Honors Program

About the Program

The Honors Program at Southwest Minnesota State University offers qualified students from all disciplines enhanced opportunities to develop leadership skills, engaged critical thinking, and global consciousness. The Honors Program supports an undergraduate education through a rigorous and challenging curriculum with a focus on the individual student’s potential talents, interests, and abilities. Honors Program students are encouraged to design an academic plan that creates innovative experiences, exploration of diversity, interdisciplinary connections, and contributions to the community.

The Honors Program offers three pathways: the Traditional Pathway, the Transfer Pathway, and the Experiential Pathway. The Traditional Pathway provides qualified students with an alternative to the university’s Liberal Education Program (LEP). In place of the standard LEP, honors students, in consultation with the Honors Program Director and a review board of faculty members from diverse disciplines, design their own course of study in the liberal arts—one that is more challenging and directly suited to their individual academic needs. Traditional Pathway students are also required to take Introduction to Honors, Honors Seminar, and core courses from four different categories. Additionally, each student is required to participate in undergraduate research and complete an hour-long senior dialogue with selected faculty members.

The Transfer Pathway is an option for students with transfer credits. Transfer Pathway students are required to complete the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, a senior dialogue, Honors Seminar, and core courses from four different categories.

The Experiential Pathway is an option who have completed at least 34 Minnesota Transfer Curriculum credits before joining the Honors Program. In addition to completing a senior dialogue, students are required to take Discover, Engage, Lead, and Honors Seminar.

Regardless of pathway, graduation from the Honors Program requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.4 or higher.

Benefits

The primary benefit of the program is personal growth. Students also receive the recognition and sense of accomplishment that comes from taking charge of one’s own education. In recognition of this achievement, students are awarded a special medallion and lead the parade of undergraduates at commencement. The achievement of program completion is also noted on the student’s transcript, which is of considerable importance for those applying to graduate or professional school and those competing in the job market.

Honors students who maintain a 3.4 grade point average are eligible to register first for classes, assuring them of getting the courses they want. The program also provides some honors conference travel scholarships awarded on a competitive basis, the Curtler Honors Lounge—a lounge designated for honors student use, and an Honors Club that sponsors various activities.

HOW TO APPLY

• Complete and submit the online application form and short essay at https://forms.office.com/r/jV69Vz7Tar

• Send a letter of recommendation (preferably from a teacher) and an unofficial transcript to:

  Honors Program
  Attn: Dr. Brett Gaul
  Southwest Minnesota State University
  1501 State Street
  Marshall, MN 56258

Contact Information

Honors Program

BA 109, Southwest Minnesota State University
1501 State St.
Marshall, MN 56258

• Telephone: (507) 537-7141
• Fax: (507) 537-6815
• Email: Brett.Gaul@SMSU.edu