Courses

The Honors core curriculum consists of nine courses (Acquisition of Knowledge, Arts & Humanities, Social & Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences, Seminar in Applied Ethics, Geographical Perspectives, Major Works/Major Issues, and two semesters of Thesis), which replace most of the University’s liberal arts and exit requirements as well as state-mandated writing requirements. Therefore, participation in the Honors Program does not increase the student’s academic workload for most majors. The philosophy is to reward academically superior students with new challenges and alternative approaches to learning presented by some of the University’s best faculty. 4-Year Honors students take two classes their first semester. Thereafter, Honors students generally take one Honors course each semester (Fall and Spring).

For more detailed information on Honors Program course offerings, see the Honors Program Course Guide (.pdf).

Programs of Study

The Honors Program offers two programs of study:

• 4-Year Program
• 2-Year Program

2-Year Program

The two-year track is designed for students who transfer to USF, for USF students who wish to enter the Honors Program after they have completed two years of study, and for four-year students who come to USF with a significant number of AP, IB, Dual enrollment, and/or CLEP credits.

As a student in the two-year track, you are required to take a minimum of four Honors courses; two semesters of Major Works/Major Issues, and two semesters of Honors Thesis. These courses fulfill the University’s exit requirements. If you have other liberal arts requirements that must be completed, you may take additional Honors courses to meet them if you choose. If you have questions about what liberal arts requirements you still need to complete, please make an appointment with your academic adviser.

To remain eligible for all the benefits of Honors, including scholarships, you must qualify for the University Honors Program, register for an Honors core course and maintain a 3.3 USF GPA each semester. Remember, you must have a 3.3 USF and a 3.3 cumulative GPA to graduate with the University Honors Program designation. All courses, including repeated courses, are calculated in these figures.

The 2-Year program curriculum checklist is available for download: Honors 2-Year Program Information (.pdf)

4-Year Program

The four-year track is designed for first time in college students from high school. If you entered USF with college credit through AP, IB, CLEP and/or dual enrollment, you may opt to complete the two-year track to avoid duplication of credit. Make an appointment with the Honors Program Director to discuss your options.

To graduate from the Honors Program four-year track, you must complete all nine courses in Honors, complete the foreign language, mathematics, and freshman English requirements, and earn a 3.3 USF and 3.3 overall GPA. The Honors distinction will be reflected on your diploma (on which a special gold Honors seal will be affixed). It will also be indicated on your transcripts, and you will be recognized in the graduation program and be awarded an Honors medallion. The courses should be taken in the order described on the checklist. Exceptions may be made if there are scheduling problems.

To remain eligible for all the benefits of Honors, including scholarships, you must qualify for the University Honors Program, register for an Honors core course, and maintain a 3.3 USF GPA each semester. Remember, you must have a 3.3 USF and a 3.3 cumulative GPA to graduate with the University Honors Program designation. All courses, including repeated courses, are calculated in these figures.

The 4-Year program curriculum checklist is available for download: Honors 4-Year Program Information (.pdf)

For more information about the Honors Program, please download the Honors Handbook (.pdf)