Graduation Requirements

Students admitted to the Honors College may select any major offered by the University and are expected to maintain a cumulative 3.3 GPA. In order to graduate “with honors from the South Carolina Honors College,” you must complete at least 45 hours of honors course credits, including courses in English, analysis, literature, history of civilization, natural science, humanities, social sciences, electives of your choice and the Beyond the Classroom requirement. In addition, students are required to complete a senior thesis or project. More information on graduation requirements can be found in the Honors College Student Handbook.

 

Curriculum

The Honors College provides students with greater depth within their majors — honors courses are offered in every major — and greater breadth across the curriculum. In fact, we were ranked the #1 Honors Program in 2012 based largely on our outstanding curriculum, and have remained at the top. 

I like to describe Honors courses not as more difficult, per se, but as more enriched. We don’t require an extra test or paper and call it an honors class. We encourage our faculty to present a deeper investigation of the material, and the small class sizes mean you’re engaging in a more stimulating discourse with the other bright students sitting next to you.

Catherine Flowers, Honors College Advisor

 

Advisement

Individual attention and personal mentoring is a hallmark of the Honors College. In addition to an academic advisor for your major, you’ll also have a dedicated Honors College advisor to help you navigate the Honors College curriculum. This advisor also connects you to resources and opportunities like national fellowships and scholarships, internships and programs custom-tailored to your interests.

Beyond the Classroom

With our "Beyond the Classroom" requirement, we’ve developed a liberal arts curriculum for the 21st Century. Students are required to experience real-life learning outside of the traditional classroom setting. Students may meet this requirement through undergraduate research, internships, service learning or a study away experience, including study abroad or the National Student Exchange. Learning outside the classroom adds value to your education and allows you to apply what you're learning to a variety of real-world experiences.

 

Senior Thesis

Our students complete senior theses in a variety of fields. Some lead to more research or publication. They can also open doors to future employment. The senior thesis allows you to become an expert in something that inspires you.