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Academic Requirements

Coursework

First-semester, first-year students in Fall 2021 or later

Total credits: 26 hours

Required courses:

  • HON 110 (3 credits)
  • 3 courses (9 credit hours) of Honors University Studies courses
  • 1 course (1 credit hour) of HON 120, 121, or 191 ("Interdisciplinary Honors Seminars")
  • 1 course (1 credit hour) of HON 399: A Thesis Preparation Course
  • 1 course (3 credit hours) of HON 210, 211, or 212
  • 3 credits of honors electives, which can include a contract course, additional Honors University Studies, a semester of study abroad, a graduate class, etc.
  • Departmental Honors, AKA honors thesis (6 credit hours)

See A Worksheet (PDF)

First-semester, first-year students before Fall 2021

Total credits: 26 hours

Required courses:

  • HON 110 (3 credits)
  • 3 courses (9 credit hours) of Honors University Studies courses
  • 2 courses (2 credit hours) of HON 120, 121, or 191
  • 1 course (3 credit hours) of HON 210, 211, or 212
  • 3 credits of honors electives, which can include a contract course, additional Honors University Studies, a semester of study abroad, a graduate class, etc.
  • Departmental Honors, AKA honors thesis (6 credit hours)

See a Worksheet (PDF)

Early college students who come to UNCW with an associate's degree or over 50 hours of college credit have a waiver for 3 credits of Honors University Studies requirements, also.& Early college students must still complete HON 110 unless they have completed UNI 101 at UNCW prior.

Transfer or After Your First Semester at UNCW

Students who do not enter Honors as first-year students (e.g., transfer students, or students who apply to join the Honors College after completing UNI 101) have 6 credit hours waived.

These students do NOT have to complete HON 110 (as they have either transferred in and don't need a freshman seminar class, OR they have already completed UNI 101, which fulfills the same requirement as HON 110). They also receive a waiver for 3 credit hours (~1 course) worth of Honors University Studies requirements.

Transfer students & those who applied to Honors after their first semester, Fall 2021 or later

See a Worksheet (PDF)

Total credits: 20 hours

Required courses:

  • 2 courses (6 credit hours) of Honors University Studies courses
  • 1 course (1 credit hour) of HON 120, 121, or 191 ("Interdisciplinary Honors Seminars")
  • 1 course (1 credit hour) of HON 399: A Thesis Preparation Course
  • 1 course (3 credit hours) of HON 210, 211, or 212
  • 3 credits of honors electives, which can include a contract course, additional Honors University Studies, a semester of study abroad, a graduate class, etc.
  • Departmental Honors, AKA honors thesis (6 credit hours)

Transfer students & those who applied to Honors after their first semester, before Fall 2021

See a Worksheet (PDF)

Total credits: 20 hours

Required courses:

  • 2 courses (6 credit hours) of Honors University Studies courses
  • 2 courses (2 credit hours) of HON 120, 121, or 191 ("Interdisciplinary Honors Seminars")
  • 1 course (3 credit hours) of HON 210, 211, or 212
  • 3 credits of honors electives, which can include a contract course, additional Honors University Studies, a semester of study abroad, a graduate class, etc.
  • Departmental Honors, AKA honors thesis (6 credit hours)

Honors launched the Bridge Honors Program specifically designed for transfer students. University Honors will still be an option for transfer students for whom it is a better fit.

Transfer students who enroll in the Honors Bridge Program in Fall 2021 or later

See a Worksheet (PDF)Total credits: 12-13 hours
  • 1 course (1 credit hour) of HON 399: A Thesis Preparation Course OR HON 191: Intro to Research and Discovery
  • Departmental Honors, AKA Honors thesis (6 credit hours)
  • 5-6 credit hours of Honors seminars, from these options: Option 1: Two courses of HON 210/211/212 (6 credit hours)
  • Option 2: One course of HON 210/211/212 (3 credit hours) AND two courses of HON 120/121 (2 credit hours)
  • Option 3: One approved high-impact practice (contract class, graduate course, approved internship, study abroad, etc.)
  • AND one of the following: One course of HON 210/211/212 (3 credits)
  • Two courses of HON 120/121 (2 credits)

Course Descriptions of Honors Seminars

HON 110 Honors First Year Interdisciplinary Seminar (3 credit hours)

The Honors version of UNI 101: First Year Seminar, which Introduces the honors student to the college experience by direct involvement in research, service and leadership activities.

  • Required for all Honors students entering as first-years.
  • Satisfies University Studies I: Foundations/First Year Seminar.
  • Partially satisfies University Studies IV: Building Competencies/Information Literacy.

HON 120 Honors Enrichment Seminar (1 credit hour)

Students study a specialty topic and participate in a variety of related enrichment activities on the campus and in the community.

  • May be repeated under different subtitles.
  • 2 units of HON 120/121 are required for all Honors students.
  • Examples: Happiness Advantage, Avante-Gard in Performance, Medical Humanities

HON 121 Honors Enrichment Seminar: Explorations Beyond the Classroom (1 credit hour)

Students study a specialty topic and participate in a variety of related enrichment activities outside the classroom.

  • May include travel or field site experience as a component.
  • 2 units of HON 120/121 are required for all Honors students. (1 credit may be replaced by HON 191)
  • May be repeated under different subtitles.
  • Satisfies University Studies V: Explorations Beyond the Classroom.
  • Examples: The Story of Wilmington through Archives and Museums, Introduction to Coastal Ecology, Cultures of the Mediterranean

HON 191 Introduction to Research and Discovery (1 credit hour)

Designed for first- and second-year students who want to jump-start their engagement in research and scholarly work in their likely major area.

HON 191 is open to all UNCW students and is typically offered in the spring semester. The focus of the class is to refine library and other research-related skills, develop a resume, seek out faculty who may become mentors, and interview juniors and seniors engaged in undergraduate research already.

Effective Spring 2020 and onward, HON 191 may be substituted for one of the HON 120/121 requirements for students.

HON 210 Honors Topical Interdisciplinary Seminar (3 credit hours)

An in-depth investigation of a special topic using the approaches of several disciplines; may be team-taught. Topics and approaches vary.

Examples: Biotechnology and Society, HIV/AIDS in Culture, Consumer Culture and Shopping Society. May be repeated under different subtitles.

HON 211 Topical Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar: Living in Our Diverse Nation (3 credit hours)

An in-depth investigation of a special topic related to the theme “Living in Our Diverse Nation” using the approaches of several disciplines; may be team-taught. Topics and approaches vary.

May be repeated under different subtitles. Satisfies University Studies II: Approaches and Perspectives/Living in Our Diverse Nation.

HON 212 Topical Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar: Living in a Global Society (3 credit hours)

An in-depth investigation of a special topic related to the theme “Living in a Global Society” using the approaches of several disciplines; may be team-taught. Topics and approaches vary.

  • Examples: Writing in Action Across Cultures
  • May be repeated under different subtitles.
  • Satisfies University Studies II: Approaches and Perspectives/Living in a Global Society.

Honors Contract Courses

First, speak with your professor in a 300+ level major course and ask if they are willing to do a contract course. If they are willing, then please fill out this form. 

Completing an honors contract may mean that the student engages in additional reading--such as primary sources--with additional or different types of papers for the class.

For example, the student might add a critique/analysis to a general class paper, or significantly expand the depth and length of a paper that is already part of the classwork. Or the student may learn a particular section of material well enough to make a special presentation to the class.

Other examples include: synthesis of additional compounds and research report (Chemistry); community service focused on the topic of the class (Nursing); create promotional materials (newsletter and calendar); reflective journaling; literature reviews; interview projects; etc.

The idea is to engage the student more deeply in the topic of the class, develop applications, and expect mastery of specific material.

The student must earn ≥ B (3.0) to receive honors-level credit for the course (designated as such on the transcript). The course must be a 300 or 400-level class in the student's major or minor.

Each semester, before the end of add/drop, a student must submit the Honors Contract Course Form.

The student is expected to initiate a discussion with the instructor and independently agree upon a set of assignment(s) for the contract. Then, the student should submit the form, and the instructor will sign off. The "honors-level work" designation will not appear in Seanet or on a student's transcript. 

After the end of grading each semester, the Honors College will contact instructors directly to ask whether students successfully completed their honors-level work and earned a B or better. At that point, Honors will ask the Registrar to substitution waiver the work as Honors. 

Typically, honors contract courses fulfill the "3 extra hours of Honors credit" category of Honors College requirements (see requirement worksheets above) or as a substitute for Honors University Studies requirements. The latter is only applicable in a case where students enter the Honors College with a significant number of University Studies courses already fulfilled by AP and transfer credit.

Each student may complete up to 2 contract courses. Students wishing to take more than 2 contract courses should contact the Honors College Director. 

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