Honors College

David Rhea, Dean

Honors College Overview

The Governors State University Honors College (HC) is committed to providing high-impact, unique, challenging, and experiential learning opportunities, in and out of the classroom, for our high-achieving students. We seek to promote leadership skills and personal development in our curricular and co-curricular opportunities for the betterment of the individual student, the university, and the global community.

The leadership and advisory boards of the Honors College faculty, staff, and students achieve this mission through facilitating and encouraging students to create learning opportunities that promote relationship networks, skillset, resume, and curriculum vitae development that prepare students across GovState degree-granting programs, to be better ready to address the challenges of the future that will demand cross-discipline solutions. The HC works to do this with a particular focus in these learning domains:

Community Engagement
Leadership
Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Global Perspectives

The HC assumes a leading presence both in the State of Illinois and nationally through its leadership presence in organizations like the National Collegiate Honors Council and the Honors Council of the Illinois Region, in particular with its student research presence at both events. The HC is one of only five honors colleges among the four-year public institutions in the State of Illinois.

To this end, HC sponsors educational events and provides extracurricular activities for students and residents of the region. The calendar of events includes research experiences (regionally and nationally), study abroad experiences, retreats, and social events. Through the curriculum, HC students are encouraged to become researchers, global learners, governance leaders, community leaders, and future graduate students. Throughout the year, Governors State University is showcased as a model to follow in honors education based on the work done by the Honors College.

The HC is committed to addressing diverse topics and challenges of the society of the mid-21st Century, particularly challenges that require interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary solutions such as artificial intelligence, societal injustice, climate change, emergency management, underpopulation, intercultural relations, governmental solutions, and more. It also strives to bring a global lens to workplace and apprenticeship opportunities. The Honors College works to empower students and prepare them for lives of possibility, leadership, and purpose with a goal for our students to transform themselves and to create a world that can offer hope to people everywhere.

Externally Reviewed

The HC is externally reviewed by peer reviewers of the National Collegiate Honors Council on a periodic basis, most recently in 2022-2023. The HC adheres to the guidance in the NCHC’s Shared Principles and Practices document for direction in its strategic planning and college development.

Honors College Advisory Board

The HC has an advisory board of nine members representing the all of the degree-granting colleges, the HC Student Council, and enrollment management all which support the mission and advancement of the HC.

Honors College Student Council

Since 2015-16, the HC has maintained a student council of honors students representing the diversity of the honors unit at GovState. The Student Council works to advise the advisory board and dean on planning of major HC events and the development of social events to build a sense of community amongst honors students. It also maintains a seat on the HC Advisory Board.

Non-Degree Granting College

The Honors College is a non-degree granting college and provides university honors academic distinction for students completing the Honors Program curriculum. Requirements for university honors program distinction are listed on the Honors Program page which can be accessed below.

University Honors Program, University Honors Distinction

The Honors College offers a University Honors distinction as result of completing the University Honors Program. The mission of this non-degree-granting undergraduate program is to provide high-impact, unique, challenging, and experiential learning opportunities, in and out of the classroom, for our high-achieving students. We seek to promote leadership skills and personal development in our curricular and co-curricular opportunities for the betterment of the individual student, the university, and the global community. The program provides undergraduates with an exceptional academic program designed to enhance the academic experience received in a student’s degree-granting program(s).

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the university honors program, students will be able to:

Demonstrate an active leadership agenda in their discipline(s) of interest.
Develop a sense of self as a leader that builds on prior experiences and academic knowledge.
Communicate student positions in a method that is systematic and data-driven.
Articulate well-developed global and culturally sensitive perspectives.
Apply knowledge and skills to provide solutions that address issues in a global context.
Analyze and synthesize information on topics from a variety of perspectives and sources.
Use tools and methodologies from a given discipline and extend their use and knowledge to other domains.
Demonstrate publicly the expression of learning though appropriate disciplinary means.
Engage student communities in a manner that exemplifies ethical sensitivity, sustainability, and social responsibility.
Evaluate ways to make a difference in the civic life of our communities through political and non-political processes.

Special Admission Requirements

For Newly Admitted First-Time Full-Time Freshmen and Transfer Students

Applicants are reviewed for admission into the honors program initially once they are admitted to the university. A newly admitted first-time, full-time freshmen or newly admitted transfer student must have a prior grade point average (G.P.A.) of at least 3.65/4.00 scale. Meeting the G.P.A. standard does not guarantee admission. Applicants who do not have the required G.P.A. may petition for or be reviewed for admission by exception. Eligible students will be contacted and made aware of their eligibility, and they can decide to join the honors college.

For students with an established GSU Cumulative GPA

Applicants can request to join the honors college through the online interest form or by contacting Honors College staff or their academic advisor. A student must have at least a 3.50/4.00 GovState CGPA with at least 12 credit hours completed. Students can join without special exception until 90 credit hours toward graduation are completed. Applicants who do not have the required G.P.A. and/or have completed less than 12 credit hours or more than 90 credit hours completed, may petition for or be reviewed for admission by exception.

Distinction Requirements

For students starting as full-time, first-time freshmen in honors (17 credit hours, 26 Honors Program Points)

The following courses or their equivalents may be taken at either the lower-division or upper-division level. Exceptions may be granted if course equivalents are met via Advance Placement or Dean’s Discretion.

COUN 1008 Mastering College Honors Section (1 credit hours - 1 honors point (HP)

FYS 1001 First-Year Seminar Honors Section (3 credit hours; 3 HP)

ENGL 1000 Writing Studies I Honors Section (3 credit hours; 3 HP)

ENGL 1010 Writing Studies II Honors Section (3 credit hours; 3HP)

COMM 1000 Public Discourse Honors Section (3 credit hours; 3HP)

HONS 2xxx Second-Year Seminar Honors Section (3 credit hours; 3HP)

HONS 3000 Future Foundations in Honors (1 credit; 1HP)

Honors Capstone (3 HP)

HP Leadership (1 HP)

Five additional Honors Program Points from the following categories

Honors Courses

HONS 4700 - Honors Independent Study (1-4 credit hours, 1-4 HP)

HONS 4800 - Honors Internship (1-4 credit hours, 1-4 HP)

HONS 4900 - Honors Seminar (3 credit hours, 3 HP)

HP Course Contracts (1-2 HP each)

HP Study Abroad (1 HP per experience)

For students not starting as full-time, first-time freshmen in honors (1 credit hour, 10 Honors Program Points)

The following courses or their equivalents may be taken at the upper-division level. Exceptions may be granted if course equivalents are met via Advance Placement or Dean’s Discretion.

HONS 3000 Future Foundations in Honors (1 credit; 1HP)

Honors Capstone (3 HP)

HP Leadership (1 HP)

Five additional Honors Program Points from the following categories

Honors Courses

HONS 4700 - Honors Independent Study (1-4 credit hours, 1-4 HP)

HONS 4800 - Honors Internship (1-4 credit hours, 1-4 HP)

HONS 4900 - Honors Seminar (3 credit hours, 3 HP)

HP Course Contracts (1-2 HP each)

HP Study Abroad (1 HP per experience)

HP Research (1-2 HP per project)

HP Concentrated Areas of Study (1-2 HP per area of study)

HP Leadership (1 HP per role)

HP Professional Development (1 HP per experience)

HP Prestigious Scholarships (1-2 HP per campus endorsed application)

Special Distinction Requirements

IIn addition to completing all university honors program curriculum requirements by graduation, a student must have at least a 3.50/4.00 GovState CGPA to graduate with university honors distinction.