Academic Recognition

In all colleges, honors criteria are established for Wichita State students by the university and apply equally to all students, whether or not they are in the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.

The Dean’s Honor Roll is determined each semester and is composed of students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours of graded work who achieve a grade point average of 3.500 or higher for the semester.

Students enrolled in 6–11 credit hours of graded work per semester who achieve a grade point average of 3.500 or higher for the semester will receive Academic Commendation.

See Academic Distinction for information about degrees conferred with academic distinction.

Academic honors are not awarded to students with a grade of I, IP or NGS on a course within the designated term. Earned honors will be added to the student record when a grade change is submitted by the instructor of record.

Departmental/University Honors

Some departments at WSU offer students the opportunity to receive departmental honors through their major. Departmental honors tracks are currently offered in the following: aerospace engineering, communication, communication sciences and disorders, exercise science, linguistics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, modern and classical languages and literatures, organizational leadership and learning, political science, psychology, and public health science.

Each department or college specifies requirements for admission to the departmental honors track.

Departmental honors tracks consist of at least 12 credit hours of upper-division coursework or the equivalent effort, including satisfactory completion of a senior thesis, senior project, senior recital or capstone experience. Effort may be demonstrated by a student portfolio or another evaluation method determined by the department if courses are not required.

A minimum grade point average of 3.250 for coursework in the honors track is required for graduation with departmental honors.

Students who complete all requirements for departmental honors receive a diploma designation. For current information about departmental honors requirements, check individual department information in the Undergraduate Catalog or contact the department.

Credit earned toward departmental honors may be used toward requirements for the University Honors minor or Honors Baccalaureate awarded by the Cohen Honors College. Review the current university requirements for graduation for information about the required number of unduplicated credits. Departmental honors students are not required to be members of the Cohen Honors College.

Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College

The Cohen Honors College serves as an academic resource center for all students and offers particular benefits for students pursuing an honors curriculum distinction.

Honors Curriculum Distinction

The Cohen Honors College offers students in any major the opportunity to earn an honors curriculum distinction on the transcript or diploma. 

Choosing an honors curriculum means choosing courses and experiences that are measurably broader, deeper or more complex than traditional college-level learning. Cohen Honors students enjoy:

• Interactive and student-centered honors courses;
• Faculty-led service-learning and study abroad programs;
• Scholarship funding for applied learning and financial need; 
• The distinction of earning University Honors with optional emphases in leadership or law and public policy.

Most students work toward the minor in University Honors distinction, an 18-credit program that includes an honors seminar, a research or design-thinking experience, and 12 elective honors credits. Students may choose an area of emphasis (or track) within the minor including the Emory Lindquist Honors Scholar, Honors Leadership, Honors Law and Public Policy, or Departmental Honors track.

The multi-disciplinary Honors Baccalaureate major offers students the opportunity to select two or three concentrations from at least two colleges, choose courses with the approval of faculty mentors, and complete a thesis or capstone project.

High school, transfer and current Wichita State students may apply to join the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College and work toward a curriculum distinction.

Transfer Students

Students who transfer to WSU having completed all or part of an honors program at another university, college or community college should speak to the Honors College dean or advisor about having those credits counted toward an honors award at WSU.

Academic Resources for All Undergraduate Students

Resources available to all students include the first-year research experience program¹ (FYRE) and advising for competitive postgraduate scholarship and fellowship applications such as the Fulbright, Marshall, Truman and Rhodes.

In addition, any student can request to take one honors course by submitting the permission form available on our website forms page¹.

Additional information about admission and curriculum is available in the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College section of the Undergraduate Catalog or online¹.

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