The Honors College is an undergraduate learning community, with up to 100 academic scholarships awarded to incoming freshmen each year. While Honors students major and minor in degrees offered through the other academic colleges, they take roughly half their core courses in Honors sections, attend a series of colloquia within the Honors College, and complete a capstone project. Classes are a key part to the learning experience, but the College also emphasizes learning opportunities that exist outside of the classroom. All incoming freshmen are required to live at least one year in Honors housing, and  on- and off-campus programs provide additional educational and experiential opportunities.

For students who are not in the Honors College, the Honors Scholar Program provides opportunities to take courses in the Honors sections and engage in high level creative and critical thinking and research. The Honors Scholar Program provides students with some of the same academic benefits and requirements as the Honors College and allows them to graduate with honors. Students may apply for the Honors Scholars  program any time after completing a minimum of 24 SCH of undergraduate classes. Contact the Honors College at 903-468-3001 or email honorscollege@tamuc.edu for more information.

Admission

Student apply to the Honors College during their senior year of high school and are admitted into the College in their first (freshman) year at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Admission is only available to students who are entering college directly following their high school graduation. Application to the Honors College is a two-step process. First, students receive a score based on their class rank at time of application, standardized test scores (composite, not super scores) or application video, and essay. If an applicant’s score meets basic qualifications, they move to the interview stage of the process, with Honors staff and Council members. (Note: If a student has taken both the ACT and SAT, only the higher of the two composite scores will be used in the score calculation).

Honors Probation

Upon admission, Honors students are required to maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA. Students whose cumulative GPA falls between 3.0 and 3.29 will be assigned Honors probationary status, which provides the student time to raise the GPA while continuing to enjoy the benefits of the Honors College. An exception is allowed for first-semester freshmen.

Service Requirements

In addition to course requirements, Honors College students are also required to give back to the University, local, or county area through a minimum of 96 documented hours of voluntary community service. Each semester five of those hours must be fulfilled through opportunities specific to the Honors College (e.g. helping with HC events, providing tours to prospective students, etc.) Off-campus service opportunities must be approved by the Dean of Honors in order to count toward fulfillment of this requirement.  

Pathways to Honors Graduation

Successful defense of an Honors Thesis. The thesis experience strengthens a student’s research and critical thinking skills, along with improving writing and oral presentation skills. Completing the thesis is required of all students who receive the full scholarship, and it is the default option if student is not chosen for the Study Abroad or Internship capstone experiences.  Students who successfully defend an Honors Thesis are eligible for all three levels of Honors (i.e., Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors).

Travel abroad experience. International travel can be a life-changing experience that allows students to see the world from other perspectives and develop problem-solving skills. The Honors College offers two accepted pathways for completing this requirement:

(a) Traveling internationally with the annual class directed by the Honors College office. This trip lasts approximately 3 weeks and occurs during the summer, concurrent with HC 497—Special Topics: Study Abroad. The optimal time for this trip is after the student’s second year of college. Partial funding for approximately 20 students is available, and students must apply for one of these spots at the end of the first year of college. The application process is competitive, and a spot on the trip is not guaranteed. A public display of accumulated knowledge is required to receive credit, which will occur in HC 401, Senior Seminar.

(b) Semester study abroad through a recognized program or at an accredited university. Students who pursue this path must receive approval from the Honors College before the trip in order to ensure it will count toward the capstone requirement and graduation with Honors. A public display of accumulated knowledge is required to receive credit, which will occur in HC 401, Senior Seminar.

Internship experience. Internships are yet another high-impact educational practice, allowing students to hone problem solving abilities and develop marketable skills. Students can fulfill this requirement through the following pathways:

(a) Honors College-sponsored internship. Each semester the Honors College will provide funding for up to 20 university departments to employ interns. Departments compete for this opportunity and must ensure that student are provided meaningful, project-based assignments during their internship.

(b) Department/University approved internship. In some cases, Honors students can secure internship through their academic departments or through the Career Development office. Prior approval from the Honors College is required to count toward the capstone requirement and graduation with Honors. A public display of accumulated knowledge is required to receive credit, which will occur in HC401, Senior Seminar.

Recognition

Honors graduates receive recognition for their academic and service excellence at a reception prior to graduation, and they receive special recognition at the graduation ceremony itself. In addition, the level of honors a student earns (i.e., Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors) is noted on the graduate's diploma and transcript.

Honors Scholar Program

Students who are admitted to the University but did not apply for (or gain admittance to) the Honors College as high-schoolers may still graduate with an Honors designation on their diploma and transcript from Texas A&M University-Commerce through the Honors Scholar Program. The program requirements include:

1. Completion of two Honors courses of 3 semester hours each (see the Honors Advisor to receive permission to enroll in one of these courses).
2. Completion of HC 300, Thesis Seminar (one semester hour).
3. Completion of HC 491, Honors Reading and HC490, Honors Thesis courses (three semester hours each. Students must successfully write and orally defend their thesis in order to graduate with the appropriate level of Honors (Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors). Completion of an Honors Thesis is the only pathway to graduation with Honors for students in the Honors Scholars program.
4. Maintain a minimum 3.3 GPA at the time of graduation

Students interested in entering the Honors Scholar Program should consult with the Dean of the Honors College. For additional information, visit the Honors Web Page at https://www.tamuc.edu/honors-college/.

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