Honors Curriculum

Students in the Honors College choose between two curriculuar tracks and can change between tracks as needed. Most students aim to complete the 27-credit Highlander Honors Scholar curriculum, which results in the highest academic distinction bestowed on undergraduates at Radford University.  Some students are admitted to the Honors College after they have already earned a large number of college credits, either during high school or at another institution. These students may elect to pursue the 15-credit Highlander Honors Distinction. This curriculum allows students to access the benefits of the Honors College while maintaining a shorter timeline to graduation. Please discuss these options with your honors advisor, the associate director, or the director. Students who complete either curriculum have their work recognized on their diploma and with a special medallion at graduation.

In addition to the above curricular tracks, students can also consider completing an honors minor. The honors minor can be completed in one of three pathways within Radford REAL General Education program. All credits in an honors minor double-count toward completing either curricular path, so many students complete an honors minor on their way to meeting graduation requirements for the Honors College. 

The Highlander Honors Scholar is the highest academic distinction bestowed on undergraduates at Radford University. To graduate as a Highlander Honors Scholar, students must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average and complete at least 27 hours of honors work in accordance with the requirements listed below. Students who complete this track wear a gold-ribboned medallion at graduation and have their accomplishment recognized on their diploma.

• 15 honors credits from designated honors courses (e.g., honors ENGL 111, PSYC 121, THEA 100, CHEM 111)
• 9 honors credits in any combination of:   
  • honors contracts in 300- or 400-level classes
  • independent study (--- 498) or other approved research for credit in the major
    
  • study abroad
  • upper-level honors seminars (HNRS 300 and HNRS 310)
    
• 3 credit honors capstone project (---- 488)
  

• 3.5 cumulative GPA in all coursework at Radford University

Most students take 1-2 honors courses per semester during freshman and sophomore year. Students typically begin to contract courses or enroll in independent studies during junior year. The honors capstone should be planned during the second semester of junior year by taking HNRS 300. The honors capstone is completed over the course of one academic year and typically presented in the final semester before graduation. Students who spend much of senior year at internship sites (e.g., education majors) begin their honors capstone one year earlier.

Students joining honors after already earning 30 or more college credits might be unable to complete the full 27-credit honors curriculum. These students should discuss the situation with an honors adviser and consider the 15-credit Highlander Honors Distinction. This curriculum allows the student to access the benefits of honors while staying on a shorter timeline to graduation. To graduate with the Highlander Honors Distinction, students must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average and complete at least 15 hours of honors work in accordance with the requirements listed below. Students who complete this track wear a red-ribboned medallion at graduation and have their accomplishment recognized on their diploma.:

• 3 credits from at least one upper-level honors seminar (300-level or higher)
• 9 honors credits in any combination of:
  • honors courses
  • honors contracts in the major
  • independent study (e.g., --- 498) in the major
  • study abroad for academic credit
• 3 credit honors capstone project (---- 488). The capstone project must be presented at a scholarly conference or other public venue.
• 3.5 cumulative GPA in all coursework at Radford by graduation