The KSU Journey Honors College curriculum provides students with the opportunity to customize their undergraduate experience at ÈâÈ⴫ý through Honors Learning Experiences or HLEs. Students choose HLEs that align with their interests, major, and career goals. We offer classroom-based, experiential, and research-based HLE opportunities. HLEs range from 0-3 credit hours, allowing students to fully participate in KSU Journey Honors College without adding time or cost to degree. 

Honors Designations Beginning Fall 2024

Journey Honors Scholar

Journey Honors Scholars Curriculum

Students with fewer than 45 credit hours completed upon admission to the KSU Journey Honors College will complete at least eight Honors Learning Experiences (HLEs) including the three Honors core courses shown below before graduation from ÈâÈ⴫ý:

  • HON 1100: The First-Year Honors Colloquium: An Introduction to Honors Education
  • HON 2400: Honors Co-Curricular Course
  • HON 3497: Honors Praxis

Journey Honors Scholars at Graduation

  • Announced at graduation
  • Special Honors cords are awarded and worn at graduation
  • Students are identified as Journey Honors Scholar on transcript

Journey Honors Scholar (45+ credit hours)

Journey Honors Scholars Curriculum

Students with more than 45 credit hours completed upon admission to the KSU Journey Honors College will complete at least five Honors Learning Experiences (HLEs) including the Honors core course shown below before graduation from ÈâÈ⴫ý:

  • HON 3497: Honors Praxis
     

Journey Honors Scholars at Graduation

  • Announced at graduation
  • Special Honors cords are awarded and worn at graduation
  • Students are identified as Journey Honors Scholar on transcript

Honors Designations Prior to Fall 2024

  • Honors Research Scholar Curriculum

    Students admitted to the KSU Journey Honors College with fewer than 45 credit hours before Fall 2024 and an expressed interest in undergraduate research will complete at least eight Honors Learning Experiences (HLEs) including the three Honors core courses shown below before graduation from ÈâÈ⴫ý:

    • HON 1100: The First-Year Honors Colloquium: An Introduction to Honors Education
    • HON 4497: Honors Senior Capstone Proposal
    • HON 4499: Honors Senior Capstone Project


    Honors Research Scholars at Graduation

    • Announced at graduation
    • Special Honors cords are awarded and worn at graduation
    • Students are identified as Honors Research Scholars on transcript

  • Honors Scholar Curriculum

    Students admitted to the KSU Journey Honors College with fewer than 45 credit hours before Fall 2024 will complete at least eight Honors Learning Experiences (HLEs) including the Honors core course shown below before graduation from ÈâÈ⴫ý:

    • HON 1100: The First-Year Honors Colloquium: An Introduction to Honors Education

    Honors Scholars at Graduation

    • Announced at graduation
    • Special Honors cords are awarded and worn at graduation
    • Students are identified as Honors Scholars on transcript

  • Honors in the Major (I) Curriculum

    Students admitted to the KSU Journey Honors College with more than 45 credit hours before Fall 2024 and an expressed interest in undergraduate research will complete at least five Honors Learning Experiences (HLEs) including the three Honors core courses shown below before graduation from ÈâÈ⴫ý:

    • HON 1100: The First-Year Honors Colloquium: An Introduction to Honors Education
    • HON 4497: Honors Senior Capstone Proposal
    • HON 4499: Honors Senior Capstone Project

    Honors in the Major (I) at Graduation

    • Special Honors cords are awarded and worn at graduation
    • Students are identified as Honors in the Major on transcript

  • Honors in the Major (II) Curriculum

    Students admitted to the KSU Journey Honors College with more than 45 credit hours before Fall 2024 will complete at least five Honors Learning Experiences (HLEs) including the Honors core course shown below before graduation from ÈâÈ⴫ý:

    • HON 1100: The First-Year Honors Colloquium: An Introduction to Honors Education

    Honors in the Major (II) at Graduation

    • Special Honors cords are awarded and worn at graduation
    • Students are identified as Honors in the Major on transcript

Honors Learning Experience Options (HLEs)

    • These interactive courses emphasize deep exploration of content, as well as hands-on experiences that encourage application of course topics.

    • Honors sections typically have a smaller student-to-faculty ratio than other sections.

    • Honors faculty are discipline or subject specialists and take a participatory approach to learning.

    • Students must earn a "C" or better in the course for it to count as an HLE.

  • Honors Contract Handout

    • Students collaborate directly with an instructor to turn any course into an Honors Learning Experience.

    • Students can customize a project to further their understanding of the Foundations of Honors Learning.

    • Resources are available through the Honors College to equip students with the skills and tools to develop, pursue, and fulfill meaningful Honors contracts.
    • Students experience learning in real-world settings beyond campus through programs organized and led by Honors faculty/staff.

    • Students join Honors faculty/staff as they follow the Honors City As Text model in special courses to investigate a country or region.  These learning experiences culminate in a short-term, faculty-led study abroad or study away experiences.

    • Students earn an HLE for travel through 1) Honors City as Text course, 2) Honors contract in a non-Honors study abroad course taught by a KSU instructor, or 3) HON 2800 Honors Applied Learning Experience related to the study abroad experience - see Applied Learning Experience below.

  • Students learn while they gain experience related to their majors by focusing on one of the Honors Identities through a special project during an internship experience.

    This option is for when your internship is paired with a KSU course. If you have a co-op or other internship that is NOT paired with a KSU course, see Honors Applied Learning Experience below.

  • Students serve as a research assistant in supervised inquiry within their discipline. They hone investigative and critical thinking skills under the guidance of a faculty member.
  • Students develop teaching and leadership skills and document evidence of their Honors learning while working as a Teaching Assistant with one of their professors.
  • Students develop a special course of study that is directed by a faculty member. They learn project management skills while activating deep learning in an area of study.

  • Students examine special topics with an Honors instructor and other Honors students in a small group setting.
    Honors Discoveries are short-term, non-credit earning experiences that revolve around unique topics and offer content beyond regular curriculum, often integrating current events or pop culture.
    Instructors are subject matter specialists invited by the Honors College.
    Discoveries are guided by the Honors Identities and typically meet weekly for five weeks at non-standard class times.

    Are you a faculty member interested in proposing an Honors Discovery? Please fill out the proposal form below and submit it to the Honors College for approval. Incentives are available for instructors.

  • Students learn while gaining field-based experience by focusing on one of the Honors Identities through a reflection-based assignment during a professional development experience, including but not limited to:

    • Completing an internship or co-op NOT affiliated with a KSU course
    • Completing a clinical experience within your major
    • Shadowing a professional in your field
    • Serving as a Supplemental Instructor or Learning Assistant for your peers

  • Students work to develop their leadership competencies by earning acceptance into one of the Honors Leadership groups shown below:

    • Honors Advisory Leadership Council (HALC)
    • Honors Ambassadors
    • Honors Peer Mentors

  • This experience serves as a culminating undergraduate experience for students interested in research. Students work direcly under the supervision of their major-specific capstone supervisor and the Honors Capstone Coordinator to create an original research paper, project, product, or community service event. The Honors Capstone Experience is composed of a two-course sequence:

    • HON 4497: Honors Senior Capstone Proposal
    • HON 4499: Honors Senior Capstone Project

Honors Minors

  • The minor in Honors Anceint and Modern Classics aims to draw students from all disciplines together for the opportunity to study ancient and modern classical literature. For more information, visit the .

  • The Honors Applied Professional Selling Minor provides high-achieving Honors Students the opportunity to further develop their Selling skills. For more information, visit the .

  • The Honors Computer Science and Applications Minor is designed to provide a credential to
    high-achieving Honors students seeking to develop a strong proficiency in data structures,
    computer architecture, and algorithm analysis. For more information, visit the .
  • The President’s Emerging Global Scholars [PEGS] minor includes Honors courses related to community engagement, global competence, leadership, and professional development. Only students in the President’s Emerging Global Scholars cohort may participate. For more information, visit the PEGS website.
  • The Honors Applied Marketing Minor provides high-achieving Honors Students the opportunity to further develop their marketing skills. For more information, visit the .