Honors academics
KU’s honors program offers a small liberal arts college experience at a Tier I research institution. In 2021, nearly 30 percent of honors students completed two or more majors, a testament to the program’s interdisciplinary emphasis.
Graduating with university honors
In addition to meeting a 3.25 cumulative KU GPA, the three academic experiences listed below constitute the requirements a student must meet to graduate with university honors. To ensure that their academic goals and ambitions stay on track, honors students gain early access to course selection through priority enrollment.
First-year honors seminars
All students in their first year in the University Honors Program must enroll in a one-credit honors seminar. These seminars introduce students to two key mentors — their instructor and seminar assistant — as well as the program, the university, and one captivating topic.
Honors courses
Honors students must take a minimum of six honors courses totaling at least 18 credit hours. Both the program and academic departments offer honors courses. These classes are small, engaging, and discussion-based. This allows students to form meaningful relationships with peers and top KU faculty.
Experiential learning
Honors students learn broadly, deeply, and through experience, both inside the classroom and out. They then apply and reflect on these experiences as they complete four Enhanced Learning Experience (ELEs), a requirement of program completion.
