University Honors Program

University Honors Program Completion Requirements Prior to December 2015

University Honors Program Website

University Component
Minimum of 15 Credit Hours

The Kansas State University Honors Program is intended to recognize high achievement of outstanding students who go beyond the curriculum requirements for a given degree program to meet the challenges of completing advanced study, scholarship, leadership, and citizenship activities.

University Level 7 credit hours required
Retreat for new students prior to fall semester (optional)
DEN 189 - Introduction to University Honors Program 1 credit
Other Requirements 6 credits
  • These include university honors courses and new courses generated by departments. Such courses can be honors sections of required courses or elective seminars (most are 3 credit hours).
  • Alternative opportunities (e.g., study abroad) to generate university-level honor credit hours must be approved by both the director of the University Honors Program and the college coordinator (or appropriate college representative). Students cannot use a given activity for both university- and college-level credit. Under no circumstances will students be allowed to arrange for credit after the experience is completed.

College of Engineering Component

The College of Engineering welcomes qualified students to join the University Honors Program at any point in their academic careers in which they become academically eligible for admission into the University Honors Program.

College of Engineering Requirements 8 credits or equivalent
Honors Project (required)
Capstone research or creative project, including presentation of findings to faculty and/or students. Requires supervision by a faculty mentor.
3-4 credits

The remaining 4 to 5 credits or equivalent necessary to complete the total of 8 credits required by the College of Engineering may be obtained by completing any combination of the following courses or activities. Activities listed, and a plan to determine satisfactory completion of the activities, must be approved by the College of Engineering honors coordinator in consultation with the departmental honors advisor and the University Honors Program Director prior to participating in the activity.

University Honors Courses
These are in addition to any courses taken for the university-level requirements listed in the University Honors Program.
up to 5 credits
Leadership/Other Honors Activities
(*PDU: professional development unit)
up to 5 *PDUs

Activities shown in the following list are intended only as examples of ways by which PDUs may be earned. PDUs listed for each example are not intended to be absolute. Note that no one activity can be repeated for additional PDUs.

  • International study abroad or national student exchange (3).
  • Faculty-led study tour (1).
  • Summer professional internship (2).
  • Semester co-op experience (3).
  • Community service including activities organized by Engineers Without Borders, Kansas State University, etc. (1 to 2).
  • Submission of a design or written paper or poster for regional and/or national student competition (2). Personally presenting the paper or poster at a national meeting, add (1). Placing in the top 3 at the national level, add (1).
  • Participation on an engineering-sponsored student competition team at the regional or national level (2). If serving as team leader, add (1).
  • Student organization leadership position (local chapter president or vice president or equivalent) (1).
  • Engineering Ambassador (1).
  • Application for nationally competitive scholarship awards (Rhodes, Marshal, Truman, Goldwater, Udall, or equivalent) (2).
  • Graduate coursework (1 PDU for each credit hour of 700 level or higher taken for graduate credit).
  • Modern languages (1 PDU for each credit of 200 level or higher of a spoken modern language course or other as approved. Does not include literature or history courses.).
  • Participation in a College of Engineering-supported learning community (1).
  • Steel Ring (1).