- How can I find out about Honors Program deadlines?
- My advisee is missing appointments and is not responsive when I contact him/her. What should I do?
- Is receipt of the Sophomore Honors award noted on a student’s transcript or diploma?
- I have a student I think would be very successful in the Honors Program. To whom should I direct him/her?
- Do Advanced Placement (AP) and Early College Experience (ECE) credits affect a student’s GPA? How do I find out what kind of credit a student is getting from AP and ECE?
- How can I see whether or not a student has taken Honors credit?
- Can the 12 credits (minimum) required for Honors in a major come from outside the department that is the major’s home?
- Does a student have to wait until the third and fourth years to take graduate courses?
- How can I view the status of the conversions I am supervising?
- How does doing a thesis outside a student’s major department work?
- Can a student do work off campus and have it count as the 3 credit hours that must come from thesis work?
- A student has asked me to be his thesis advisor, but I’m not officially an Honors advisor. Can I still be a thesis advisor?
- Is there a length requirement for the thesis?
Graduation as an Honors Scholar
- How do I find out what the various departmental requirements are for students to graduate as an Honors Scholar?
- Is graduation as an Honors Scholar noted on a student’s diploma or transcript?
- Can an independent study be used to satisfy the required credits to graduate as an Honors Scholar?
- Does a student have to wait until the third and fourth years to take courses that will count towards graduation as an Honors Scholar?
Deadlines and Advising
How can I find out about Honors Program deadlines?
Deadlines are posted on the Forms section of our website or the forms themselves. The graduation timeline also has helpful deadline information for graduating students.
My advisee is missing appointments and is not responsive when I contact him/her. What should I do?
It is the student’s responsibility to complete all requirements to stay in good standing in Honors, complete Sophomore Honors (if they choose to do so), and graduate as an Honors Scholar. As the advisor, you can make reasonable attempts to contact him/her, but you’re not responsible for consequences if your communications are ignored. If you are concerned about the well-being and/or safety of your advisee, you can share your concerns with a member of Honors staff or a member of Residential Life staff.
Is receipt of “Sophomore Honors” noted on a student’s transcript or diploma?
It is noted on the transcript, but not the diploma. Students do receive a certificate for completing the Sophomore Honors requirements, which can be used if the transcript alone does not suffice.
I have a student I think would be very successful in the Honors Program. To whom should I direct him/her?
There is also a lot of useful information on our website for prospective students who are currently enrolled at UConn; see our admissions page in particular. Patricia Szarek, Honors Program Associate Director for Enrollment, would be happy to answer questions from prospective Honors students. Students can always stop by the Honors Program Office to make an appointment with her.
Credits and Courses
Do Advanced Placement (AP) and Early College Experience (ECE) credits affect a student’s GPA? How do I find out what kind of credit a student is getting from AP and ECE?
Honors students have the option to apply their AP and ECE credits in college, but the credits function differently. ECE credits count towards a GPA, but AP credits do not. Neither AP nor ECE credits count towards Sophomore Honors. The ECE Office has more information on its website and AP credits are discussed in the Undergraduate Catalog.
How can I see whether or not a student has taken Honors credit?
When a student has completed a course for Honors credit and received a grade of B- or higher, a notation will be made on his/her transcript. If a course is in progress, the Student Administration System will note that the grading basis of the course is “Honors.”
Can the 12 credits (minimum) required for Honors in a major come from outside the department that is the major’s home?
Yes. You and your advisee can agree on mutually acceptable courses from a closely related field.
Does a student have to wait until the third and fourth years to take graduate courses?
Generally, Honors students wait until their third and fourth years to do so. Strictly speaking, any student with a 2.6 GPA or higher—in his/her seventh or eighth semester—may take a graduate course. A student who does not meet those criteria can still take a graduate class with approval from the course professor and the dean of his/her school.
How can I view the status of the conversions I am supervising?
Log in to UConn’s system and click on “Advisor Tools –View Conversions” for a list of your students and their conversion statuses. You can update a conversion status through “Instructor Tools – Approve Conversions.”
Thesis/Project
How does doing a thesis outside a student’s major department work?
You (the Honors advisor) must approve a thesis/project plan for a project done outside of the student’s major department; the work must be in a related area. The advisee will then secure a thesis advisor—in the related area—who teaches a thesis course in the related department. The course will be recorded on the student’s Plan of Study. When the thesis is completed, it must be approved by you and the thesis supervisor.
Can a student do work off campus and have it count as the 3 credit hours that must come from thesis/project work?
The thesis supervisor teaches the relevant 3-credit course. You and your student can discuss and agree upon the type and location of work for the course.
A student has asked me to be his thesis advisor, but I’m not officially an Honors advisor. Can I still be a thesis advisor?
Any UConn faculty member may serve as a thesis advisor. Learn more about the advice we give to students.
Is there a length requirement for the thesis?
Protocols on format, length, and content of an Honors thesis/project are matters for academic departments that set requirements for Honors in the Major. The Honors Program does not have universal requirements for the thesis. See general guidance.
Graduation as an Honors Scholar
How do I find out what the various departmental requirements are for students to graduate as an Honors Scholar?
The first and most effective step is to contact the Honors advisor in the specific department. The Honors Program maintains a list linked to departmental Honors requirements. Since changes are at the discretion of departments, we encourage you to check with the Honors advisor in the specific department to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information.
Is graduation as an Honors Scholar noted on a student’s diploma or transcript?
The transcript will note “Honors Scholar in Good Standing” after each semester the student is active in the Honors Program. Following graduation and successful completion of Honors graduation requirements, “Honors Scholar” is noted on the student’s transcript and diploma.
Can an independent study be used to satisfy the required credits to graduate as an Honors Scholar?
Yes, but note that Honors students must take at least one Honors “course” with other Honors students as part of their Honors Scholar plan. Learn more.
Does a student have to wait until the third and fourth years to take courses that will count towards the Honors in the Major requirement for graduation as an Honors Scholar?
No, but it is worth noting that courses used towards Sophomore Honors cannot also be used for Honors in the Major. Learn more.
If this page doesn’t address your concern, feel free to contact us.