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The University Honors Program offers special opportunities for superior students to pursue challenging academic work that is tailored to individual interests and abilities. The Honors Program emphasizes more than just courses and grades; it provides opportunities for students to participate in creative activities outside of the classroom. Further, the Honors Program is built around a commitment to community service and civic engagement—guiding principles of Florida Gulf Coast University.

The Honors Program is university wide and open to students of all levels. Prospective honors students must meet high academic standards and should be interested in developing themselves beyond the traditional classroom setting. Current FGCU students should have a G.P.A. of 3.5 or higher. Our application is available through our webpage, www.fgcu.edu/honors.

There are many benefits to participating in the Honors Program. It offers courses that are unique. They range in nature from courses that take a unique view of a particular subject matter, to courses that are offered outside FGCU, to honors sections of general education courses. Moreover, the University Honors Program offers scholarships and special events and activities that are available only to students in the program. Resident students of the Honors Program can request to be placed in Honors Housing. All students in the Honors Program enjoy priority registration and have extended library privileges.

Each student who fulfills Honors Program requirements is given special recognition at graduation, and a notation is included on the student’s official transcript. Successful completion of an honors program curriculum demonstrates an individual’s ability to study independently, yet collaboratively, and to achieve excellence; qualities that are valued by professional schools, graduate schools, and employers.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from the Honors Program, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, complete a minimum of 12 credits of honors courses, and complete the appropriate number of Honors Experiences. The number of Experiences required depends upon when the student entered the Honors Program. Students entering the Honors Program as First-Time-in-College Freshmen and who do not have an A.A. degree must complete the Freshman Experience and two of the other experiences from the list below. All other students must complete at least two experiences from the list below.

1. Freshman Experience
   
   Fall:
   • Honors BSC 1010C (Biology I with Lab) or Honors MHF 2310 (Symbolic Logic) or Honors IDH 2931 (Interdisciplinary Humanities Seminar)
   • Honors ENG 1101 (Composition I) or 1102 (Composition II) (if necessary)
   • Honors LDR 2110 (Lessons in Leadership)
   Spring:
   • One 3+ credit Honors Course other than ENG 1102
   • Honors ENG 1102 (if necessary)
   • Honors LDR 2110 (Lessons in Leadership)
     
     
2. Liberal Arts Experience
   
   9 credits of honors courses with an ISS, IDH, or ISC prefix
   
   
3. Honors in the Major Experience
   
   9 hours of Honors contracts in upper-division courses in the student's major field of study
   
   
4. Honors Service Experience
   
   Completion of 4 credits from Honors IDS 3300 (Foundations of Civic Engagement), IDH 4638C (Honors Service), or Honors IDS 3920 (Colloquium)
   
   
5. Honors Research Experience
   
   Completion of IDH 4975 (Honors Thesis) or 3 credits of IDH 3910 (Honors Independent Research). Independent studies in the student's major with an attached honors contract may substitute for this requirement with the approval of the Honors Program Director
   
   
6. Honors Study Away/Abroad Experiences
   
   Completion of at least one credit of IDH 3955 (Honors Study Away/Abroad) or IDH 4945 (Honors in Washington)
   
   
   The Honors Program will often allow students the option of creating self-directed experiences. These should be of exceptional quality, experiences that help the student to stand out nationally amongst top students. Please meet with the Honors Director if you intend to pursue a self-directed experience.