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Honors Program

Honors Program

Pair with any bachelor’s degree

The Honors Program is about pursuing an enriched, enhanced, and deeper undergraduate liberal arts education. Honors students come together to form a diverse community of intellectually adventurous scholars.

Program Overview

Honors program

Exceed all of your own expectations.

At Western Colorado University, the Honors Program welcomes high-achieving students from all majors and disciplines. The Honors Core features seven credits across four courses: Gateway, Forum, Introduction to the Great Conversation and Oxford Tutorial. Honors sections of General Education courses, which vary every semester, contribute another six credits. Special Topics courses, field experiences, service-learning projects, independent research, and study abroad opportunities round out the program with eight credits of Honors Electives.

Interested in studying abroad through Western’s Honors Program? Click the link below for additional information on the program’s upcoming trip to Scotland.

Learn More

A step ahead

Honors students gain access to distinctive, innovative and discussion-based courses, research and conference opportunities, honors-specific scholarships, community social events, and more.

Program Requirements

At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.

The Western Honors Program provides enhanced and challenging academic programming to a carefully selected group of highly motivated and accomplished students from all disciplines. The Honors Program at Western provides the best of a liberal arts education by providing students with the opportunity to become autonomous learners within a highly supportive and collaborative academic community. Honors students are encouraged and challenged to free themselves from not only external constraints on the acquisition of knowledge and understanding but also from internal limitations that can prevent critical thinking, reflective analysis, and responsible choice. The Honors program welcomes a diversity of perspectives and fosters the intentional practice of civil discourse, enabling students to develop the capacity for informed analysis and responsible evaluation and a willingness to submit discoveries and conclusions to an academic community of their peers and mentors to be mutually investigated and critiqued. Small class size, extensive interaction among peers and professors, experiences outside the traditional classroom, and interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches to education are all features of the program. Such opportunities allow students to explore avenues of intellectual inquiry within and beyond their selected majors and minors.

The Western-CU Partnership Honors Program Certificate

The Western-CU Partnership Honors Program Certificate is for eligible Partnership students who are motivated to enhance their education with Honors courses connecting STEM with rigorous liberal arts-based inquiry.  Partnership students in the Honors Program take the same 21-credit sequence alongside Western students, but with a specialized degree plan and advising designed to fit seamlessly into their schedules.  Through innovative, interdisciplinary, and experiential coursework, Honors students engage program values of citizenship and community, interdisciplinarity, risk taking and autonomy, social intelligence and the Good.  Upon program completion, Partnership students will emerge as global thinkers, strong communicators, and creative problem solvers.  Students can learn more about the Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science & Engineering on individual program pages.  

Program Benefits

Honors students have the opportunity to become a part of a scholarly community composed of faculty and students committed to the pursuit of intellectual inquiry, creativity, and academic excellence. Benefits of membership in the Western Honors Program also include automatic eligibility for Honors housing and Honors classes, use of the Honors Center, computer lab and classroom in Taylor Hall, participation in Honors Orientation and the opportunity to get involved with the Honors Student Advisory Board to plan social and intellectual activities beyond the classroom, Honors study abroad, priority registration, exclusive opportunity to apply yearly for Honors-exclusive scholarships, and special recognition at graduation upon completion of the program. Students may also register for Honors Special Topics classes or develop independent and special Honors projects which offer challenging and accelerated learning experiences inside and outside the regular course offerings.

Admission Requirements

Invitations to apply for the program are extended to high school students who have achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average or who have successfully completed International Baccalaureate programs. Applicants to the program will be asked to submit a 250 word essay response to a question that will be included in the letter of invitation to apply. First or second-year Western students who have a minimum overall 3.3 grade point average may also apply. Upper-division students are considered on an individual basis. Transfer students with 29 or fewer credits are invited to apply to join Honors if they have achieved a minimum overall 3.3 college grade point average as well as fulfilled the high school GPA and test score requirements. Transfer students with 29 or more credits and a minimum overall 3.3 college grade point average are considered on an individual basis.

Program Requirements

Continuation in the program is based on maintaining an overall grade point average of 3.0. Graduation from the program requires a grade point average of 3.3 and completion of program requirements.  

A minimum of 21 credits is required:

Course List
Code Title Credits
HNRS 100Gateway3
HNRS 200Honors Forum2
HNRS 304Introduction to the Great Conversation1
HNRS 400Oxford Tutorial1
Honors General Education courses 16
Select eight credits of the following (at least six credits must be upper division):8
HNRS 101
Honors Colloquium
HNRS 197
Special Topics
HNRS 201
Honors Colloquium
HNRS 202
Service Learning in Honors
HNRS 297
Special Topics
HNRS 301
Honors Colloquium
HNRS 302
Service Learning in Honors
HNRS 303
Honors Field Experience
HNRS 305
Place as Text
HNRS 397
Special Topics
HNRS 402
Service Learning in Honors
HNRS 401
Honors Colloquium
HNRS 403
Honors Field Experience
HNRS 492
Independent Study
HNRS 494
Thesis Preparation
HNRS 495
Thesis
HNRS 497
Special Topics
Total Credits21
1

The six Honors General Education credits will be redistributed to Honors Electives for students who enter the Honors program with completed General Education programs either through Western or gtPathways.

Suggested 4-Year Degree Plan with the Honors Program

As each student’s overall degree plan will vary, depending upon transfer credit and/or major, this is a suggested plan.  Students transferring significant numbers of GE credits should meet with the Honors Program Director to make an individualized degree plan.  

Students interested in the Western-CU Partnership Honors Program Certificate should consult individually with the Honors Program Director for degree plans.

Plan of Study Grid
Year OneCredits
HNRS 100 Gateway 3
Gen Ed HNRS section of GE course 3
 Credits6
Year Two
HNRS 200 Honors Forum 2
Gen Ed HNRS section of GE course 3
HNRS Special Topics elective course Students are encouraged to consider taking an Honors Maymester Abroad course, as available, to earn 3 elective credits. 3
 Credits8
Year Three
HNRS 304 Introduction to the Great Conversation 1
HNRS Special Topics elective course 3
 Credits4
Year Four
HNRS 400 Oxford Tutorial 1
HNRS Special Topics elective course 2
 Credits3
 Total Credits21

This plan is intended primarily for students either in K-12/Secondary Licensure or 3+2 programs. As each student’s overall degree plan will vary, depending upon transfer credit and/or major, this is a suggested plan.  Students transferring significant numbers of GE credits should meet with the Honors Program Director to make an individualized degree plan.  

Suggested 3-Year Degree Plan with the Honors Program

Plan of Study Grid
Year OneCredits
HNRS 100 Gateway 3
Gen Ed HNRS section of GE course 3
Gen Ed HNRS section of GE course 3
 Credits9
Year Two
HNRS Special Topics elective course and/or Honors colloquium added to a non-Honors course Students are encouraged to consider taking an Honors Maymester Abroad course, as available, to earn 3 electives credits. 3-4
 Credits3-4
Fall
HNRS 200 Honors Forum 2
 Credits2
Spring
HNRS 304 Introduction to the Great Conversation 1
 Credits1
Year Three
HNRS 400 Oxford Tutorial 1
HNRS Special Topics elective course and/or Honors colloquium added to a non-Honors course 3-4
 Credits4-5
 Total Credits19-21

Spotlight

Headshot of Triston smiling

Triston Turner

Student

“Any leadership role makes your college experience unique because you obviously don’t have to do this before you graduate. Being an EPIC Mentor has provided me with more perspective in my life. I see different viewpoints and the diversity of people’s backgrounds.” As he works toward his master’s degree, Triston is involved with EPIC Mentors, the Organics Guild, Western Solar Society and the Honors Program.

Scholarships

Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.

Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.

Find your scholarships!

This scholarship has been established by Nancy Chisholm ’90 to provide scholarship assistance to Western Colorado University students. This scholarship was created to inspire academic and athletic achievement at the highest levels at Western Colorado University, which are personified by our intercollegiate athletics student-athletes studying in the Honors Program.

Eligibility

  • Athletics: A member of one of the intercollegiate athletic programs.
  • Class Standing (after completion of current spring semester): Applicants must be full-time continuing students at Western.
  • GPA: 3.0 or higher; applicants must be currently enrolled in the Honors Program.

Selection Committee

Recipients will be selected by a committee consisting of the Director of Athletics and Director of the Honors Program in consultation with the Office of Student Financial Services.

Award 

$10,000 for 2021-2022 to fund two $5,000 scholarships

Application

Applications are due April 1 of the year of application. Apply here.

Description

The Western Presidential Honors Scholarships, established by the Jack and Marilyn MacAllister Foundation shall be an elite class of scholarships awarded to Western’s highest achieving and most deserving students, celebrating the ideals of academic excellence and service to the campus and community. Recipients of the Scholarships will be members of the Western Colorado University Honors Program.

There are two $2500 awards for incoming students and five $3000 awards for continuing students.





Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.

Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.

Find your scholarships!

Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship

The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.

Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.

  • This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
  • Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
  • GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).

Due date has been extended to April 1 for 2023. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.

Apply

Alumni Legacy Scholarship

The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).

Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:

  • This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
  • Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
  • The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
  • The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
  • GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).

The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.

Apply

Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship

The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.

Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).

  • Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
  • The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
  • The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.

The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.

For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.

For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.

Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.

For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.

News & Research

Western Earns Accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission

Western Earns Accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission

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honors forum student speaking

Experiments in Service Learning and Altruism

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honors scholarship

Presidential Honors Scholarship Expands Western’s Legacy of Excellence

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Dr. Cornel West

Dr. ‘Brother West’ Engages Western Students

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Nancy Chisholm Scholarship

Nancy Chisholm Honors Athletes Scholarship

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Bringing the art of dance to the Gunnison Valley highlights the spirit of community for Western’s Honors Program

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Colorado Ballet comes to Western

Colorado Ballet comes to Western

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Western Honors students travel to London to conduct research and broaden horizons

Western Honors students travel to London to conduct research and broaden horizons

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Western student publishes article in High Country News

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Western Honors Program Kicks Off 30th Year with Annual Banquet

Western Honors Program Kicks Off 30th Year with Annual Banquet

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Benefits & Requirements

Honors program

Benefits

  • Access to distinctive, innovative and discussion-based courses
  • Access to Honors Lounge
  • Community social events
  • Diverse peer group
  • Graduate with Honors distinction
  • Honors advising
  • Honors-specific scholarships
  • Leadership opportunities with the Honors Student Advisory Board
  • Priority Honors housing
  • Priority registration
  • Vote for future course offerings

Requirements

  • 3.5 GPA for admission
  • 3.0 GPA to stay in program
  • 3.3 GPA to graduate with Honors

Pick your path

Honors students undertake detailed studies and/or research into a unique topic or issue stemming from an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary approach.

Get Involved

Honors program

Maximize your educational experience at Western.

Pursue your passions, manifest your ideas and get hands-on experience in your field by participating in the wide variety of extracurricular activities Western offers.

  • Field Experiences: Complement courses without specified field experiences or develop a more in-depth project for disciplinary-based field experiences.
  • Independent Study: Undertake detailed study and/or research into a unique topic or issue stemming from an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary approach.
  • Service Learning: Apply concepts, theories and methods to issues affecting local communities.
  • Study Abroad: Join the Honors Program on a trip to Scotland to study Myth, History, and Culture from May 21, 2024 – June 8, 2024. Click here for additional information.

A foundation for success

The Honors program allows students to explore ideas and take advantage of expanded learning opportunities.

Additional Resources

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements Invitations to the Honors Program are extended to high school students who have achieved a 3.5 cumulative grade point average or who have successfully completed International …

Learn More

Curriculum

Curriculum HNRS 100 The Gateway 3 credits Through the Gateway students are introduced to different ways of understanding their world, thereby laying the foundation for the further development of a …

Learn More

Honors Program Values

The Honors Program at Western is founded on five core values that shape the goals and structure of the program. Honors students implement these values in their lives inside and outside of the …

Learn More

Program Requirements

Program Requirements A minimum of 21 credits is required: HNRS 100 The Gateway 3 credits HNRS 200 Honors Forum 1 credits HNRS 304 Introduction to the Great Conversation …

Learn More

Department Information

Honors Department

Director

Zachary Treisman, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Honors Program Director

Administrative Assistant

Cindy Petito

Administrative Assistant III

Contact Information

970.943.7021

ztreisman@western.edu

Campus Location

Western Colorado University
Taylor Hall 110
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231

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