Types of Honors Courses

Students can earn Honors credit in many ways including taking HNRS seminars and department honors courses, turning a "regular" course into honors, and pursuing applied learning opportunities such as study abroad, service-learning, research or internships.

• To find honors courses and course numbers for registration each semester, go to the Browse Course Schedule By Term link on the Registrar's website. Type "Honors" into the keyword field to see a full list of honors courses.
• Honors course descriptions are listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. 
• Questions? Schedule an Honors advising appointment by emailing honors@wichita.edu. 

An ideal Honors course is, at its core, an experiment. It boldly challenges assumptions about what we know and how we learn. It emphasizes rigor along with exploration, creativity, and discovery. It should provoke students to engage actively in the learning process. It should empower students to participate in academic dialogue, solve real-world problems through research, and draw creative and compelling connections within and across disciplines.

HNRS topics and general education seminars explore interesting topics and engage students in discussion. These courses are offered by the Cohen Honors College, and topics change each semester. Students in the Cohen Honors College may enroll in these classes, and any student may enroll in one HNRS class before applying to be a member of the college. Many HNRS courses  fulfill General Education requirements. Exceptions include HNRS 485, 486, HNRS 481N internships, HNRS 410 independent study, and HNRS 398 travel seminars). 

“H” departmental honors courses fulfill general education, prerequisite, or major requirements. They are offered by other academic departments and have the letter “H” following the course number or the word “Honors” in the title of the course. Sometimes these are separate classes designed specifically for students in the Honors College or the departmental honors track, and sometimes these courses are offered as a smaller parallel section within the regular section of the class.

Turn a regular course into an Honors course with an Honors option agreement form. In any course with a fulltime faculty instructor, you may request to earn Honors credit. Examples of work completed to earn Honors credit include:

• Apply in-class knowledge to real-world experience: Research current labor conditions for stagehands, and volunteer for backstage work in a local performance during a Fine Arts course. Write a research and reflection paper.
• Further studies: Read additional primary source materials, solve additional problems, or extend course material in some way that will contribute to the depth of knowledge about the discipline. Share the research or application of knowledge with the instructor and the class.
• Research: Assist the professor with a small part of current research; learn the skills needed to understand plant morphology or to engage in teacher research; prepare for an application for an undergraduate student research grant.

Honors Research Seminar (HNRS 485 or  HNRS 486): The Honors Research Seminars present methods of inquiry and research concepts and provide students with opportunities to design and/or participate directly in research projects. Above all, these courses/experiences are designed to develop skills that will serve professionals in every field and career including asking good questions, working effectively independently and collaboratively, and gathering reliable information to find preliminary answers.

Honors Thesis (HNRS 491) is required for all Honors Baccalaureate students. Any student may choose to complete an Honors Thesis if they have a faculty mentor willing to serve as instructor of record.

Applied Learning: Honors College students are encouraged to engage beyond the classroom in applied learning and may earn honors credit for experiences such as study abroad, service learning, and internships.