Get the Honors Academy Advantage!
Mission
The Honors Academy provides enriched experiences to an engaged community of outstanding undergraduate scholars who want to succeed by going above and beyond university requirements.
Vision
The Honors Academy is Lindenwood University’s signature co-curricular program for gifted undergraduate students that prepares them for excellence and success with its enriched academic and leadership experiences.
I recommend Honors to every student committed to reaching their highest academic potential.
Sophie Juliana, Class of 2025
Lindenwood’s Honors Academy is a program for undergraduate students that provides opportunities for academic excellence.
When you become a member of the Honors Academy, you begin creating an Honors journey of your own design by personalizing Honors Academy requirements. This is because you can complete Honors-designated courses or get permission from your instructors to complete Honors-enhanced assignments in undergraduate courses inside or outside of your major, online or in person. Your objective as an Honors student is to earn Honors credit hours by completing exciting, innovative, and challenging Honors-enhanced assignments, which can also help you enhance life-long Power Skills, such as critical thinking, effective communication, global awareness, and empathy. These skills are sought after by graduate programs, medical and law schools, as well as private and public industries.
Honors requirements are designed in combination with your university requirements, so that meeting them does not incur additional cost and does not slow down your progress to degree.
The goal or the destination of your Honors Journey is University Honors, the highest recognition awarded by Lindenwood University at graduation. When you earn 24 Honors credit hours (with a minimum of 12 in upper-level courses) and a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher by the time you graduate, you will graduate with this highest of distinctions. University Honors is announced at commencement and recipients are awarded purple Honors graduation cords to wear at commencement ceremonies.
Whether you are applying to graduate programs or embarking on your first careers, University Honors will help you stand out from other candidates because it signals your initiative, perseverance, and engagement. Be sure to list University Honors on your resume and highlight it in job or graduate school applications and letters!
Honors Academy Membership Benefits
- Priority course registration
- Honors courses
- Honors Learning Communities
- Access to the LARC Honors Lounge
- Recognition at Honors Cord Ceremony
- University Honors at graduation
- University Honors on transcripts and diplomas
Honors Academy supports Lindenwood University’s Center for Campus Community and Connection where students can engage in building a strong sense of community that fosters cultural sensitivity and prepares them to engage in today’s globalized world. Honors students are encouraged to study or intern abroad, complete community service or service learning or participate in one or more of the many student organizations on campus. When Honors students take advantage of these opportunities, they can enhance their learning beyond the classroom to grow their Power Skills and their resumes. Read about our amazing students in the Spring 2024 cover story of The Lindenwood Magazine!
Honors Academy FAQ
What is the Honors Academy?
Lindenwood’s Honors Academy is a university-wide undergraduate program that provides enriched experiences to an engaged community of gifted undergraduate students. Students who complete Honors Academy requirements graduate with University Honors.
What is University Honors?
University Honors is the highest recognition awarded by Lindenwood University at graduation. It is announced at commencement and recipients wear purple Honors cords at graduation ceremonies. Whether you are applying to graduate programs or embarking on your first careers, University Honors will set you apart. It will distinguish you because it signals your initiative, perseverance, and engagement. Be sure to list University Honors on your resume and highlight it in job or graduate school applications and letters!
How do I get admitted to the Honors Academy?
Membership is by application only. Students must be formally admitted to Lindenwood University to apply for admission to the Honors Academy. Students with cumulative GPAs of 3.5 or above are eligible to apply:
- First-Time Students (FTS) with cumulative high school GPAs of 3.5 or above;
- Transfer students with cumulative college GPAs of 3.5 or above;
- Current/returning students with cumulative college GPAs of 3.5 or above. Current students also need a minimum of four semesters left to degree to allow for time to complete the 24 Honors credit hours required for University Honors.
What are the benefits of being an active Honors Academy member?
- Priority course registration
- Honors courses
- Access to the LARC Honors Lounge
- Honors Learning Communities
- Recognition at Honors Cord Ceremony
- University Honors at graduation
- University Honors on transcripts and diplomas
How do I maintain an active Honors Academy membership?
Maintain a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher. Complete Honors courses or courses for Honors credit at a pace needed to graduate with University Honors (at least 24 Honors credit hours by graduation). Examples: If you began at Lindenwood as a first-year student and have earned a total of 60 credit hours toward your university degree, you should have also already earned at least 12 Honors credit hours. If you are a transfer student with four semesters to graduation, plan on completing 6 or more Honors credit hours every semester.
How many Honors credit hours do I need to earn to graduate with University Honors?
To graduate with University Honors, Honors Academy members must earn at least 24 Honors credit hours at various course levels (at least 12 Honors credit hours must be earned from 300- and/or 400-level courses) and maintain a cumulative university GPA of 3.5 or higher.
For transfer students, the 24 Honors credit hours may include up to 12 credit hours of Honors transfer credit. Acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of the Honors Academy.
How do I earn Honors credit hours?
Honors Academy members can earn Honors credit hours in one or both of the following ways:
- In Honors-designated courses, which are open to Honors Academy members only, students are automatically enrolled for Honors credit. Students must earn final grades of A or B to receive Honors credit hours in these courses.
- Any undergraduate course can be enhanced for Honors credit with the permission of the instructor. Students and instructors agree on projects that enhance courses and make them equivalent to Honors courses. Students complete Honors Course Agreements and email them to the Honors Academy by midterms. Students complete Honors-enhanced projects and earn final course grades of A to earn Honors credit hours in these courses.
What is an Honors Learning Community (HLC)?
HLCs are an amazing opportunity for outstanding students to engage in a personalized and enhanced learning experience. HLCs are clusters of two or three courses open only to Honors Academy members. They are taught by award-winning faculty members.
What are the advantages of taking Honors-designated courses?
Honors-designated courses are designed for and open only to Honors Academy members. They are a wonderful way to create a community with other Honors students and to work with award-winning professors in small classes.
What are the advantages of taking courses for Honors credit?
Deciding on which courses to complete for Honors credit gives students the opportunity to design their own Honors journey. Honors students can take courses inside and/or outside of their majors according to their interests. This means that as long as at least 12 Honors credit hours of the required 24 are earned at the 300- and 400-level classes, students choose the courses’ subject matter.
Can I transfer Honors credit hours from another college or university?
The 24 Honors credit hours required for graduating with University Honors may include up to 12 credit hours of Honors transfer credit. Acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of the Honors Academy Be sure these courses are clearly marked as such on your transcripts and contact the Honors Academy for approval.
How do I figure out which courses to take for Honors credit?
Aside from having to earn at least 12 credit hours of upper-level courses (300- and 400-level), any undergraduate course can be completed for Honors credit with the permission of the course instructor. This flexibility allows students to personalize their Honors Journeys according to their interests. Honors students are also encouraged to find faculty mentors in their majors who can help them design their Honors Journeys.
What are my Honors requirements?
Earn at least 24 Honors credit hours at various course levels (at least 12 Honors credit hours must be earned from 300- and/or 400-level courses). Maintain a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher. Complete Honors courses or courses for Honors credit at a pace needed to graduate with University Honors (at least 24 Honors credit hours by graduation). Examples: If you began at Lindenwood as a first-year student and have earned a total of 60 credit hours toward your university degree, you should have also already earned at least 12 Honors credit hours. If you are a transfer student with four semesters to graduation, plan on earning at least 6 Honors credit hours each semester.
What is my university catalog of entry?
The academic year of your university catalog of entry is listed in your Student Portal. This is usually the academic year in which you began your studies at Lindenwood University. View current and archived university catalogs.
Do I have enough Honors credits hours to graduate with University Honors?
Review your transcript and count credit hours you’ve earned in Honors-designated courses with final grades of A and B (or AH and BH) along with any credit hours in courses you enhanced for Honors with final grades listed as AH. Then check your university catalog of entry to ensure you’ve met all additional Honors requirements.
