University Honors is the highest recognition Lindenwood bestows. University Honors is announced at graduation and recipients wear Honors cords at commencement. University Honors also appears on diplomas and transcripts. Students are encouraged to list University Honors on resumes, as well as highlight it on job or graduate school applications and letters.

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.

• 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

• Maintain a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher;
• Complete Honors courses or courses for Honors credit at least once every academic year if you’re a first-time student or at least once a semester if you are a transfer student.

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.

The above reflects the 2021-2022 University Catalog of Entry.

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, a students is automatically enrolled for Honors credit. A student must earn a final grade of AH or BH to receive Honors credit in these courses.
• Any undergraduate course may be taken for Honors credit with the permission of the instructor: Student and instructor need to agree on a project(s) that enhances the course and makes it equivalent to an Honors course. Student must complete the Honors Course Agreement and submit it to the Honors Academy by midterms scheduled for either 8-week/half-semester courses or 16-week/full-semester courses. To earn Honors credit in “regular” classes, students must earn a final grade of AH. Students and instructors have until midterms to submit the official Honors Course Agreement.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

Aside from having to earn at least 12 credit hours of upper-level courses (300- and 400-level), any course can be taken for Honors credit in consultation with the course instructor. This flexibility allows students to design their own Honors journeys according to their interests. We also encourage all Honors students to find faculty mentors in their majors who can help them select courses to take for Honors.

You need to earn at least 24 Honors credit hours to graduate with University Honors. Check your university catalog of entry for any/all additional requirements.

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..