Honors Program Requirements

The E.A. Smith Honors Program provides varied educational opportunities to interested, able, and identified students in an environment that fosters the intellect to expand and assimilate and to synthesize academic excellence. Honor students are identified through the admissions process and may enter the Honors Program in several ways:

  1. All students who enter the college with Presidential, Academic Dean, and Honor Track scholarships are required to participate in the program;
  2. Students who, after enrollment in Rust College, may apply or be recommended by their advisor and must have at least a 3.0 grade point average. Students who transfer to Rust College with a 3.25 or higher may apply to the program

Graduating With Honors

  • Complete E. A. Smith Program activities and assignments (e.g. as shared on Blackboard or as promoted through the honors program office)
  • Maintain a minimum 3.25 GPA
    • If your grades fall below a 3.25 GPA for a single semester, you will be placed on probation for the Honors Program, which means you have the next semester to pull it up or risk removal from the program.
  • Be a role model of academic excellence
    • You are expected to maintain academic integrity and to participate actively in events on and off-campus, including but not limited to the Undergraduate Research Symposiums, lecture series, and faculty/student membership program. Academic dishonesty (including but not limited to plagiarism or other forms of cheating) will result in your removal from the program.
  • Complete an honors project
    • The honors project (presentation, poster session, etc) Projects should be newsworthy and conference ready. The faculty will be asked to work with the students in completing projects.

In addition to these requirements, honors students are also expected to repersent the Rust College community, serving as role models of academic excellence. Members of the honors program are strongly encouraged to pursue experiences that broaden their education, such as abroad programs, summer internships and research fellowships.

**Honor students will also be required to meet with honors program staff and maintain an updated academic profile.**