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. Students accepted into the Buchanan Fellowship Program automatically qualify for early priority registration and need not follow the guidelines below – please contact Laura.Clippard@mtsu.edu regarding your requirements.

Qualify and remain eligible for priority registration

• complete the intent form (once during an advising workshop held in September or January/February)
• maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA
• take Honors classes on a regular basis, working towards the thesis requirement
• attend an honors advising workshop or meet every semester with the Honors Advisor before the posted deadline

Students must obtain approval for early priority registration every semester. Students must attend an advising workshop or meet with their Honors advisor before the advising deadline to receive approval. The Honors College communicates these deadlines primarily through email, especially during registration periods.

Earn additional Honors credits

• Have a 4 or 5 on AP scores (up to 9 Honors hours given) or IB higher level (HL) tests that meet MTSU admissions requirements or Standard Level (SL) tests with 1 point higher than the required IB score for MTSU credit
• Have an “A” in a Tennessee Governor’s School class (up to 3 Honors hours given)
• Use study abroad college credits (must have approval before trip) for up to 9 Honors hours
• Use internship credits (must have approval at the beginning of the internship semester) for up to 6 Honors hours
• The Honors College will accept any transferred honors credit (up to 21 hours) 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.

Remain on track for priority registration

• Freshmen should complete at least 12-15 Honors hours (6-9 per semester)
• Sophomores should complete 5-8 Honors hours 
• Students, who complete their general studies classes prior to the end of their sophomore year, need to be sure that they have at least 18 hours of Lower-Division Honors credit
• Juniors should complete 5-6 Honors hours 
• Juniors should take UH 4900 in their 6th semester
• 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. Be sure to check out other scholarships available to all MTSU Honors students.

Honors Graduation Requirements (29 hours total) 

• 18 hours of Lower Division Honors Courses (can include extra upper-division courses if needed)
• 3 hours of any 3000/4000 level Honors course, an approved Honors Contract, approved study abroad, or approved internship.
• 3 hours of Interdisciplinary Seminar. Fulfilled by taking UH 3500, UH 4600, or UH 4010 (Institute of Leadership Excellence); or an approved study abroad or internship course.
• 1 hour of UH 3000 – Lecture Series
• 1 hour of UH 4900 – Thesis Tutorial
• 3 hours of UH 4950 – Honors Senior Independent Study Research or Creative Project (Thesis)

The Honors Associate requires the 11 hours of upper division courses listed above to meet registration standards.