Honors Program Completion Requirements

These requirements take effect for students who entered the Honors Program in Summer B 2012 or later.  Students who entered the program prior to Summer B 2012 may complete either the old requirements or these.  Students who meet these requirements will receive a notation on their official UF transcript and a medallion to wear at commencement. 

Students must submit a portfolio documenting the points they have earned.  A coversheet and instructions may be obtained by clicking here.

Completion of the Honors Program will consist of the following.

• Students must earn at least 14 Honors Points. Point values for various activities are described below. Each activity is designated as academic (A) or enrichment (E). Students must earn at least 8 academic points and at least 6 enrichment points. Points may be earned over the student’s entire 4-year career at UF; they need not be earned during the first two years.
• Students must graduate with honors. A thesis is not necessarily required, but cum laude designation must be achieved in accordance with the student’s college requirements.

Activities worth 1 Honors point

• 1- or 2-credit Honors course (grade of B or higher) (Note: Science For Life does not count as an Honors course) (A)
• Apply for a nationally competitive scholarship or fellowship (e.g., Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, Fulbright) (A)
• Induction into Phi Beta Kappa or Phi Kappa Phi (A)
• A publication in a refereed undergraduate journal (such as the UF Journal of Undergraduate Research) (A)
• Complete a minor (A)
• A regional conference presentation in a discipline relevant to the student’s major (A)
• Serve as an undergraduate teaching assistant (A)  (note: a maximum of 1 point is allowed for this activity)
• Short-term study abroad (E)
• Participate in a Partners in the Parks program (E)
• Participate in leadership activities (e.g., hold a leadership position in a student organization or activity) (E) (note: a maximum of 3 points is allowed for this type of activity)
• Participation in a leadership conference (e.g. LeaderShape, Gatorship, UF Women’s Leadership Conference) (E)
• Participation in a Florida Alternative Breaks trip (E)

Activities worth 2 Honors points

• 3+ credit Honors course (grade of B or higher) (A)
• Graduate course (grade of B or higher) (A)
• A publication in a refereed professional journal (A)
• Complete a second major (A)
• Faculty-directed independent study or research (A)
• A national conference presentation in a discipline relevant to the student’s major (A)
• Six-week summer or semester study abroad (E)
• Complete at least 50 hours of community service (documentation required, hours may come from multiple sources) (E)
• Complete an internship at least 45 hours in duration (E) 

Activity worth 3 Honors points

• Complete an Honors thesis as part of requirements to graduate magna cum laude or summa cum laude (A)
• For students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, complete the CALS upper-division Honors Program (A)

Please note that IDH 4917, Honors Research, and IDH 4905, Independent Study, do not count as  Honors courses for these purposes, but they do serve as proof of faculty-directed independent study or research; that is, you may not receive points for both IDH 4917/4905 and performing research/independent study.  The same comment applies for IDH 4940 and internships.

Note also that the maximum number of points that can be earned for community service is two; that is, performing 100 hours of community service is not worth four points.