Honors College

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 Purpose and Focus

The Honors College plays a central role in UNLV’s educational mission. It is a selective undergraduate college that offers a unique liberal arts and sciences experience for high-achieving and highly motivated students. Coupled with the extensive research and cultural opportunities of a large urban university, the Honors College offers an exceptional value in higher education. The Honors College is an educational partner with the “discipline” colleges of the University in which Honors students pursue their academic majors. The combination of a central Honors intellectual core and specialized learning in a major discipline helps develop graduates who are fully prepared to succeed in graduate and professional schools and in rewarding careers. Honors College is distinguished by an interdisciplinary and diverse student body, an innovative curriculum taught by outstanding faculty, personalized advising, multiple research, service and leadership opportunities, scholarships, priority registration, small class sizes, and special residential arrangements. Consequently, the College attracts excellent students from Nevada, across the United States and around the globe, joining dedicated faculty and staff to form a unique learning community supporting educational innovation and achievement.

 Objectives of the Honors College

The Honors College prepares students for academic, professional, and personal success after they graduate from UNLV. That preparation is achieved through a curriculum for University and Department Honors that:

• Strengthens writing skills.

• Strengthens oral communication skills.

• Strengthens critical-thinking ability.

• Develops abilities to carefully analyze and synthesize a broad range of information.

• Allows students to create and produce original creative and research works in collaboration with faculty members.

Honors College Programs

Students in the College participate in the University Honors program or Department Honors program, or both. University Honors Students complete the Honors College core curriculum, which automatically fulfills the general education requirements of UNLV. Department Honors students undertake a special research or creative project culminating in a senior thesis within their major discipline. All Honors College students complete a series of interdisciplinary seminars taught by outstanding UNLV faculty. These programs are described in more detail later in this section.

Advising

Advisors in the Honors College provide students with a highly personalized, comprehensive and coordinated advising program. Honors College advisors help coordinate each student’s academic program with other advising centers to ensure major(s), minor(s), pre-professional and Honors College degree requirements are satisfied in an optimal manner. Students leave advising sessions fully informed as to their degree status and plan for the coming semesters, as well as with valuable information on how to best incorporate additional experiences (internships, community service, volunteer activities, scholarship applications, research opportunities, and participation in other organizations) into their academic plan. We suggest students meet with their Honors College advisor at least once each semester and notify us about any changes in their academic or future plans as they occur. 

Pre-Professional Students

Many students in the Honors College plan to attend professional or graduate schools. The Honors College focuses on preparing Honors College students for various types of postgraduate studies, with our graduates attending many of the best professional and graduate schools in the country. There is a pre-health advisor in the College of Sciences, and advising for pre-law studies through the College of Liberal Arts in the Wilson Advising Center.

Admission to the College

The goal of the Honors College is to admit excellent, committed, and academically talented students who will succeed in and benefit from the Colleges rigorous curriculum and programs. The College expects that applicants will display strong academic abilities, advanced writing skills, critical thinking, and commitment to excellence, leadership potential, and higher education values.

Students interested in admission to the Honors College must first apply to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Students can only be admitted to the Honors College after they have been admitted to the University. The Honors College Admissions Committee considers applications on the basis of rolling admissions. Fall applications completed before February 1 will, however, have priority consideration for Honors College scholarships. 

First year applicants must complete the on-line application and submit an essay, two letters of recommendation, high school and any college transcripts, ACT and/or SAT test scores, and a resume. Transfer and current UNLV students are required to complete and return the appropriate application, submit an essay, one letter of reference from a college or university faculty member, transcripts of all post-secondary work completed, and a writing sample. Transfer and continuing students are expected to have at least a 3.50 overall GPA from all post-secondary work completed.

Honors College Scholarships

In addition to their UNLV aid package, Honors College students are eligible for scholarships funded by special endowments and annual gifts to the College. Some scholarships are available to incoming freshmen, and others are made available to transfer and continuing students. There is no additional scholarship application and admitted students are considered for all Honors College scholarships for which they may be eligible, determined by specific scholarship requirements and available funding. It is highly recommended that students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as it maximizes their eligibility for scholarships.

Nationally Competitive Awards

Each year, the Honors College prepares sophomores, juniors and seniors to apply for a variety of nationally competitive grants, scholarships and fellowships. Since there are few of these awards relative to the number of students applying nationwide, they are highly competitive, and therefore, very prestigious. Students who receive such scholarships demonstrate potential for great success in their postgraduate studies and subsequent careers.

The Honors College is proactive in identifying and preparing our students for these opportunities and takes great pride in the number of students who engage in advanced research and have been successful in their application for these awards. Current students and recent graduates have received Barry M. Goldwater, Harry S. Truman, Woodrow Wilson, NASA, NSF, EPSCoR, NIH, INBRE, Fulbright and many other highly competitive national awards.  

Academic Good Standing

Students must remain in academic good standing in the Honors College in order to enjoy the benefits and privileges of Honors College membership and to retain their Honors College scholarships. Students will not graduate with a University or Department Honors designation unless they are in good academic standing with the Honors College at the time of graduation.  

Students in good standing must satisfy the following conditions:

• Enroll as a student at UNLV or participate in an official UNLV educational program (e.g., study abroad, student teaching, special internships) during each semester of the academic year from their admission until graduation, unless special arrangements are made with the Honors College.

• Complete an average of three Honors College (HON prefix) credit hours during each semester they are registered as full-time students at UNLV until all Honors College (HON prefix) requirements are satisfied or unless special arrangements are made with the Honors College.

• Maintain an overall cumulative GPA of at least 3.3.

• Maintain an Honors GPA of at least 3.0.

Probation and Suspension

 Students who do not satisfy the conditions listed above will be considered not in good standing in the Honors College and will be placed on probation or suspended from the Honors College.

Student performance is evaluated at the end of each academic year (June) regardless of how long students have been members of the Honors College. 

Students with less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA will be suspended from the Honors College. 

Students with less than a 3.3 cumulative GPA or less than a 3.0 Honors GPA (HON prefix courses) will be placed on probation and will be given until the end of the following academic year to return to good standing with the Honors College. Students who have not returned to good standing by the end of the academic year following their notice of probation will be suspended from the Honors College. 

Students who have been suspended from the Honors College may petition for readmission. The petition for re-admission consists of an appointment with the Dean or Associate Dean of the College who will review current performance and circumstances and, in consultation with the Honors College Admissions Committee,  reinstate the student, if so warranted.

  Graduation Distinctions and Latin Honor Designations

Students who graduate with University Honors and/or Department Honors designations must:  

• Graduate with a final, cumulative University GPA of at least 3.3, and

• Graduate with a final, cumulative Honors GPA (HON prefix courses) of at least 3.0, and

• Complete major degree requirements, Honors College requirements, and applicable UNLV graduation requirements.

 The University Honors and or Department Honors distinction will appear on final transcripts and diplomas.

 Latin honors designations, cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude, which will appear on final transcripts and diplomas, are awarded by the Honors College to college graduates as follows:

Students earning University Honors designations will graduate cum laude if their final, cumulative GPA’s are 3.50 – 3.69; magna cum laude if their final, cumulative GPA’s are 3.70 or higher. (Note: The Honors College awards summa cum laude only to students who complete the requirements for Department Honors.) Students earning Department Honors designations will graduate cum laude if their final, cumulative GPA’s are 3.30 – 3.49, magna cum laude if their final, cumulative GPA’s are 3.50 -– 3.69, and summa cum laude if their final, cumulative GPA’s are 3.70 or higher and they receive a grade of “A“ in HON 499H (Honors Thesis).

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