The mission of the Honors College at the University of Arkansas is to provide exceptional opportunities for outstanding undergraduates to enhance their educational experiences and academic performances, and to serve the University by underscoring its reputation as a research institution, where students come first. This mission incorporates four areas of responsibility: recruitment; administration of honors fellowships, Honors College research grants, and study-abroad scholarships; coordination of honors programs and curricula; and coordination of related services.

The Honors College administers unparalleled support to more than 2,000 students through merit-based scholarships and fellowships totaling more than $17 million. The college provides a community for high achieving students and top professors comprising about 15 percent of the undergraduate student body and more than one-third of the faculty. The Honors College is also an umbrella for the University’s six college-based Honors Programs, and students are automatically admitted when they enroll in the Honors Program in their major. The Honors College serves as a catalyst for promoting academic success, making educational opportunities available to interested undergraduates regardless of whether or not they are Honors students.

The Dean’s Office for the Honors College is housed on the fourth floor of the Administration Building. Large honors lounges, designed as study and relaxation areas for students, may also be found on the fourth floor. The Honors College was created by a $200 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation with the goal that an honors education would be available in every college. The Honors College provides coordination of honors efforts among the colleges and additional scholarship and service opportunities for participating students.

The Academic Scholarship Office awards scholarships to a variety of students, both incoming and current, at the University of Arkansas. Approximately 5,000 awards are made each year, at a value of approximately $18 million. Students do not have to be in the Honors College to receive many of these scholarships though participation in honors of qualified students is always encouraged.

Scholarships awarded to incoming freshmen include the Chancellor’s Scholarship, the Honors College Academy Scholarship, the Silas Hunt Scholarship, the University Scholarship, and the Leadership Scholarship. Scholarships for current students include the Brandon Burlsworth Memorial Scholarship, the R. Coin Mason Scholarship, the Blanche Bledsoe and Clarence J. Rosecrants Senior Endowed Scholarship, the Boles-Zaulx Scholarship, the Alfred Allen Scholarship, and many more. These scholarships are available to students across the University. For additional information see the chapter on Financial Aid and Scholarships in this catalog.

The Office of Post-Graduate Fellowships provides assistance to all students who are applying for international graduate fellowships: the Marshall, Rhodes, Gates Cambridge, Rotary, and Fulbright, and national graduate fellowships such as those provided by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the Mellon and Jacob Javits Foundations. The office also assists students with applications for nationally competitive undergraduate scholarships: Barry Goldwater (for outstanding sophomores and juniors in mathematics, science, and engineering), the Truman (for outstanding juniors interested in pursuing a career in public service), the Morris Udall (for competitive students who intend to pursue a career connected to environmental concerns), the James Madison (for students who want to become educators in the social sciences) and many more. The office also provides assistance to graduate, law, and medical school applicants.

The Honors College reports to the Chancellor through the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The leaders of the Honors College are advised by two groups: The Honors Council, which comprises senior professors and academic administrators and is chaired by the dean, and the Honors College Directors’ Council, which comprises the directors of the Honors Programs in each of the colleges and schools and is chaired by the Associate Dean of the Honors College. Honors Program directors include:

Sidney Burris
Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
Old Main 517

Carol Gattis
College of Engineering
Bell Engineering 4184

John Norwood
Walton College of Business
Walton College of Business 328

Kim Sexton
School of Architecture
Vol Walker 120

Nan Smith-Blair
College of Education and Health Professions
Peabody Hall 8

Duane Wolf
Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences
Plant Sciences 115

The Honors College does not confer degrees. Honors degrees are conferred by the college of major.

Advanced Placement Summer Institute

The AP Summer Institute is a College Board approved summer program coordinated by the Honors College. The institute provides training to Advance Placement teachers in American history, biology, calculus, chemistry, composition, computer science, government, literature, physics, psychology, and statistics.

Honors College Internships

Approximately 40 Honors College internships are offered each year. Students register for a one-hour credit course. The course provides information on applying for scholarships, writing resumes and personal statements, and interviewing skills for internships and fellowships.

Admission to the Honors College requires that a student first be admitted to an honors program in the college of major. Students admitted to an honors program are automatically included in the Honors College. Students admitted to the Honors College must have a minimum 28 ACT or SAT equivalent and a minimum 3.5 high school grade-point average. These are the basic requirements for each of the honors programs except the Walton College, which requires a 28 ACT or SAT equivalent and a minimum 3.75 high school grade-point average. Students also can be admitted at the end of the freshmen year by earning a 3.5 GPA on 30 completed hours, or through the end of the sophomore year by earning a 3.5 on 60 completed hours (the total does not include Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or CLEP credit).

The Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation endowed two major scholarships for incoming freshmen to be administered by the Honors College. The Foundation also endowed funds for current honors students for study abroad and undergraduate research.

Honors College Fellowships provide $50,000 over a four-year period for outstanding incoming freshmen. A separate application is required (applications are available on the Honors College Web page). The application deadline is February 1. Students will also be required to interview for the fellowships. The award covers tuition, room and board, and provides additional monies for the purchase of a computer and for study abroad.

Honors College Academy Scholarships provide $16,000 over a four-year period for outstanding incoming freshmen from under-represented counties in Arkansas. The application for admission serves as the application for this scholarship.

Honors College Study Abroad Grants are available to competitive students in the Honors College who have completed a minimum of 30 hours, 6 of which must be in honors. A separate application is required and is available in the Honors College Office. Deadlines are October 15 and February 15.

Honors Undergraduate Research Grants are available to competitive students in the Honors College who have completed a minimum of 30 hours, 6 of which must be in Honors. A separate application is required and is available on the Honors College Web page. The application includes a five-page summary of the proposed research and a detailed letter of support from the research mentor. Deadlines are October 15, February 15, and June 15.

The Honors College Student Association is a registered student organization sponsored by the Honors College at the University of Arkansas. Membership is open to all University of Arkansas honors students, with no membership fees or dues, and is designed to provide an honors community, uniting honors students from all colleges on campus. Members participate in campus recruiting events and frequently serve as honors liaisons to visiting groups. Their newsletter Castalia is published each semester. Additional information is available on the Honors College Web site.

The Honors College wishes to foster an environment of intellectual interaction and development across colleges. To graduate with honors from any college requires a minimum of 12 honors credits and the completion of an undergraduate research project is required. A combination of honors hours, thesis quality, and GPA requirements (minimum 3.5) lead to Latin designation of Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude. The specific requirements are set by the college or school of major. Registration for honors courses is restricted to honors students or other students who meet the honors criteria and who have been approved by the honors program offering the course.