The Most Frequently Asked Questions of the Honors Program |
| | 1 | Can Sophomore Certificate credits be used toward graduation requirements?
No. Between 16-18 honors credits from either 100- or 200-level courses are needed to receive a Sophomore Certificate. Students need an additional twwleve 200-level honors credits in their major or related fields to graduate. These 12 credits may not have been previously used towards the Sophomore Certificate. | |
| | 2 | Are Honors students more likely to receive scholarships?
Many Honors students receive merit scholarships, but membership in the Honors Program does not automatically entitle a student to merit aid. All incoming first-year students are considered for both merit and need-based awards by the Office of Admissions when they apply. For information on scholarships, please visit the Financial Aid web site at http://financialaid.uconn.edu/cnt-scholarships/schol_info.php. | |
| | 3 | How do I apply for the Honors Program as a current student?
Current UConn students and transfer students who meet the requirements (click here for requirements) can print out admissions forms at http://honors.uconn.edu/academics/forms.php. Completed applications should be submitted to the Honors Office, CUE 419, by the deadline. | |
| | 4 | I applied to convert a non-honors course to an honors course, but when I check in PeopleSoft, it doesn't show up as having Honors credit. What should I do?
First, check your unofficial transcript. Honors conversions do not appear in the PeopleSoft grade report, they only show up on a student's transcript (there should be a notation of "Honors Credit" below the course). If you check your transcript and the credit still has not been awarded, call Kate DuBois at 486-4224 or send an email to kate.dubois@uconn.edu for assistance. | |
| | 5 | I have a class in building HH, Harvey House, or Honors House. Where do I go?
The Honors House, also known as the Harvey House (HH), is located on Rte 195, between Shippee Hall and East Campus Residence Halls. It is a white house with a dark green door and a large handicapped-accessible ramp. | |
| | 6 | Where will I live as an Honors student?
The Honors Program expects its entering first-year students to be housed in an academic environment. We strongly believe that this leads to a better sense of community within the Honors Program as well as contributing to students’ academic success. Therefore, upon completion of the online housing application, students admitted to the Honors Program will be assigned to the Honors First-year Residential Community in Shippee Hall. This placement provides incoming Honors students with the benefits of living, studying, and socializing together and the opportunity to participate in the rich array of programs and events designed expressly for the first-year students.
A small number of Honors students prefer to live in a different First-Year Learning Community. Students interested in this option must apply for a learning community through Residence Life. Once the student has been accepted, he or she must contact the Honors Program office to request a waiver for exemption from living in the Honors First-year Residential Community.
After the first year, honors students may choose from the wide variety of housing options offered by the Department of Residence Life. Second year Honors students may choose to live in the Sophomore Honors Community in Brock Hall. While residing in this community, honors students are expected to take part in various honors events and activities tailored around community service and civic engagement. Honors students may also have access to Honors housing including Wilson Hall, which is a state-of-the-art residence hall in South Campus. While honors housing is available for interested students, space is limited, and housing in an Honors community is not guaranteed after the first year.
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| | 7 | Can I still be accepted into the Honors Program if my GPA or SAT scores are not as good?
Yes. Entering students are invited to join the Honors Program based on a combination of their SAT score, class rank, GPA, leadership and extracurricular activities. While the program is quite competitive, we look to create a class of incoming students that embodies diversity of all sorts - including geography, academic interests, cultural backgrounds, leadership, and special talents. | |
| | 8 | What are the benefits of taking a First-Year Experience Course?
First-year Experience courses are a hallmark of a UConn education for entering students. They are designed to assist students in the transition from high school to college life. With less than 20 students per class, FYE courses enable first-year students to connect on a personal basis with a faculty or staff member, aid them in making friends, creating study groups, and learning about all that UConn has to offer. | |
| | 9 | What are the differences between a regular FYE course and INTD 198, the Honors First-Year Seminar?
INTD 198 is available ONLY for Honors students. It meets twice a week. One day per week it is taught by a full-time faculty member, selected from among the best professors at UConn. On this day the class revolves around a theme of the professor’s choosing. There are over eighteen different themes offered each year, with choices that appeal to students of every interest. On the second day the class is taught by upper class Honors student facilitators. On this day, the class focuses on transition to college issues, such as mentoring, selecting courses and majors, and balancing school work and social life. | |
| | 10 | How is my advisor chosen?
Each Honors student who has selected a major is assigned to a faculty Honors advisor in that major. The faculty Honors advisor has been specially trained to know the requirements of the Honors Program as well as the requirements of the student’s major. Undecided students and pre-professional students in Pharmacy, Nursing, and Education are assigned a professional advisor from the Academic Center for Exploratory Students (ACES). Students can find the name of their Honors advisor by accessing their PeopleSoft account. Students wishing to change Honors Advisors must come to the Honors Office to request the change. | |
| | 11 | When do I get to sign up for classes?
To find your individual registration times, log on to the PeopleSoft Student Administration System and link to SA Self Service > Learner Services > Academics > View Enrollment Appointment. Then select the term. The enrollment appointment times indicate when you are able to register during the registration period. | |
| | 12 | How are transfer students admitted to the UConn Honors Program?
Qualified transfer students are encouraged to apply for admission to the Honors Program. A transfer student must meet the requirements listed here (click for requirements). Unlike incoming first-year students, transfer students are not automatically considered. Transfer students must submit a separate application to the Honors Program. Click here for applications. | |
| | 13 | I was accepted into the Honors Program at UConn and I decided to go to a different school. If I transfer to UConn, will I be automatically accepted into the Honors Program?
No. Transfer students are not automatically admitted to the Honors Program, even if admission was previously offered. Students must reapply to the Honors Program. Applications may be found at: http://www.honors.uconn.edu/academics/forms.php. | |
| | 14 | What are Honors Events?
Honors Events are events that are sponsored by the Honors Program and that count toward the Sophomore Certificate. Official Honors Events are noted in the weekly electronic newsletter, Updates in Honors. Honors Council events do not count as Honors Events unless otherwise noted. | |
| | 15 | Are Honors Events mandatory?
Students planning to complete a Sophomore Certificate must attend at least 3 Honors Events and turn in the Journal Forms in order to qualify for the Sophomore Certificate. Students not planning on completing a Sophomore Certificate are encouraged to attend the events, but not required. | |
| | 16 | Is the Sophomore Certificate mandatory?
No. Students do not need to complete the Sophomore Certificate to graduate with Honors. | |
| | 17 | How small are Honors classes?
Honors classes generally have an average of 15-25 students. | |
| | 18 | What is the Honors Mentor Program?
The Honors Mentor Program is specially designed for Honors students. Incoming first-year students are paired with an Honors mentor who is a continuing UConn student, usually with the same major or related field as the first-year student. Mentors are asked to contact their mentees before their first semester begins via phone or email. Mentors and mentees meet in person at the welcome reception hosted by the Honors Program during the Weekend of Welcome (WOW) and may continue to meet throughout the semester or year. For more information, please see http://honors.uconn.edu/community-housing/index.php?p=mentor | |
| | 19 | Do Honors students receive any special benefit or privileges?
In addition to Honors housing and the academic benefits of being in the Honors Program, such as smaller classes and more individualized attention, Honors students also receive privileges in regard to registration and library loans. Honors students automatically receive priority registration, enjoy flexibility in course credit loads, and receive graduate student / faculty borrowing privileges for books at the Babbidge Library and regional campuses. | |
| | 20 | When should I begin my Honors Thesis?
The recommended schedule for honors thesis work varies tremendously by discipline. The best thing to do is to consult with your Honors advisor about the Honors thesis in the sophomore year or, at the latest, early in your junior year. All students should begin formulating ideas for Honors theses and discussing their ideas with faculty members who may become their thesis advisors during their junior years. To ensure that they have access to laboratories for their research, students in the sciences may wish to find placements in laboratories in their sophomore or even freshman years. To graduate as an Honors Scholar, the Honors thesis must be submitted before graduation. For more information, click here. | |
| | 21 | Where is the Honors Program Office located?
The Honors Program Office is located in the Center for Undergraduate Education (CUE), Room 419. Our address is:
Honors Program
CUE 419
368 Fairfield Road, U-2147
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269-2147
You may find us on the interactive campus map: http://uconn.edu/map/ | |
| | 22 | When is the Honors Program Office open?
The office is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office is closed when the University of Connecticut is closed (due to major holidays or inclement weather). | |
| | 23 | Who do I contact to reserve space in the Honors Conference Room (CUE 420)?
The Honors Program conference room may be used by Honors-affiliated groups if the room is available. The room seats up to 14 people and has a projector, a screen and hookups for a laptop. No computer is provided. Users should provide their own technical assistance. | |
| | 24 | What Honors courses are offered at UConn?
The Honors course list changes by semester. A current list of available courses may be found at http://honors.uconn.edu/academics/courselist.php | |
| | 25 | Where do I hand in my forms?
You may turn in your forms to the Honors Program office, CUE 419, before 5:00pm on or before the day they are due. | |
