The NAU Honors Distinction

 Student Studying in Expansion 

Becoming an Honors student provides you with tools for your future. 

It also means that you are choosing to:

  •  engage in rigorous courses
  •  participate in the Honors community
  •  represent the best of Northern Arizona University

Employers and graduate school admission committees recognize the distinct skills that you achieve as an Honors student.  

When you graduate with honors, you receive special distinction on your diploma and transcripts that names your honor― the proof of your hard work and competitive edge.

University Honors Program requirements 

To earn these distinct skills and benefits you must be admitted to the Honors Program and complete the Honors Program requirements. To graduate with honors you must:

1) Complete the following foundational courses:

  • one Honors first year seminar in critical reading and writing (HON 190)
  • one mathematics foundation course at the PreCalculus level or higher (MAT 125)
  • complete Calculus II (MAT 137) OR demonstrate proficiency in a second language through the first year (102 level)

2) Have 28 hours of liberal studies course work distributed in the following way:

  • one Lab Science class
  • two Aesthetic and Humanistic Inquiry classes
  • Two of these requirements must be fulfilled with an Honors Seminar (HON 240, 241, 242, 243, or 244) AND an Honors Advanced Seminar (HON 291, 292, 293 or 294).
  • one Science/Applied Science class
  • two Social and Political Worlds classes
  • one additional class from one of the above categories

3) Two of these requirements must be fulfilled with an Honors Topics Seminar AND an Honors Advanced Seminar.

4) Honors Pathways: Five non-credit bearing “Pathway Experiences” must be completed prior to graduation.

5) Honors Capstone Experience: HON 491C or 4XXH associated with a major capstone 

6) Complete at least 21 Honors units, and maintain a 3.5 cumulative NAU GPA