Admissions
We automatically admit all students awarded SAU Presidential or Hallman scholarships once they have applied. All other first-year and transfer students are admitted based upon a global assessment of academic potential. We examine their ACT or SAT scores, high school GPAs, required submitted essays, letters of recommendation and other relevant information. Current SAU students who have earned at least a 3.5 GPA may petition the Honors College for admission.
Program Overview
Students in the Honors College find honors-credit courses challenging and rewarding. Enrollment in honors classes does not simply earn students extra written assignments. Unlike how high school AP classes are often seen as a necessary grind, honors classes are interesting and intellectually stimulating. Honors College courses differ from the standard college classes in many ways; they are usually smaller and not lecture-based. Honors College classes do not necessarily involve a greater amount of work than other classes at the university, but they require students to apply critical thinking skills and to function at a higher cognitive level. Specifically, they feature greater depth of coverage, more class participation, more contact time with instructors, and more use of state-of-the-art technology.
To earn the distinction as an Honors College graduate, students must complete a total of 24 hours of Honors College credit. Classes offered include seminars, general education courses, upper-level courses in the student’s major field, colloquiums, theses, and independent studies.
Housing
All honors students have the option to live in the Honors Halls. Opened in Fall 2004, the Honors Hall North houses 76 students in suites connected by a bathroom. Honors Hall South houses 92 students in traditional rooms with a community bathroom. The Honors Halls share a recreation room, computer lab, classroom, laundry room, ADA rooms, and an elevator. Honors students may choose to live in any SAU residence hall. Juniors and seniors may also opt to live in apartment-style living in SAU’s University Village apartments.
The Honors College Student Advisor is also housed in the Honors Hall to answer questions and provide the students with 24-hour assistance and advice.
Stipend
Currently, the stipend for honors students is $300 each semester.
Facilities
In addition to the Honors Hall, the Honors College has offices and a lounge on the second floor of Nelson Hall (Nelson 200). The honors lounge offers comfortable furniture, cable TV, networked PCs, snacks, and water (all at no cost). Also, there is a wireless printer available.
Benefits
The Honors College offers its students a number of benefits in addition to the stipend. Those include: early registration, free trips, and honors graduate designation on the transcript and diploma.
Travel
- Extramural education is a part of the honors mission
- SAU Foundation provides funds for ALL student travel (50% typically)
- EF STUDENT travel to Italy (2019) took 20 students
- Previous EF travel to Cuba (2016), Paris (2017), China (2018)
- HC fully funds travel to national honors meeting for students on the program and partial funding to other academic meetings (if student is on the program)
Probation
Honors students must maintain a 3.25 GPA in order to remain in the Honors College. Students whose GPAs fall below that level will be placed on probation for one semester. If they raise their GPAs above that minimum, they will be removed from probation. During probation, they still hold all the privileges of honors students and may register for honors classes. Students who fail to raise their GPA above the minimum will be dismissed (see below). However, at the discretion of honors director or assistant director, students who make significant progress toward reaching the 3.25 minimum GPA may have their probation extended for another semester.
Dismissal
Honors students who fail to maintain or who fail to regain a 3.25 GPA after probation are dismissed from the Honors College. Students whose GPAs fall so low as to make it mathematically impossible for them to reach a 3.25 GPA within two semesters may be dismissed immediately.
Blog
Read the Honors College Blog online at https://sauhc.blogspot.com/.
