Honors-FAQs

There is one application to join the Honors College. You are automatically eligible to take Honors courses if you have been admitted to MTSU and qualify as an entering freshman (3.50 high school GPA and 25 or higher ACT or 1200 SAT). If you do not qualify initially, once you establish a college GPA of 3.25 or higher, you will be eligible to take Honors courses.

Any entering freshman with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher and an ACT composite score of 25 or higher (1200 SAT) may register for Honors classes. There is not a separate application process. Students must maintain an overall college GPA of 3.25 to continue to take Honors classes. Transfer students or established MTSU students who have completed at least 12 semester hours may enroll in Honors courses if their overall college GPA is 3.25 or higher.

College courses are challenging enough, but for high-achieving students looking for more advanced classes, the University Honors College at MTSU can be an enriching opportunity and enhance a student’s overall undergraduate experience. The College fosters the academic excellence and nurturing environment of a small, select, liberal arts college within the setting and with the resources of a major university. Students in Honors receive exclusive benefits such as: 

The benefits of Honors courses include:

• Early Priority Registration
• Smaller, more interactive classed (20 for lower-division; 15 for upper-division)
• Unique curricular and extra-curricular experiences (Collage, Scientia et Humanitas, Honors Ambassadors, etc.)
• Specially-designed General Education courses
• Access to Interdisciplinary Seminars and Honors Lecture Series
• Study Abroad Honors credit and scholarships
• Undergraduate Research opportunities and scholarships
• Dedicated faculty who enjoy working with bright, inquisitive students
• Residence in the Honors Living and Learning Center
• Competitive edge for admission into prestigious graduate schools
• Special diploma and other recognition

Honors credit may be earned in many ways:

• Any lower- or upper-division class designated with an “H” in the section number
• Advanced Placement (AP) classes with a score of 4 or 5 (up to nine hours)
• Governor’s School with a grade of “A” (up to three hours) – if claimed, then only six hours of AP credit may be counted
• Students who receive course credit at MTSU for Higher Level (HL) IB tests can utilize those courses towards Honors College graduation requirements. Students who receive course credit at MTSU for Standard Level (SL) IB tests must receive one point higher than the MTSU requirement in order to receive honors credit for that course. (NOTE: a maximum of nine hours in any combination of AP, IB, and/or Governor’s School may apply toward the lower-division Honors requirement)
• Study Abroad, up to nine hours
• Internships, or research substitution, up to six hours (must have approval at the beginning of the semester enrolled)
• Honors Contracts (no more than two classes)

Starting Summer 2024 – Honors Graduation requirements include:

• 15 hours any level Honors coursework
• 8 hours upper-division (3000/4000 level) Honors coursework to include:
  • three-hours of Interdisciplinary Seminar or approved substitution
  • one-hour of Honors Lecture Series
  • one-hour Thesis Tutorial
  • three-hours Thesis Project 

Honors students are eligible to be considered for early priority registration approval if they take Honors courses on a regular basis and attend an honors advising workshop every semester by the posted deadline. Students must also maintain a 3.25 GPA and be on track to complete one of the Honors College’s minors requirements.

Early Priority Registration means you may register before everyone else, including seniors.

Suppose you need more honors options within General Education/True Blue Core requirements or your major/minor requirements. In that case, Honors credit may be earned by creating an Honors Contract with the professor teaching a regular course. Such an agreement must include a specific, measurable component that other students in the class are not doing. For more information on the procedure and the application, click here.

Latin honors, known as Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Suma Cum Laude, are awarded based strictly on GPA upon graduation.  Students who complete all graduation requirements and achieve a cumulative grade point of 3.50 or higher will graduate with Latin honors. 

 This differs from graduating from the Honors College. All students who complete the 29-hour Honors minor, including the thesis, and maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher receive a notation on their transcript and diploma that denotes the individual is a “University Honors College” graduate. If a student has a 3.65 GPA or higher, the notation reads “University Honors College with Distinction.” Those who complete the Honors Associate minor will have it listed on their transcript but do not receive an Honors notation anywhere else.

Yes, but space is limited in the Honors Living and Learning Community in Lyon Hall. Contact Housing and Residential Life at (615) 898-2971 to check availability.

Qualified students are encouraged to join a national honor society and at least one other honor society within their major. The Honors College sponsors Phi Kappa Phi and Omicron Delta Kappa but makes no specific recommendations about honors societies. Many honor societies sponsor worthy activities. It might be far better to join one or two honor societies and be active than to join many to add lines to one’s resume. A list of honor societies registered with MTSU can be found on the Student Organization website.

Honors College students can access special internships, research projects, study abroad experiences, networking opportunities, and more. These opportunities provide real-world experiences students don’t receive from education alone. 

Since 2008, students have won numerous Fulbright Awards, Goldwater Scholarships, and selection for summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs). Our honors students have been finalists for Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships and the Udall Award, and many have won Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Boren, Gilman, and Critical Language scholarships. 

The Undergraduate Fellowships Office (UFO) is in the Honors College, Room 227. For more information on Fulbright, Goldwater, Truman, and other prestigious national scholarships and fellowships, call Ms. Laura Clippard at 615-898-5464 or visit the Undergraduate Fellowships Office.

The Buchanan Fellowship is the highest award for an entering student at MTSU. A minimum ACT score of 30 (SAT 1360) and a minimum 3.5 GPA are required for consideration. Buchanan Fellows will receive (1) an amount equal to 16 hours of in- or out-of-state tuition and fees; (2) a $1,000 book allowance; and (3) consideration for study abroad scholarships. Up to 20 fellowships may be awarded per year. For more information and an application, please visit our scholarships page.

The deadline for applying for the Buchanan Fellowship is DECEMBER 1 of the year before which you plan to attend. Buchanan Transfer Fellowship applications typically close in February each year.

You must send an official transcript to the MTSU Admissions Office for MTSU admission purposes. You can send a separate one to mail with your Buchanan Fellowship application materials or attach an unofficial copy to your application materials. Please see the Buchanan Fellowship application website for more information.

MTSU’s Honors College offers an intimate college feel in a large university environment, blending academics and student life with intellectual and civic engagement. Honors students form a community with peers, faculty, and staff who share a drive to improve themselves and the world. 

After completing their undergraduate degrees, most go directly to graduate or professional school. A recent survey revealed that 90% had already been accepted into graduate or professional schools (including law and medicine) and that others intended to work for a year before applying for graduate study.

On average, the top 15% of freshmen and 6% of transfer students coming to MTSU gain admittance to the University Honors College (approximately 580). More competitive are the Buchanan Fellows and Buchanan Transfer Fellows, a select group of top scholars interested in making an impact academically. The University Honors College welcomes 20 Buchanan Fellows and 30 Buchanan Transfer Fellows annually.

Graduates can list it as “MTSU, Bachelor of Arts, Graduate with Honors Distinction” or “MTSU, Bachelor of Arts, GPA: 3.8 (Honors)” depending on your preference. Additionally, graduates may want to include any honors or awards they received at the MTSU. This should consist of the type of degree earned, their major, their GPA, and their honors. In this format, awards and achievements should be listed directly after the major, separated by a comma. Graduates can include their GPA in parentheses after the Latin honors or Honors graduate with distinction.