Browse frequently asked Cohen Honors College questions by topic.
Honors Admissions
Who is eligible to apply to the Cohen Honors College?
The Cohen Honors College welcomes applications from students of any major. Incoming freshmen, international students, current WSU students and transfer students are encouraged to apply.
There are no minimum ACT/SAT or GPA requirements for admission to the Honors College. Admission is by a competitive application process and acceptance is based on a holistic review of each applicant. While there are no minimum ACT/SAT or GPA requirements, we do evaluate applicants on their preparation for challenging academic and professional work as well as creative approach to solving problems; urge to make a positive impact on the community and in the world; and open-minded embrace of diversity in backgrounds, values and perspectives.
Transfer students: Six to twelve credit hours of honors from another institution may be accepted as transfer honors credit with Honors approval.
When should I apply?
Honors Applications are reviewed monthly from November 1 to June 30. All high school seniors who apply by a priority date of Nov 1 and transfer student who apply by Feb 1 will be eligible for the Honors College Merit Scholarship of $500 a year for up to two years. After these dates, merit scholarships will be awarded as funds are available. You will receive notification of the Honors application decision by WSU email.
I just received my acceptance letter to the Cohen Honors College--can I start signing
up for honors classes?
New to WSU? First sign up for orientation and pre-advising with the Office of First-Year Programs.
Current students enroll beginning at 7am on the first day of enrollment. If you run into any trouble, feel free to contact x3375 or email honors@wichita.edu
What are the benefits of being a Cohen Honors College student?
Cohen Honors students enjoy:
- a community of high-achieving students
- small, discussion-based classes and faculty mentorship
- guidance and financial support for undergraduate research, study abroad, community service experiences and internships
- a local and international professional alumni network
- the Honors Lounge, accessible 24/7, with computers, study space and free printing
- priority course registration
How do Honors students sign up to live in the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC)?
Incoming Honors students are invited to live and learn with motivated and creative peers in the Honors Living Learning Community in Shocker Hall. Students join the Honors LLC for many reasons, but all are driven by a love of learning. The ideal student for the Honors LLC is one who enjoys scholarship, craves challenges, appreciates a diverse perspective on current issues and wants to be connected with likeminded students. To sign up for the Honors LLC, visit Housing and Residence Life.
Can a student who isn't admitted to the Honors College take an honors course?
Yes! Students who are not members of the Cohen Honors College are able to enroll in one honors seminar (HNRS) course. Submit a request form for permission to enroll in the class. This form gives all of the information we need.
Honors Curriculum
How can I make an appointment to see an Honors advisor?
General Honors advising: current students can schedule an appointment with Andrew Myers through the Navigate system appointment link.
Leadership track advising only: contact Dr. Chelsea Redger-Marquardt
What are the requirements to graduate from the Honors College?
There are multiple ways to earn an honors distinction on one’s transcript or diploma.
New Honors students start by working toward the University Honors minor, a distinction that requires 18 credit-hours including an honors special topics seminar or honors first-year seminar and a substantial reserach or design thinking experience with a presentation.
You may choose an area of emphasis in honors such as leadership, law and public policy or departmental honors, but you aren't required to.
How do Honors courses differ from regular courses?
The main difference between Honors courses and regular courses isn't workload but the approach taken to the material. The typical Honors course takes a more participatory approach to learning - less lecture, more discussion. Most Honors courses are smaller in size than regular courses; Honors special topics seminars are capped at 15 students..
How do I earn honors credit? Is it only by taking HNRS courses or are there other
options?
There are many ways to earn honors credit! You can take department honors courses such as MATH 555H or turn a regular course into an honors course with an honors option agreement form.
The types of honors courses page tells you more and includes a list of typical course offerings.
Can I change my area of emphasis (track) in Honors?
You can add, remove, or change your honors track yourself in the Change of Major app in your MyWSU portal.
How do I know what honors courses are offered this semester?
Several Honors special topics seminars (HNRS-prefix Courses) are offered by the Cohen Honors College every semester. In addition, “H” or “honors” courses such as COMM 111H or PSY324H are offered by individual academic departments each semester. Sometimes these classes are “piggybacked” with a regular section of the class and Honors students are given a special assessment, project or assignment to elevate the level of learning.
Visit the Schedule of Courses to view the current course schedule. Select "Search by Term" and type "honors" in the keyword box to see a list of all department honors and honors college courses.
Students also may request a special assessment or project to earn Honors credit for almost any course. Honors Option Agreements are arranged between an individual Honors student and their professor.
Can I request an exception to Honors requirement(s)?
At the Cohen Honors College we highly value flexibility. If an Honors requirement isn't making sense to you, or if you'd like to propose an alternative to honors requirements, please submit a Petition for Exception.
Can I earn Honors credit for an internship?
The Honors College provides credit for approved academic internships. These internships count for Honors elective credit or may count toward your applied requirement for a law & public policy track. Visit the applied learning page for more information about how to request registration for an internship that earns honors credit.
What is the Honors Research requirement?
All students pursing University Honors or the Emory Lindquist Honors Scholar track are required to complete a substantive research or design-thinking experience (inquiry) and share their research process or product with a broad audience (impact).
Students may choose to meet this requirement by taking a course on the Research and Design Thinking (RDT) list. These include but aren't limited to HNRS 486 Collaborative Research, HNRS 485 Honors Independent Research, HNRS 306J Making Social Impact, and ID300H Design-Thinking & Innovation Honors.
For information about counting independent research toward this requirement, visit our applied learning page.
How does study abroad work with Honors?
In order to support the enriching experiences of cultural immersion the Honors College provides credit for academically strong study abroad programs. Students can earn credit toward their Honors distinction by completing study abroad courses, and may apply for a Cohen Enhancement Scholarship of up to $4000 to support their travel.
What are the requirements to remain in good standing in Honors?
To remain in good standing in the Cohen Honors College:
- maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25, and
- take at least 3 Honors credits each year (one Honors class per year) or complete a 12-credit honors track.
If you have questions or concerns about your honors standing, come in to speak with our honors advisor.
How will anyone know I graduated "with Honors" or "with Highest Honors?"
Every Honors class you take is specially designated as such on your transcript. If you successfully complete all the requirements for Honors College graduation, you will be eligible to wear a stole or medallion during Commencement. Your diploma and official transcript will reflect the University Honors and departmental honors distinctions. Your area of emphasis will be listed on your transcript.
Latin Honors – cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude – are not affiliated with the Cohen Honors College. These honors distinctions are based solely on the student’s GPA.
Are there additional fees for students in the Honors College?
Honors College students pay a $50 per semester fee that supports the expansion of the original location to include meeting rooms, study spaces and recreational spaces, technology, and additional programming. Any fees collected beyond the construction debt are used to support student technology and programming at the dean's discretion and in consultation with the student council.