The Honors Experience
Everyone’s honors experience looks different and that’s what makes the DHC a great option for so many students. Whether you’re a musician or mathematician, an artist or an anthropologist, a business person or biologist, a physicist or a philosopher, our program is designed to provide breadth and depth, and to prepare you well to meet your academic and professional goals.
We offer a flexible curriculum that fits with any major. We offer between 50-60 honors courses every semester. Benefits include dedicated academic advising and career development support; priority advising; community and support from the entire DHC team, including the dean; a rich community and meaningful and fun events specifically for honors students; access to a robust alumni network, and opportunities to apply for DHC-specific scholarships; and course credit and support for internships and study abroad experiences.
Although everyone’s experience is different, here is the general path to becoming a University Scholar (fancy language for someone who completes honors experiences with at least a 3.0 GPA). Students complete at least eight honors experiences (approximately one per semester) and assemble an electronic portfolio on their way to earning the DHC medallion and graduation with University Scholar distinction.
Honors Requirements
Minimum 3.0 GPA Required at time of Graduation
|
Name/Type of Course |
No. of Credits |
|
HONR 120: Intro to Honors* |
1 Credit |
|
HONR 121L: Ways of Knowing |
3 Credits |
|
HONR 394: Interdisciplinary Colloquium (Choose 1) |
3 Credits |
|
Experiential Learning** (Choose 1) |
2-3 Credits |
|
Honors Electives*** (Choose 2) |
4-6 Credits |
|
HONR 320E: Art of Inquiry or an Approved Research Methods Course within your Major |
3 credits |
|
Honors Capstone Project: may be in your Major or in Honors |
3 credits |
|
Total Number of Credits |
19-22 Credits |
*Transfer Students EXEMPT from HONR 120
**Options include Study Abroad, Internship, Supervised Research, Fieldwork, and/or National Student Exchange
***Options include departmental honors course offerings, one additional experiential learning opportunity, additional HONR 394 interdisciplinary colloquia, and/or Honors special topics courses.
E-PORTFOLIO:
Honors students will develop an electronic portfolio as part of their requirements to graduate with University Scholar distinction. The e-portfolio will include artifacts that demonstrate important activities and learning outcomes from their honors courses and experiences. Support for completing this project will begin in HONR 120 and continue with ongoing honors advising.
Sample Pathway & Tips
- Introduction to Honors and Ways of Knowing course
- Honors general education course
*Tips:
- Get to know your honors advisors
- Begin work on your e-portfolio
- Participate in the Honors Student Association’s Trick or Treat so Missoula Eats
- Attend a Grizzly sporting event or theater production with your fellow honors students
- Read the Griz Read
- Share dinner on the patio at our annual spaghetti supper and in the lounge for our Thanksgiving lunch
- Honors elective (lots of options every semester)
- Honors interdisciplinary course
*Tips:
- Schedule a meeting with the DHC’s Director of Career Development
- Explore options for study abroad, field experiences, and the National Student Exchange
- Join a club in your major
- Consider becoming a DHC Ambassador or Learning Assistant
- Pick your favorite seat in the DHC lounge
- Sign on to a DHC trivia team or consider performing at open mic night
- Check out Missoula’s Farmer’s Market and the huckleberry ice cream at Big Dipper
- Art of Inquiry or research methods course
- Experiential learning (internship or study abroad)
*Tips:
- Meet with the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships
- Complete an internship or service learning experience
- Get involved in research or creative scholarly work and ask your favorite faculty about capstone possibilities
- Join Dean Nichols and friends for Tea Time
- Rise early Friday morning for one of our DHC hikes or venture further out to raft, climb, ski, snowboard, or to dip your toes in a nearby hot spring
- Blow your budget on treasures from Rockin Rudy’s
- Mark your calendar for the DHC’s celebratory Evening of Excellence
- Capstone Project
- Completion of e-portfolio
*Tips:
- Complete your capstone project
- Present at UM’s celebration of undergraduate research and creative scholarship and publish your project on Scholar Works
- Serve on the leadership team for the organization/s you’re most passionate about
- Explore and apply for jobs, graduate and professional schools
- Have a heart-to-heart with honors advisors about your plans for next steps
- Celebrate your accomplishments as a University Scholar
- Cast your informed vote for Missoula’s best pizza joint and microbrewery
DHC Traditions and Opportunities for Involvement
Of course, HONORS is more than what happens in the classroom (important as it is). Please see our Opportunities page for ways to you can engage with DHC traditions and opportunities.