Students who complete all Honors College requirements graduate with an Honors Baccalaureate degree jointly awarded by the HC and the student’s major college(s). Beginning in academic year 2025-2026, there are new curricular pathways and requirements for honors students. These apply to all students whose first term in the Honors College is summer 2025 or after. Students who started in advance of summer term 2025 but are interested in the new pathways should speak with an Honors College advisor.
Honors Curriculum
This curriculum has two different tracks.
- Honors Scholar Track A: requires 30 HC credits. It is generally followed by students who enroll in the HC as an incoming first-year student.
- Honors Scholar Track B: requires 15 HC credits. It is typically for students who enroll in the HC as a transfer or current OSU student.
| Honors Scholar Track A | Honors Scholar Track B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Honors seminars | 6 credits | Honors seminars | 3 credits |
| Honors foundations* | 6 credits | Honors foundations* | 3 credits |
| Thesis/Research/Projects | 3 credits | Thesis/Research/Projects | 3 credits |
| Any of the above | 15 credits | Additional credits in any of the above | 6 credits |
| Final Thesis | Final Thesis | ||
| Minimum Total 30 credits | Minimum Total 15 credits | ||
*Honors foundations include honors versions of required Core Ed and major courses, study abroad and other experiential learning opportunities. Some HC courses also fulfill university or major requirements.
This curriculum has two different tracks.
- Honors Scholar: requires 30 HC credits. It is generally followed by students who enter the HC their first year.
- Honors Associate: requires 15 HC credits. It is typically for students who enter the HC after their second year.
| Honors Scholar | Honors Associate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
30 credits minimum |
15 credits minimum |
||
| Honors baccalaureate core courses | 6 credits | ||
| Honors colloquia | 6 credits | Honors colloquia | 6 credits |
| Honors electives** | 12 credits | Honors electives** | 6 credits |
| Thesis/Research/Projects | 6 credits | Thesis/Research/Projects | 3 credits |
| Final Thesis | Final Thesis | ||
| Minimum Total 30 credits | Minimum Total 15 credits | ||
*Of the required HC credits for both the Honors Scholar and Honors Associate tracks, a minimum of 12 upper-division (300-400) credits are required. Students on the Honors Associate track should plan carefully to fulfill the upper-division requirement.
** HC electives credits include any HC elective course and/or any HC baccalaureate core or HC colloquia credits taken beyond the minimum required amount.
HC Credit for International Experiences
Credits earned through OSU sponsored international experiences are eligible to apply to honors degree requirements. Students should communicate with their HC advisor when planning to participate in a study abroad or international internship.
Graduate Level Credits
Graduate credits completed as an undergrad at OSU may be applied to honors degree requirements. However, there are restrictions on graduate credits that are used to satisfy undergraduate requirements counting towards graduate programs at OSU. Students should consult with an HC advisor when considering this option.
HC Learning Outcomes
The Honors College has established three learning outcomes. These outcomes describe the skills that participation in HC courses and activities (including the honors thesis) allows all HC students develop by the time they graduate.
Scholarly Inquiry
Create new knowledge that contributes to one or more scholarly areas of study.
Engaged Inquiry
Engage in meaningful dialog across disciplinary boundaries and reflect on the value of cross-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary perspectives.
Social Justice Inquiry
Examine diversity from a range of contexts (e.g., social, historical, cultural, political) in order to develop a meaningful understanding of identity groups different from your own.