Honors Program
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Honors Program is undergoing some changes so new students are currently not being accepted into the program. Current NDSU Honors students are able to complete the Honors minor. Please work with the Honors Council Representative from your College for advising. A list of contacts can be found on the University Honors Program website.
The Honors Program at North Dakota State University provides a signature experience for motivated students with exceptional academic potential. The program combines interdisciplinary coursework, an honors capstone project, experiential learning and leadership development.
The requirements for the Honors Program can be integrated into the curriculum of any major on campus. The program is not simply a harder version of an existing major. Honors students complete 16 credits designed to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Honors Minor
Students who complete the required 16 credits will receive a minor in honors. Students must complete 6 credits of required HON courses, 6 honors elective credits and 4 credits for the Honors capstone project.
Interdisciplinary Coursework
Honors courses are small interactive classes of no more than twenty-five students. The classes promote student-centered discussion and the development of analytical and communications skills. All honors courses are designed specifically for the honors program and are not harder versions of other classes. First year honors courses introduce students to the unique atmosphere of the honors classroom as well as the student-centered design of the courses. After the first year, students have the opportunity to explore topics in greater depth in upper-division colloquia. In these upper-level courses students might find themselves discussing the politics of radicalism, the impact of science on society or even engaging in drone photography.
Honors Capstone ProjectÂ
All students in the Honors program must complete the honors capstone project. The honors capstone project is the culmination of the Honors experience. Honors students will work with a faculty mentor to design and carry out the project. Students can complete a research thesis, online portfolio, experiential-based project, creative/performative project or an innovation project.
All projects should be conceptualized as a project that cannot be completed within the confines of one class or one semester. This means that the project should be sufficiently broad in scope and in-depth in analysis. Students can select one of five options for the Honors capstone project.
Experiential Learning and Leadership Development
Experiential learning is geared toward achieving leadership skills. The leadership development curriculum is based on strengths-based leadership and developing the National Association of Colleges and Employers competencies for success in the workplace. In the Leadership Development course, honors students both develop leadership skills and prepare to become peer mentors for incoming freshmen honors students. Juniors and Seniors in the program can serve as peer mentors for first year honors students.