Honors Program

What are Honors Courses?

Honors courses provide smaller class sizes (no more than 15-20 students), a more challenging intellectual environment, and a freer exchange of ideas than larger classes. Honors faculty are chosen based on their reputation as outstanding teachers. They love to teach, and their enthusiasm is communicated to their students.

Why Take Honors Courses?

Because honors courses are smaller than regular courses, students work more closely with their professors, and these professors can write more detailed letters of recommendation. Hence, honors courses can give you an edge in a highly competitive job market. Honors course work is required for graduating from the University Honors College; completing an honors thesis and honors course work will look impressive on your resume.

Who Can Take Honors Courses?

To be admitted to the University Honors College as an entering freshman, a student must have a high school GPA greater than or equal to 3.5 and an ACT composite score greater than or equal to 25 (SAT greater than or equal to 1200). There is no essay to write or separate admission form to complete (with the exception of the Buchanan Fellowship). Transfer students or established MTSU students who have completed at least 12 semester hours are eligible to enroll in Honors courses provided that their cumulative GPA is greater than or equal to 3.25. Eligible students are encouraged to enroll in Honors courses even though they may not plan to graduate from the University Honors College.

Honors Psychology Courses

The following honors psychology courses are offered on a regular basis. Check with the instructor who typically offers the course to determine future offerings.

Course No. and Title
Typically offered
Typically offered by
1410 - Introductory Psychology Fall & Spring
Boyer-Pennington, Davis, C. Schmidt & McCarthy
2210 - Psychology of Social Behavior Fall
Pennington
2300 - Developmental Psychology Spring
Boyer-Pennington or Davis
4650 - Health Psychology Spring
Crooks
4390 - Persuasion Spring
Pennington


The Honors Thesis

The honors thesis project is required of every student who graduates from the University Honors College. Students who plan to complete an honors thesis in psychology should first consult the thesis requirements (and deadlines) published by the University Honors College and fill out the appropriate paperwork. The second step involves selecting a faculty member to be the thesis advisor. We recommend that students begin thinking about the honors thesis during the first semester of their junior year. After identifying an advisor, students should enroll in UH4900 (Thesis Tutorial) the second semester of their junior year. To enroll in UH4900, students must be on track to complete the Honors graduation requirements or the Honors Associate requirements, as well as maintain a GPA of 3.25 or higher. Once a thesis proposal is approved by their thesis committee, students may register for UH4950: Honors Independent Research, a three-credit hour graded course, in the subsequent semester. Students should take this course the first semester of their senior year so they have an additional semester to finish the project if needed.

A thesis advisement guide, published by the University Honors College, can be found on the University Honors College website. A list of honors theses completed in the last few years can also be found through the Honors College website linked above.

Psychology and University Honors

To graduate from the University Honors College, students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA equal to or greater than 3.25 and successfully complete a minimum of 29 semester hours including a thesis as outlined below. It is important to understand that the 29 semester hours required for graduation from the Honors College are part of the 120 hours required for a degree.

  • 18 hours lower-division Honors courses (1000- and 2000-level courses)
  • 3 - 4 hours upper-division Honors courses (3000- and 4000-level courses)
  • 1 hour Honors Lecture Series, UH 3000
  • 3 hours Honors interdisciplinary seminar (UH 3500 or 4600)
  • 1 hour thesis tutorial, UH 4900
  • 3 hours Honors independent research, UH 4950

Additional information regarding Honors graduation requirements can be found here:

https://mtsu.edu/honors/graduation-requirements.php

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Department of Psychology
Academic Classroom Building (ACB)
Suite 240

Hours: 8AM - 4:30PM,
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psychology@mtsu.edu 

(615) 898-2706