Kimberly S. Engber, dean
A1180 Shocker Hall • 316-WSU-3375
Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College Webpage1

The Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College serves as an academic resource center for all students and offers particular benefits for students pursuing an honors curriculum distinction. High school, transfer and current Wichita State students may apply to join the Cohen Honors College to work toward a curriculum distinction. Admission requirements1 are available online.

We are at the heart of an urban university with high research activity and a commitment to benefit the region and beyond. Honors students reflect these characteristics, seeking the breadth and depth a university offers, along with the perspective and attributes that will enrich their lives and the lives of others.

Cohen Honors students enjoy:

  • Interactive and student-centered honors seminar courses with an average student to faculty ratio of 15:1;
  • Faculty-led leadership, service-learning and study abroad programs;
  • Scholarship funding for applied learning and financial need; 
  • Priority enrollment each semester;
  • 24/7 student lounge with printing;
  • Specialized honors advising in collaboration with major college advising; and
  • The distinction of earning University Honors on the diploma with optional emphases in honors leadership, honors law and public policy, Lindquist honors, or departmental honors (honors in the major) on the transcript.

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.

University Honors Minor and Honors Tracks

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

Most of the courses taken to meet honors requirements also fulfill general education or major requirements. Because of this overlap, we say that Honors is a different way to do your degree, one that engages you more broadly or more deeply than traditional college study. In other words: It's more meaningful work!

Honors Baccalaureate Major

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.

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

Honors Pillars and Abilities

Members of the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College community pledge to uphold four pillars first established in the student-written Honors College Charter:

Intellectual

The intelligent person masters the knowledge of a chosen specialty but also knows the value of knowledge from many other disciplines. A true intellectual is not simply a person who knows a lot or gets good grades. An intellectual is an intelligent person with a passion for and interest in knowledge, wisdom and inquiry.

Professional

Professionals get results while committing themselves to high standards. Professionals do a good job for the sake of it. Professionals persevere in passionate pursuit of long-term goals.

Innovative

Innovative people solve problems creatively. They spot needs and take risks that their proposals will satisfy those needs. Innovation often requires bringing together the people, resources and expertise to develop new solutions, a sense of entrepreneurship. Innovation frequently involves interdisciplinary applications — borrowing from one field of endeavor to solve problems in another.

Transformational

Transformational people strive to make a positive difference for a better world, a better community. Transformational people commit themselves passionately to a cause larger than themselves, put themselves in service to others, and practice good citizenship. They open their minds to the diverse views of others and deliberate the issues.

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Policies

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Cohen Honors College is by separate application. There are no minimum ACT/SAT or GPA requirements for admission to the Cohen Honors College.

Acceptance is determined using a holistic review of each applicant. We want to learn about you -- how your involvement and experiences have shaped you, your family and community. We look for evidence of qualities such as a creative approach to solving problems; urge to make a positive impact on the community and in the world; open-minded embrace of diversity in backgrounds, values and perspectives; and the willingness and ability to take on intellectual challenges.

While we do not require a minimum ACT/SAT or GPA, we do consider your scores and academic record as part of our review with greater emphasis being placed on your essay and resume.

For honors admission deadlines, including priority consideration for scholarships deadline, visit the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College admissions webpage1.

Who Can Apply

Any incoming student (including high school seniors and transfer students) and current Wichita State students. Students who transfer to WSU having completed all or part of an Honors Program at a community college should speak to the Honors College Advisor about having those credits counted toward a Cohen Honors distinction.

Good Standing

To maintain good standing in Honors, students take a minimum of 3 honors credit hours each year or complete an honors track and maintain an overall GPA of 3.250. In order to graduate within four years with the minor in University Honors or the Honors Baccalaureate diploma, students take 6 honors credit hours each year.

Probation and Dismissal

The Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College adheres to current WSU Probation and Dismissal policies found in the Academic Standing section of the Undergraduate Catalog with the following exceptions: Honors College students must maintain a GPA of 3.250 and enroll in at least one honors course each year or complete an honors track.

In addition to meeting academic standards, students are expected to follow the Student Code of Conduct which can be found online in section 8.05 of the WSU Policies and Procedures Manual1, and to meet the professional standards governing any organization in which the student is participating as an intern, exchange student or other capacity.

Credit for Life Experience

The Cohen Honors College requires that the learning from life experience fits the approved curriculum of the college. Students must be fully admitted to WSU. The college is conservative in protecting the autonomy of the faculty and the goals of the curriculum. CPL is granted only when a student’s learning from life experiences or non-academic training and/or certification duplicates the content of a course described in the catalog. The student begins by contacting their advisor to obtain the CPL form. The academic department which teaches the course the student wishes to earn as CPL must certify that the life experience is the same as the content of the course. The signed form is returned to the Cohen Honors College, which facilitates the process for student payment and posting the credit to the student’s transcript.

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Degrees and Program Tracks Offered by the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College

Courses in the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College

Types of Honors Courses

An ideal honors course is, at its core, an experiment. It boldly challenges assumptions about what we know and how we learn. It emphasizes rigor along with exploration, creativity and discovery. It should provoke students to engage actively in the learning process. It should empower students to participate in academic dialogue, solve real-world problems through research, and draw creative and compelling connections within and across disciplines.

HNRS seminars explore interesting topics and engage students in discussion and/or in project-based learning. These courses are offered by the Cohen Honors College, and topics may change each semester depending on faculty interest and availability. Cohen Honors College students may enroll in HNRS seminars, and any student may request permission to enroll in one HNRS class (complete the course permission form in the Honors form directory1) before applying to be a member of the college. Many HNRS-prefix seminar courses fulfill general education requirements.

“H” departmental honors courses such as PSY 111H, MATH 242H, ECON 201H or ID 300H fulfill general education, prerequisite or major requirements. They are offered by other academic departments and have the letter “H” following the course number and the word “Honors” in the title of the course. Sometimes these are separate classes designed specifically for students in the Honors College or the departmental honors track, and sometimes these courses are offered as a smaller section with special assignments within the regular section of the class.

H courses meet honors elective requirements, and some H courses meet the honors research/design thinking requirement. Visit the Minor in University Honors page of the catalog for more information.

Turn a regular course into an Honors course with an Honors option agreement1 form. In any course with a fulltime faculty instructor, you may request to earn Honors credit. Examples of work completed to earn Honors credit include:

  • Apply in-class knowledge to real-world experience: Research current labor conditions for stagehands, and volunteer for backstage work in a local performance during a Fine Arts course. Write a research and reflection paper.
  • Further studies: Read additional primary source materials, solve additional problems, or extend course material in some way that will contribute to the depth of knowledge about the discipline. Share the research or application of knowledge with the instructor and the class.
  • Research: Assist the professor with a small part of current research; learn the skills needed to understand plant morphology or to engage in teacher research; prepare for an application for an undergraduate student research grant.

Honors Applied Learning: Honors College students are encouraged to engage beyond the classroom in applied learning and may earn honors credit for experiences such as study abroad, service learning and internships. Honors Applied Learning courses include but aren't limited to:

  • HNRS 398 Travel Seminar
  • HNRS 481N Internship.
  • Honors Research Seminar ( HNRS 485 or HNRS 486): The Honors Research Seminars present methods of inquiry and research concepts and provide students with opportunities to design and/or participate directly in research projects. Above all, these courses/experiences are designed to develop skills that will serve professionals in every field and career including asking good questions, working effectively independently and collaboratively, and gathering reliable information to find preliminary answers.
  • Honors Thesis ( HNRS 491) is required for all Honors Baccalaureate students. Any student may choose to complete an Honors Thesis if they have a faculty mentor willing to serve as instructor of record.

Honors Independent Study ( HNRS 410):  Arranged individual independent study in specialized content areas under the supervision of a faculty member. Repeatable for a total of 6 credit hours.

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