The Honors College at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) is designed to enrich the educational careers of highly motivated, creative, and dynamic undergraduate students on campus. The core mission of The Honors College is to support an inclusive environment that stimulates critical thinking, interdisciplinary problem-solving, and intellectual curiosity, and a global perspective. These factors will ultimately cultivate a student and faculty community of forever learners. This charge is in direct congruence with UCM’s larger mission of “disseminating knowledge that transforms students into leaders who possess the aptitudes, skills, and confidence to succeed” & its core values of learning, community, diversity, service, opportunity, and excellence.
In conjunction with the National Collegiate Honors Council guidelines, our mission is accomplished through opportunities available only to Honors College students that are, “measurably broader, deeper, or more complex than comparable learning experiences typically found at institutions of higher education.” Such opportunities include:
- Early enrollment privileges as the first students allowed to register for classes
- Up to $2,000 in grants for study abroad and research/creative activities
- Honors-only study and social spaces in Achauer House
- Small, honors-only general education course sections and colloquia capped at 15 students with experiential learning opportunities funded by The Honors College & taught by distinguished UCM faculty
- Honors-only events, including professional development and graduate school readiness activities
- Transcript and graduation recognition
- Leadership opportunities through the Honors College Student Association
- Access to university leadership and high-achieving Honors College alumni
- One-on-one advisement from Honors College faculty and staff, including external scholarship preparation
Admission Criteria
The Honors College considers applications for admission from first-time incoming Freshmen, transfer students, and current UCM students. The requirements for each group are detailed below, but all students should apply on The Honors College website.
First-time, Incoming Freshmen
To be considered for admission to The Honors College, first-time incoming freshmen must first be admitted to UCM and fulfill two of the four entry requirements:
- A minimum unweighted high school GPA of 3.5.
- An ACT minimum score of 25.
- A student-led product addressing how the applicant embodies the mission of the UCM Honors College. The product can take many forms based on the student’s area of study, including, but not limited to: a traditional written essay (around 500 words), a multimedia presentation, and/or a theatrical/artistic performance.
- A letter of recommendation that can speak to how the applicant embodies the mission of the UCM Honors College.
Transfer Students
To be considered for admission to The Honors College, transfer students must first be admitted to UCM and fulfill two of the four entry requirements:
- A minimum cumulative OR content college GPA of 3.25, whichever is higher.
- An ACT minimum score of 25.
- A student-led product addressing how the applicant embodies the mission of the UCM Honors College. The product can take many forms based on the student’s area of study, including, but not limited to: a traditional written essay (around 500 words), a multimedia presentation, and/or a theatrical/artistic performance.
- A letter of recommendation that can speak to how the applicant embodies the mission of the UCM Honors College.
Current Students
To be considered for admission to The Honors College, current UCM students must fulfill two of the four entry requirements:
- A minimum cumulative OR content college GPA of 3.25, whichever is higher.
- An ACT minimum score of 25.
- A student-led product addressing how the applicant embodies the mission of the UCM Honors College. The product can take many forms based on the student’s area of study, including, but not limited to: a traditional written essay (around 500 words), a multimedia presentation, and/or a theatrical/artistic performance.
- A letter of recommendation that can speak to how the applicant embodies the mission of the UCM Honors College.
- All current Honors College students must maintain a 3.25 or higher cumulative OR content GPA, whatever is higher. Students who fall below a 3.25 cumulative AND content GPA for 2 consecutive semesters will be dropped from The Honors College.
- Students who are dropped from The Honors College, can apply for reinstatement if their cumulative OR content GPA returns to a 3.25 or higher.
- Students who are dropped from The Honors College, can also submit an appeal. This appeal can involve any of the following: evidence of other Honors College-related credentials outside of GPA (e.g. leadership in campus activities), a documented hardship (e.g. death in the family), a letter of recommendation from a faculty member who can speak to academic competency outside of GPA. Appeals will be reviewed by the Honors College Advisory Board and may involve a follow up interview. The appeal form can be found on The Honors College website.
Required Honors Courses
HONR 3000 - Honors Colloquium (3)
Honors-only colloquiums are taught by our Faculty Fellows, who are distinguished UCM faculty, as selected through a highly competitive application process. Fellows are highly active in their scholarship and/or creative work, bringing this advanced level of expertise to their classes. Colloquiums represent the pinnacle of that expertise and are selected based on their ability to appeal to a wide range of students with specific experiential learning components. Topics have included Psychology of Time, Women and Crime, The Forensic Psychology of Witness ID, The End of the World, Famous/Infamous Missourians, Shakespeare and Popular Culture, and Microbes in Food, The Holocaust in the Media. Current sections can be found on The Honors College website. A UCM-sponsored study abroad course (3-credit hours or more) can replace this requirement for those students who have not already used this substitution for the Knowledge Area I general education language requirement (see The Honors College website for the substitution form).
HONR 4000 - Honors Project (1-6)
HONR 4000 is an independent study course, which serves as a capstone research or creative project, as pursued under the supervision of a UCM faculty mentor. Honors projects come in all formats and represent all disciplines, but universally exemplify the cumulation of your studies at UCM. A minimum of 3 credit hours is required for all Honors College students, but students may complete these credits over multiple semesters. Students are also allowed to register for up to 6 credit hours of HONR 4000 should the project require it. Meeting times are determined by the faculty member and student. All honors projects require an approved proposal, which can be accessed on The Honors College website, and must be submitted by the first week of classes in which the student wishes to register. Students are also allowed a budget for their project, which provides material support for a broad array of items depending on the discipline and project. These items include, but are not limited to, materials, equipment, software, and travel for conferences, workshops, or fieldwork.
The Honors College is here to support students as they advance through the process and as such, has created several resources to help with project development. Please access the honors project FAQs available here for more information. Honors College faculty and staff are also available to guide students in all stages of the project.
General Education Program Requirements
Honors College students are required to fulfill one of their general equation requirements through an Honors College-only section within any knowledge area. These sections are not necessarily more difficult, but instead are smaller and more “hands-on.” Courses are taught by distinguished UCM faculty, who are active in their respective disciplines, and bring this special knowledge to the classroom. Honors-only general education sections are selected based on the course’s experiential learning components and their ability to appeal to a wide variety of majors behind the topical area. Although contingent on the semester, offerings have included American Government, Basic Genetics, Global Arts and Culture, & Introduction to Geology. Current sections can be found on The Honors College website.
Knowledge Area I
Honors College students have two options for their Knowledge Area I general education requirement.
Option 1
Students take one Literature, one Fine Arts, and one Language Course (not an additional Literature, Fine Arts Class, or Humanities) for their Knowledge Area I general education requirements.
Option 2
Students take one Literature, one Fine Arts, and one additional Literature, Fine Arts or Humanities course for their Knowledge Area I general education requirements AND participate in an UCM-sponsored (3-credit hours or more) study abroad program. This option is only available to students who have not already substituted study abroad for HONR 3000.
For more information contact:
The Honors College
Phone: 660-543-4633
Email: thehonorscollege@ucmo.edu
Website: ucmo.edu/thehonorscollege
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