Priority Registration

MTSU offers a wide array of Honors courses, but students may find fewer options available—especially later in the registration period. To avoid limited choices, Honors students should qualify for and take advantage of early priority registration, ideally starting in their freshman year.

Qualify and remain eligible for priority registration

• maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA
• enroll in an honors course or remain on track for honors requirements (see details below)
• attend an honors advising workshop or watch the advising video every semester before the posted deadline

Students must obtain approval for early priority registration every semester by the posted deadline. The Honors College communicates the early registration approval deadlines primarily through email, in the first month of each fall and spring semesters.

Remain on track for priority registration

• Freshmen should complete at least 9-12 Honors hours
• Sophomores should complete 6-8 Honors hours 
• Juniors should complete 1-6 Honors hours 
• Students should take UH 4900 in their 6th or 7th semester unless they plan to graduate early.
• Seniors are recommended to complete UH 4950 and any other remaining requirements in their 7th semester, however students may utilize their 8th semester to complete requirements as needed. Please discuss your progress with your Honors advisor and plan registration accordingly.

These are general guidelines. Students should meet with their Honors advisor if they are concerned about their honors progress to make a plan to complete their honors hours. Students who have not been enrolled in an honors course for two consecutive semesters may be required to meet individually with their honors advisor to create a plan to stay on track with their honors requirements before early registration approval is granted.

Honors Graduation Requirements (23 hours total) 

15 hours of any level Honors coursework, which can include any of the following options: 

• Any 1000-4000 level Honors courses
• A maximum of two honors contracts*
• Approved study abroad credits (up to 9 hours total), internship credits (up to 6 hours total), or research credits (up to 6 hours total)*
• Can include up to 9 hours of the following: AP credits with scores of 4 or 5; Governor’s School credit with a grade of A; and approved IB credits
• Can include 3 hours of ACT/SAT credit for ENGL 1010
• UH 3000 can be taken up to 3 times if needed
• 1-hr Collage (UH 3001) can be taken up to 3 times if needed
• The Honors College will accept any transferred honors credit towards our requirements. Students must ensure that transfer courses are marked as Honors on their official transcripts for the courses to be reviewed for registration credit. 

8 hours of upper-division Honors coursework, which is broken down into the specific courses below:

• 3 hours of UH 3500, UH 4010 (Institute of Leadership Excellence), any 3000/4000 level Honors course, an approved Honors Contract, approved study abroad, approved internship, or approved research credits*.
• 1 hour of UH 3000 – Lecture Series, UH 3200 – Visiting Artist Seminar, or ENGL 3635 – Creative Writing Event Series
• 1 hour of UH 4900 – Thesis Tutorial
• 3 hours of UH 4950 – Honors Senior Independent Study Research or Creative Project (Thesis)

You may count up to 2 Honors contracts, nine study abroad credits, and 6 internship or research hours toward your Honors requirements. You can apply these credits to either the first or second section, or split them between the two. Be sure to review how you plan to use these hours with your Honors advisor. An approval is required for all study abroad, internship, and research credits.

The Honors Associate Minor requires 11 hours of honors coursework, as listed below. This minor is available to transfer students or continuing students who want to complete the Honors thesis but need more honors hours to complete the additional 12 hours required in the full minor.

• 3 hours of any level Honors course, an approved Honors Contract, approved study abroad, approved internship, or approved research hours*.
• 3 hours of Interdisciplinary Seminar. Fulfilled by taking UH 3500, UH 3900 (Transfer Fellows only), or UH 4010 (Institute of Leadership Excellence); or an approved study abroad, internship, or research course. Contracts may also be considered under special circumstances.*
• 1 hour of UH 3000 – Lecture Series, UH 3200 – Visiting Artist Seminar, or ENGL 3635 – Creative Writing Event Series
• 1 hour of UH 4900 – Thesis Tutorial
• 3 hours of UH 4950 – Honors Senior Independent Study Research or Creative Project (Thesis)

*A maximum of two honors contracts, six study abroad credits, and/or six internship/research hours may be counted towards your honors requirements. Please review the use of these hours with your honors advisor. All study abroad, internship, or research credits must be approved.