Which Honors degree is right for you?
Choosing between the Honors minor or major is ultimately a personal decision shaped by your interests and goals. The minor and the major both start with our shared first-year curriculum, providing a strong foundation in critical thinking, interdisciplinary exploration, and experiential learning through research, creative projects, and community engagement. The major builds on the minor by offering a deeper and broader journey—expanding your engagement with interdisciplinary concepts, methods, and hands-on experiences. As you decide whether the minor or major is right for you, we invite you to reflect on how each option aligns with your aspirations and to discuss your options with one of our Honors advisors.
Honors Minor Degree
The minor is a 15-credit interdisciplinary program that broadens your perspective by connecting your major with other fields to tackle real-world challenges.
Honors Concurrent Major Degree
The concurrent major is a 33-credit program that builds on the minor curriculum, inviting you to explore the intersections of ideas while developing the skills that prepare you to become a leader of tomorrow.
How do I earn my honors degree?
Colloquium HP 1020: Dreams and Reality
Required For: Minor & Major
1 Course
3 Credits | Fall Semester | May Fulfill USP COM1
Colloquium courses introduce students to a variety of disciplines, build interdisciplinary exposure and foster communication skills.
ColloquiumColloquium HP 2020: Being Human
Required For: Minor & Major
1 Course
3 Credits | Spring Semester | May Fulfill USP COM2
Colloquium courses introduce students to a variety of disciplines, build interdisciplinary exposure and foster communication skills.
Honors Global Perspectives
Required For: Minor & Major
1 Course for Minor | 2 Courses for Major
3 Credits (Minor) | 6 Credits (Major) | Sophomore - Senior Year | Some Courses May Meet USP/A&S Requirements
Global Perspectives courses enable students to understand perspectives from around the globe and gain insight into diverse epsitemologies and ways of seeing and knowing.
HP 2150: Producing Knowledge: Analysis, Creativity & Expression (ACE)
Required For: Major
1 Course
1 Credit | Fall Semester
Producing Knowledge: Analysis, Creativity and Expression is an activity-based course introducing approaches to producing, refining, analyzing and evaluating knowledge using the tools listed in the course title and more.
HP 2250: Producing Knowledge: Interviews, Surveys & Experiments (ICE)
Required For: Major
1 Course
1 Credit | Spring Semester
Producing Knowledge: Interviews, Surveys & Experiments is an activity-based course introducing approaches to producing, refining, analyzing and evaluating knowledge using the tools listed in the course title and more.
HP 4250: Producing Knowledge: Capstone Seminar
Required For: Major
1 Course
3 Credits
In this course, students will work intensively and progress substantially on their capstone projects. In collaboration with their peers and faculty member, they will articulate, analyze, and define their capstone projects and learn best practices for progressing on them. The faculty member in this class should be seen as a capstone “coach”; formal oversight of the capstone project lies with the student’s individual capstone mentor.
HP 4350: Internship
Required For: Major
1 Course
1 Credit
Internships are pivotal for student learning and enriched experience. This course is designed to build pathways towards success post-graduation in the professional world.
3000 or 4000 HP Upper-Division Course
Required For: Minor & Major
2 Courses for Minor | 5 Courses for Major
6 Credits (Minor) | 15 Credits (Major) | Sophomore - Senior Year | Some Courses May Meet USP/A&S Requirements*
*excludes HP 4250 and 4976
Honors upper-division elective courses expand students' abilities to think and work across disciplines and challenge students to analyze complex topics.
First-Year Honors Soar Badge
Required For: Minor & Major
1 Badge
Deadline: End of First-Year | Completed via Suitable Platform
The First-Year Honors SOAR Badge exposes students to high impact learning experiences beyond the classroom in research, intellectual and creative perspectives, and community engagement opportunities.
Advanced Honors Soar Badge
Required For: Minor & Major
1 Badge
Deadline: By Graduation | Completed via Suitable Platform
The Advanced Honors SOAR Badge exposes students to diverse global perspectives, STEM investigation, and humanities and community engagement opportunities, as well as building leadership and teamwork skills.
Capstone Project
Required For: Minor & Major
1 Completed Project | 1 Oral Presentation | 1 Capstone Mentor Evaluation
Deadline: By Graduation
The Honors Capstone is an independent or collaborative undertaking involving research, creative, community-engaged, or entrepreneurial work that represents the culmination of your undergraduate studies under the guidance of a capstone mentor. Please note:
- Students in the minor degree program are not required to register for a specific course to complete the Honors capstone while majors are
- The project may be completed in student's major department
- Students orally present the results of this project at an Honors-approved venue
What is Honors All About?
- Unique interdisciplinary classes
- Smaller class sizes with more opportunities to develop relationships with faculty
- Strong sense of community, surrounded by academically strong and like-minded students
- Classes taught by enthusiastic and committed faculty
- Increased opportunities for research, internships, and presenting work at national conferences
- Unique housing options
- Tiered priority registration
- Honors students graduate a semester faster on average than students who have never done Honors, regardless of incoming ACT score
- Honors students graduate with a higher GPA on average than students who have never done Honors, regardless of incoming ACT score
- Opportunities and resources to study abroad
- Student leadership opportunities
Honors in Partnership with OTher Majors
Students pursuing either an Honors concurrent major or minor degree will also be pursuing degrees in other programs. We work collaboratively with other degree programs on campus to support you in your educational pursuits. Please note that Honors students majoring in Engineering and Computer Science are automatically enrolled in a separate program called Honors Engineering. This program is housed in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Engineering and Computer Science majors who wish to complete their Honors degree without the additional program in their home college can opt out of Honors Engineering and still remain in the Honors College pursing either a minor or concurrent degree. Please meet with your major and Honors advisors to make sure you select the option that is right for you.
More Application Information
Rolling Application Deadline
Are you a prospective first-year student or transferring to UW from another university? This application process is for you!
Rolling Application Deadline
Are you a current UW student interested in joining the Honors College? This application process is for you!
Rolling Application Deadline (must be prior to semester of interest)
Interested in taking Colloquium as a high school guest? Consider applying to take our Colloquium classes through the process below!
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