Honors Program Requirements
GPA Requirements
- Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 in Honors coursework and an overall GPA of at least 3.25.
- Students must complete at least three hours of Honors credit every academic year.To Graduate with Distinction as a University Honors Scholar
Complete a minimum of 21 hours of credit in Honors courses, which must include the Honors Capstone Course
Most honors credits will be earned in Public Liberal Arts Core Experience (PLACE) courses, such as Honors First Year Seminar, Honors Humanities, and Honors Language 120.
Students may also earn honors credits using honors contracts in upper-level courses, and students can request to count up to 8 hours of study abroad credits as honors credits. Students interested in using study abroad credit should consult with the Director of the Honors Program.
Graduates earning Distinction as a University Honors Scholar are eligible to wear the white Honors stole at Commencement.
To Graduate with Recognition as an Honors Scholar
Complete a minimum of 11 hours of credit in Honors courses.
Recognition as an Honors Scholar is intended for transfer students who might not have as much time to complete the rigorous requirements for Distinction as a University Honors Scholar. Participants on this track are still considered full members of the Honors Program.
Graduates earning Recognition as an Honors Scholar are eligible to wear the green Honors cord at Commencement.
Honors Program Course Election Guide
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HON HUM 214: Honors Humanities II (4 hrs)
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Optional – Honors Foris
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HON HUM 324: Honors Humanities III (4 hrs)
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Optional – Undergraduate Research
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Optional – Honors Foris
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HON 495: Honors Colloquium (1 hr) or HON LA 478: Cultivating Global Citizenship
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Optional – Undergraduate Research
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Optional – Honors Foris
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Earn up to 6 HON hours from non-UNC Asheville study abroad
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Earn up to 9 HON hours from faculty-led study abroad
Use a course contract of Special Topics course to earn honors credit for a course in your major
To Remain in Good Standing
A student whose overall GPA falls below the thresholds will have one semester in which to raise the GPA to the minimum level. If, after one semester, the GPA remains below the thresholds, the student may request a waiver from the Director of the Honors Program to remain in the program.
To remain in good standing with the Honors Program, students must meet the criteria listed above. Ordinarily, students not meeting these requirements will have one semester after falling below the standards to comply. In special cases, the Director of the Honors Program will regularly assess the standing of students who make significant progress toward compliance. Students who remain in noncompliance with no progress after one semester will be suspended from the program and will have to reapply for admission into the Honors Program.
Ready for What's Next?
Take on the world through immersive scholarship and genuine community in the Honors Program at UNC Asheville. We welcome self-motivated learners, challenge-seeking creatives, and service-oriented innovators to dedicate their talents to research and academic excellence that advances our community and our world.