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The University Honors Program is composed of Interdisciplinary Honors and Departmental Honors. Completion of both results in a degree with College Honors.

Interdisciplinary Honors is an expansive interdisciplinary general education program focused on exploring connections between and across disciplines; experiential learning that takes education outside the classroom; and structured critical reflection. Interdisciplinary Honors brings together students from all majors to study complex subjects in small, seminar-style classes taught by faculty from departments across campus.

Departmental Honors invites students to enrich disciplinary thinking within their majors through a culture of creativity, student-centered learning, and rigorous attention to complex challenges. This is often done with guidance from a faculty mentor, and by completing upper-level electives, research, or an extended thesis.

The Honors Program provides a learning community and educational opportunities to accepted students pursuing either or both of these distinctions.

To be considered for admission to the Interdisciplinary Honors Program (IHP), students must apply to the Honors Program when they submit their application for undergraduate admission to the University. Selection is based on a holistic review of the UW application and the additional Honors materials. Students also may seek admission to IHP during spring quarter of their first year at the University via the second-year admission process or through our transfer student admission process.

Interdisciplinary Honors Requirements

37 credits

  1. HONORS 100
  2. One Honors-prefix arts and humanities (A&H) course from HONORS 210, HONORS 211, HONORS 212, HONORS 213, HONORS 240, HONORS 241, HONORS 242, HONORS 381, HONORS 383, HONORS 384, HONORS 391, HONORS 393, or HONORS 394 (5 credits)
  3. One Honors-prefix social sciences (SSc) course from HONORS 230, HONORS 231, HONORS 232, HONORS 233, HONORS 381, HONORS 382, HONORS 384, HONORS 391, HONORS 392, or HONORS 394 (5 credits)
  4. One Honors-prefix natural sciences (NSc) course from HONORS 220, HONORS 221, HONORS 222, HONORS 223, HONORS 381, HONORS 382, HONORS 383, HONORS 391, HONORS 392, or HONORS 393 (5 credits)
  5. Honors Electives (20 credits): any four additional 5-credit Honors courses. May be HONORS-prefix or non-HONORS-prefix courses.
  6. HONORS 496
  7. Courses applying towards Departmental Honors may not be applied toward completion of the Interdisciplinary Honors requirements.
  8. Students may fulfill no more than 10 credits of Interdisciplinary Honors requirements by completing HONORS 499 (independent study), graduate-level courses, or ad hoc projects in non-HONORS courses, including a non-HONORS study abroad program. These credits may only be applied to the Honors Electives requirement; they may not be applied to the HONORS-prefix social sciences, arts and humanities, or natural sciences course requirements.
  9. Interdisciplinary Honors courses overlap with the UW Areas of Inquiry requirements.
  10. Minimum 3.30 cumulative GPA in all courses completed through the UW. Minimum 2.0 grade in each course completed for Interdisciplinary Honors Program requirements.

Experiential Learning

Interdisciplinary Honors students identify two learning activities that are experiential in nature and extend the educational process beyond the classroom. Activities should be in areas such as leadership, research, service, or international engagement.

Reflection

Interdisciplinary Honors students practice reflection via an archive of their academic and experiential work. Students build a collection of reflections to integrate the components of their academic path throughout their time at UW and in Honors before organizing and presenting this work in HONORS 496.

Departmental Honors Requirements

Students may apply to Departmental Honors in their major(s) after they have been admitted to the major, typically in their junior year. Each department at UW has a unique set of Departmental Honors requirements (see individual department websites for more information). Interested students should contact the department for their major.