2024-2025 University of Wyoming Catalog
University Honors College
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Guthrie House
Peter Parolin, Dean
Phone: (307) 766-4110
Web site: uwyo.edu/honors
The Honors College provides academically ambitious students with a series of curricular and co-curricular opportunities. Through these opportunities, students gain the breadth of knowledge needed by citizens, professionals, and family members to be effective in a lifetime of stimulating and enriching pursuits. Honors students learn to write cogently for a variety of audiences in their academic disciplines and beyond. They learn to locate and use reliable information and trustworthy opinion. Through appropriate coursework, they learn how to become engaged citizens and to understand the ethnic and cultural diversity of America and the world. They learn the purposes and values of the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences. The Capstone Project is a sustained research or creative activity through which students demonstrate what they have learned: to formulate a project independently, to develop the intellectual and creative means to complete it, and to write and speak effectively about their work. The Capstone Project is frequently used as evidence of critical thinking in graduate and career applications.
Honors College Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Honors College will be able to: (1) engage in problemsolving, research, and creative pursuits that utilize an interdisciplinary approach (2) articulate the value of international and diversity-focused perspectives (3) develop their own styles of leadership and service and identify meaningful opportunities for engagement in these areas and (4) create intentional pathways through career development, including utilizing internship opportunities.
Honors College Admissions
The Honors College seeks well-rounded, ambitious, and curious learners and leaders. Students are invited to apply to the college prior to their first year. First year applicants should apply to the Honors College when submitting their general application to UW. The Honors College admissions committee considers academic performance and test scores holistically alongside an application essay and high school transcript.
Students admitted into the Honors College who are College of Engineering majors will automatically be accepted as Honors College Engineering students.
The Honors College reviews applications on a rolling basis. Students are admitted to the Honors College only after they have been accepted to UW. Incoming, continuing, and transfer students who are interested in applying to Honors should consult our Admissions page: https://www.uwyo.edu/honors/applications/
The Honors College also welcomes application from new transfer students. Transfer students entering the Honors College typically have an overall college GPA of 3.25 or higher. The college also admits transfer students and current UW students with at least three semesters remaining prior to graduation.
To maintain good standing in the college, a student must achieve a 3.0 GPA at the conclusion of the student’s first year of study. A 3.25 GPA at the conclusion of the student’s second year of study is required, with this standard remaining throughout their academic career. Interested high school seniors and transfer students are encouraged to come by the Honors College or to write to the Dean, The Honors College, Dept. 3413, 1000 University Ave, Laramie, WY 82071. The email address is honors@uwyo.edu.
Scholarships
The Honors College supports UW in financial aid packages for students. In keeping with the vision of Honors to facilitate an international experience, Honors provides scholarships to assist with study abroad. Fellowships for supporting research or creative projects for the senior thesis may also be available.
Program Requirements
To earn a minor in Honors, Honors students must complete a total of five courses in Honors and a Capstone Project, and complete the First-Year and Advanced Honors SOAR badge requirements. They must also graduate with a 3.25 GPA. Students who transfer to UW or join Honors as continuing UW students may have some of their required Honors courses and SOAR requirements waived.
The Honors curriculum immerses students in multi-disciplinary inquiry. Students begin by taking the First Year Colloquium, a two-semester course sequence that takes a complex topic - for example, Dreams and Reality - or- What Does it Mean to be a Human and explores it with readings based in the humanities, arts, sciences, and social sciences. The course includes visits to the theatre, the Art Museum, and other UW resources, building community while learning about UW. Thereafter, students enroll in three additional courses: an Honors Non-Western Perspectives course and six hours of upper-division coursework in Honors that emphasize interdisciplinarity. At the upper division, it is strongly recommended that students take at least one Honors course per year. Throughout their Honors academic track, students will complete each level of the Honors SOAR Badge.
The Honors experience concludes with a Capstone Project, either a paper or project, done under faculty mentorship and presented publicly. This requirement ensures that students gain creative or research experience in an area of their interest. These projects often lead to graduate studies or a special career path.
Honors College Minor Curriculum
Specific details about required Honors College coursework can be found at:
Honors College Minor Curriculum
Honors College SOAR Badge requirements
Students are required to complete each level of the Honors SOAR Badge program. Assistance is available from the Honors College.
Honors College SOAR Badge Requirements
Capstone Project (Creative or Research-based)
- Students are not required to register for a specific course to complete the Capstone Project. There is no specific Capstone Project course; students complete the project independently in coordination with a faculty mentor.
- Honors offers optional research and capstone methods courses (i.e. HP 4990) that prepare students for independent capstone projects and in some cases work directly on those projects.
- Honors does offer an optional independent study course if desired. Up to 6 hours of credit in the optional HP 4976 - Independent Study are allowed.
- HP 4976, HP 4990, and any other research methods courses contribute to the capstone projects. As such, they do not count toward required Honors coursework or USP requirements.
- Students may be pursuing a major that requires a senior or capstone project, and and a major-specific project may also meet the requirement for the Honors College Capstone Project. Please contact the Capstone Project Coordinator for details. Email: honorscapstone@uwyo.edu
Honors College Additional Requirements
Students must also gradute with a 3.25 cumulative UW GPA.
Successful completion of the program is indicated on transcripts and diplomas, and seniors are recognized at graduation ceremonies.
Priority registration for enrollment in Honors courses is given to Honors College students, although non-Honors students with a 3.25 GPA or with permission of the instructor are eligible and encouraged to enroll once the general registration period begins, if space is available.
Honors College Advising
The Honors College offers supplemental advising that supports the work that students do with their primary major advisors. Honors Advising instructs students on Honors curriculum requirements and helps students select their Honors courses as well as take advantage of special Honors College opportunities. Students cannot register for Fall or Spring classes without meeting with their primary major advisor.
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