The University of Nevada, Reno Honors College: A Personalized Path to Excellence

The University of Nevada, Reno Honors College offers academically talented and highly motivated students a unique undergraduate experience. With a focus on nurturing critical thinking, deep understanding, and ethical action, the Honors College provides a supportive environment where students can maximize their potential and achieve transformative societal impact. For 60 years, the Honors College has welcomed students into its supportive community. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the UNR Honors College, its mission, admission requirements, program structure, and the opportunities it offers to its students.

Purpose and Mission

The Honors Program at the University of Nevada, Reno seeks to provide students who are both academically talented and highly motivated with an undergraduate education that nurtures and promotes their capacities to think competently, understand deeply, and act ethically. The Honors Program is committed to providing strong support for the development of these qualities among a select group of students who have demonstrated exceptional promise. The Honors Program is University-wide and compatible with all academic majors.

The Honors College strives to create a highly personalized University experience for its students. It aims to deepen their capacity for transformative societal impact through a series of personalized experiences. The college is guided by four mission pillars: "Resilience, Ingenuity, Stewardship, and Equity." These pillars guide student progress through the program. The Honors College denounces all forms of racism, hate, and bias and considers them antithetical to the letter and spirit of our mission. In order for Resilience, Ingenuity, Stewardship and Equity to succeed as programmatic and societal cornerstones, systemic racism and discrimination must never be a part of the educational process and our environment. The college pledges to support its honors community by creating processes and structures that dismantle biases and privilege created both prior to and during their students’ honors journey and will collaborate aggressively with partners across campus and in the community that pledge devotion to a society that ensures the safety, productivity, and unrestricted growth of all its members.

Admission to the Honors College

Admission to the Honors College is selective and competitive, and by application or invitation only. Any University student may apply for admission to the Honors College and, upon acceptance, pursue any one of the three honors pathways. A select number of students may be offered direct admission each year if they are recipients of the UNR Presidential or National Merit Scholarships.

Prospective students are eligible to apply to the Honors Program if the student meets the following criteria:

3.65 GPA (unweighted)
28 ACT
1250 combined verbal and quantitative SAT
Top 10 percent of graduation class
Evidence of motivation and commitment to academic excellence

Achievement of one or more of these criteria does not guarantee admission. Continuing University of Nevada, Reno students and transfer students are eligible to apply to the Honors Program if the student has a cumulative GPA of 3.65 or higher.

Once a complete application has been submitted to the Honors Program, the Honors Admissions Committee reviews each application carefully and makes a recommendation to accept an applicant for the next academic semester or to advise the applicant to reapply at another time.

Honors Pathways

Students in the Honors College may select any one of the three pathways. In order to complete an honors pathway, students must complete a specified number of honors academic experiences including an introductory honors course and an Honors Signature Experience. Up to six (6) approved co-curricular “beyond the classroom” experiences may also be used to satisfy the requirements of any honors pathway. Completion of all three honors pathways is measured in honors experiences. Pathways do not require the completion of a specific number of credit hours and they are not time dependent.

The Honors Baccalaureate

The Honors Baccalaureate is the most immersive honors pathway. Students pursuing this pathway must complete a total of 14 honors experiences of which eight (8) must be academic experiences - that is, honors courses. A maximum of six (6) approved co-curricular experiences may be used to satisfy the requirements of this pathway. Students pursuing this pathway must complete a total of fourteen honors experiences. A minimum of eight honors experiences must be academic, such as Honors College courses, honors sections of courses, and honors contract courses. This pathway includes an introductory honors course and an Honors Signature Experience. The Honors Baccalaureate is well suited to first-time, first-year students seeking to engage with the Honors College throughout their undergraduate years.

The Provost's Scholars Pathway

Honoring the tremendous contributions of the Office of the Provost to honors education at the University, the Provost’s Scholars pathway offers a balanced middle ground. Students pursuing this pathway must complete a total of 12 honors experiences of which six (6) must be academic experiences - that is, honors courses. A maximum of six (6) approved co-curricular experiences may be used to satisfy the requirements of this pathway. Like all other honors pathways, it requires an introductory honors course and an Honors Signature Experience. The Provost’s Scholars pathway is well suited to students who join the Honors College in their second year of study.

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The 1874 Scholars Pathway

Named for the year of the University’s founding, the 1874 Scholars pathway is the foundational honors pathway. Students pursuing this pathway must complete a total of 10 honors experiences of which four (4) must be academic experiences - that is, honors courses. A maximum of six (6) approved co-curricular experiences may be used to satisfy the requirements of this pathway. Students who graduate as 1874 Scholars complete ten honors experiences, with a minimum of four academic experiences and a maximum of six co-curricular “beyond the classroom” experiences. Like all other honors pathways, it requires students to enroll in an honors introductory course and to finish an Honors Signature Experience. The 1874 Scholars pathway is well suited to the needs of continuing and transfer students as well as students whose degree programs allow for few elective courses.

Program Requirements

While students are active in the Honors College, the generic Honors College plan appears in their MyNEVADA portals. At the point of graduation, students’ specific honors pathways are added to their transcripts and diplomas based upon their number of completed honors experiences.

Honors Experiences

Students in every honors pathway will complete a specified number of honors academic experiences and, at their discretion, co-curricular experiences as well as an Honors Signature Experience. Students in every honors pathway will complete a specified number of honors academic experiences and co-curricular experiences, including an introductory honors course and an Honors Signature Experience.

Honors academic experiences are equivalent to honors courses. These may be Honors College courses, designated honors sections of courses, or honors contract courses for honors credit. Honors introductory courses and Honors Signature Experience courses also count as academic experiences.
Honors co-curricular “beyond the classroom” experiences include, but are not limited to, service within the Honors College; service and volunteerism in the community; paid and unpaid internships; supervised research; leadership of ASUN-recognized clubs and organizations; and applying for nationally competitive scholarships or fellowships. A maximum of six (6) approved co-curricular experiences may be used to satisfy the requirements of any honors pathway.

Read also: Penn State Schreyer: What You Need to Know

Honors Introductory Course

Students who enter the Honors College as first-year students enroll in a required, one-credit honors first-year experience course, either HON 109 - Honors First-Year Experience or - for students residing in the Honors LLC - HON 215 - Explorations in Honors: Global Perspectives. Students who enter the Honors College later in their undergraduate career enroll in a required one-credit introductory honors course, HON 300 - Honors Seminar. Introductory honors courses count as academic experiences. Students must complete an honors introductory course in their first semester in the Honors College.

Honors Signature Experience

The Honors Signature Experience is the culminating honors academic experience for honors students. It dovetails with an honors student’s major-required thesis/capstone course for most academic majors. For majors that do not require a thesis/capstone, students will design their own project in accordance with their intellectual, professional, and personal goals. Students in majors without a designated Honors Signature Experience course enroll in HON 494 - Honors Signature Experience to satisfy this requirement. In HON 494, students design projects in accordance with their intellectual, professional, and personal goals and complete them with the assistance of a faculty and/or community mentor and the course instructor. The Honors Signature Experience course counts as an academic experience.

Progression Requirements

Continuation in the Honors College is dependent on students’ participation in advising Life Checks and active completion of honors experiences:

Life Checks: Students must participate in an advising Life Check regularly. The Honors College recommends these occur at least once a year. Life Checks are available as both in-person meetings or virtually. Students may also submit a semester engagement survey in lieu of attending a Life Check meeting. If a student fails to participate in a Life Check or to submit a semester engagement survey for two (2) consecutive semesters, then the student will be placed in Honors Distress for a period of one semester. Students in Honors Distress will be notified of their status prior to the start of their Honors Distress semester. In order to regain good standing, students must attend a Life Check meeting during the Honors Distress semester. Students must also meet with an Honors Advisor for a Life Check at regular intervals, or submit a progress report form to honors advising staff.
Honors Academic Experiences: Students are required to enroll in a one-credit introductory honors course in their first semester in the Honors College and to complete an Honors Signature Experience before they graduate. Students who do not meet these requirements will not graduate with an Honors College pathway.

Honors Residential Scholars Community

Incoming, first-year students who have been accepted to the Honors Program are invited to reside on campus in an Honors living learning community. The Honors Residential Scholars Community, known as the Honors LLC, provides a cohort of honors students with the opportunity to develop both local and global awareness through inquiry, discussion, and immersion. The community is open to qualified students of all academic majors who have been admitted to the Honors College. Students indicate their level of interest in residing in the Honors LLC when they apply to the Honors College. Interested students must also complete the University housing application, indicating their preference for the Honors LLC within that application. Select students work closely with peers and faculty to increase the potential for success in the first two semesters of enrollment by participating in related coursework and scheduled programming designed to meet the needs of first year students.

Advising

The Honors Program has advisors on staff to meet with Honors students and develop strategies for success in the program and beyond. Honors students are required to participate in one advising session per academic year, but are invited to seek advising at any point in the year. First-year students and Seniors are scheduled for advising in the fall semester. Students with Sophomore and Junior standing participate in advising in the spring semester. All students who receive advising in the Honors Program are eligible for priority registration in that semester.

Benefits of the Honors College

Students in the Honors College benefit from a variety of unique opportunities and advantages:

Priority Registration: Guarantees seat placement in any University of Nevada, Reno class.
Research Opportunities: Enjoy research opportunities at an earlier point compared to other students. The Honors College also offers special funds for undergraduate research just for its students. Through The Honors College, Narasimhan received a research grant through the Office of Undergraduate Research.
International Travel Funds: The Honors College offers special funds for international travel just for its students. As a sophomore Lang received a scholarship to teach English and study abroad from the Honors College Department of State Critical Language Program scholarship to substantially improve his Chinese.
Personalized Experience: The Honors College offers students a highly personalized University experience.
Supportive Community: The Honors College student community is a warm and supportive one that celebrates diversity of thought and background. Numerous social events and specialized advising that focuses on personal development await students in our program. Finding like-minded students was a priority for Noah Calvert.
Customization of Non-Honors Classes: Opportunities to customize non-honors classes.
Increased Graduation Rates: Honors College students persist to graduating at rates 10-15 percent higher than students who were similarly talented but didn’t join honors.
Access to Nationally Competitive Fellowships and Scholarships: The Honors College houses the University of Nevada, Reno Office of Undergraduate Fellowships and Scholarships.

Nationally Competitive Fellowships and Scholarships

The Honors Program houses the University of Nevada, Reno Office of Undergraduate and Graduate Fellowships and Scholarships. The Honors College houses the Office of Undergraduate Fellowships. In this capacity, the Office provides advice and assistance to University of Nevada, Reno undergraduates, graduates and alum interested in applying for undergraduate and graduate-level fellowships and scholarships such as the Fulbright, Gates Cambridge, Goldwater, Madison, Marshall, Mitchell, Phi Kappa Phi, Rhodes, Truman, and Udall. This office provides advice and assistance to University of Nevada, Reno undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni applying for external undergraduate- and graduate-level awards such as the Boren Scholarships and Fellowships, the Critical Language Scholarship, Fulbright grants, and the Gates Cambridge, Goldwater, Madison, Marshall, Mitchell, Rhodes, Truman, and Udall Scholarships. The University of Nevada, Reno is home to Rhodes, Truman, Goldwater, Madison, Fulbright, and Boren scholars. The Office of Undergraduate and Graduate Fellowships serve all students at the University of Nevada, Reno. The Office of Undergraduate Fellowships serves all students and alumni of the University of Nevada, Reno. Students do not need to be members of the Honors Program to receive assistance with their fellowship and scholarship applications. Undergraduate students do not need to be members of the Honors College to receive assistance with their fellowship and scholarship applications.

Program Completion

To successfully complete the Honors Program, a student:

Documents thirty credits of Honors coursework with grades of B- or better
Maintains a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or above
Satisfies preparation for the completion of the senior capstone Honors project or thesis (e.g., HON 235 , research methods)
Completes a senior capstone Honors project or thesis, and schedules an oral defense
Meets with an Honors advisor regularly
Demonstrates significant contributions to Honors academic and social activities

Transcripts of students completing the thirty Honors credits and a senior thesis or project with a GPA of at least 3.25 will indicate the Honors classes taken, the title of the Honors senior thesis, and a “Completed Honors Program” designation. At the point of graduation, students’ specific honors pathways are added to their transcripts and diplomas based upon their number of completed honors experiences.

Leadership and Growth

Matt Means was appointed inaugural Dean of the newly created University of Nevada, Reno Honors College on July 1, 2020. He was previously director of the honors program at the University of Nevada, Reno, after first serving as the founding and inaugural director of the Fort Hays State University Honors College. During his tenure at FHSU, the Honors College outperformed metric goals each year in the areas of student recruitment (more than 10 percent yearly increases), retention (more than 90 percent) and yield (more than 90 percent). In response to the growing enrollment, Professor Jason Ludden, English Department has joined the Honors College in the newly created role of Director, Office of Undergraduate Fellowships. The Honors College is also expanding the avenues for alumni, parent and student involvement. In addition to the newly established student emergency fund, committees are working on programming and outreach events, as well as endowment and Foundation giving. The percentage of under-represented students in our program is at the highest level in the program’s 60-year history, and the program has grown overall by 40 percent in just two years.

Success Stories

The Honors College was exactly what Aksha Narasimhan was looking for when she decided on the University of Nevada, Reno. The neuroscience and pre-med major knew from a young age she wanted to be a doctor and a researcher. “I was definitely nervous because you hear that you will doing a lot of grunt work-a lot of cleaning- but within the first few weeks at the lab, I was actually working with DNA samples and PCR machines,” said Narasimhan with a smile. “It was definitely very, very hands-on. The curricular improvements have been received with great enthusiasm. Encourage by his new cohort, Calvert is exploring his musical side. Ku'uipo Gonzales-Reyes knew she wanted to go to college on the West Coast but it was her mom who encouraged her take a closer look at Nevada. Gonzales-Reyes says the faculty gave her the confidence to become more social and pursue leadership roles on campus. Friendly competition amongst her peers spurred Gonzales-Reyes to push harder academically. “You always compare grades,” and friends who got better grades “would just light a fire under me,” said Gonzales-Reyes with a laugh. The Bonner Leader Program was a “pivotal experience” for Kayla Snowden, criminal justice major. “The Honors College taught me the benefit of getting active in my community,” Snowden explained. “For example, I joined the Residence Hall Association as president. By the time he graduated, Lang had been abroad five times. “Even after I graduated, I still have that confidence. Honors College alumni have been accepted to every Ivy League university, have won prominent nationally competitive scholarships, and are employed as industry and thought leaders in their chosen fields.

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