses. Some students may find that to graduate with Full Honors, they need to take two or more Honors courses in a given semester (particularly Transfer students and students studying for a year abroad). The Honors Office will work directly with all students to help them achieve this goal in the best way possible.

What is the Honors Program Guidelines?

The Honors Program Guidelines is the document listing distribution requirements established by the faculty Honors Committee for graduation with College Honors. It does not designate specific courses, but specifies general educational patterns which Honors work is expected to follow. (Students are expected, for example, to take courses in at least three different departments; take two Honors courses at the 400-level or above and/or one at the 300 level or above; and four Honors courses outside their major). Program Guidelines and Tracking Sheets are available from the Honors Office and from academic advisors, or on this web site. Students are advised to consult with the Honors Office regularly about their progress.

What if I decide not to graduate with College Honors?

If you do not intend to apply to teh Honors Program and graduate with College Honors, you may still continue to take Honors courses. Many of our students find that the requirements of their majors and their work schedules prohibit completion of all the requirements on the Program Guidelines. We encourage eligible students, however, to continue with Honors courses. Honors courses are specially designated on the transcript, so that any professional school or employer in the future can see at a glance the Honors work taken. Regular work in Honors is a clear indication that you have been consistently interested in excellence and challenge.



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