CBS Honors Program Requirements

For students admitted to Honors in the College of Biological Sciences prior to Fall 2008

Freshman-Sophomore Honors Program

During the first two years, students are strongly encouraged to explore research opportunities, student group involvement, and to complete at least two honors courses per year. Requirements for Honors students admitted as freshmen in Fall 2006 and Fall 2007 include:

• A freshman seminar or AHS 1601-1602 during the first year
  
  
• Foundations of Biology I and II (BIOL 2002H and 2003H/2004H) or two other pre-approved honors courses
  
  
• Biology Honors Colloquium (BIOL 2960H)
  
  
• Earning a 3.500 or better cumulative GPA by the end of their second year in the  program. 

Graduation with Honors (Junior-Senior Honors Program)

To qualify for a degree “with honors” (e.g., cum laude), a student must have completed 60 or more semester credits at the University of Minnesota and be enrolled in the upper division honors program for at least two semesters. In addition to the requirements for graduation, candidates for graduation with honors must complete:

1. Two semesters (6 credits) of directed research on a continuing project in a single research lab, the results of which are to be reported in an honors thesis written in the style of a publishable manuscript.  The thesis must be approved by the faculty research adviser and by two other faculty (at least one of whom must be from CBS).  Students may work with any life science faculty member at the U of M, but they must register for the research credits under a CBS departmental designator: BIOC, EEB, GCD, MICB, NSCI, PBIO.  No honors designator is needed to indicate that the research is an honors project.  To start searching for a research project and mentor, go to http://www.cbs.umn.edu/studentservices/research/
   
   Students who received Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program grants or who participated in the Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program may petition to use this work to fulfill up to three of the six research credits.
   
   
2. Two semesters of CBS honors seminar (Biol 3960H), one of which must be completed during the fall semester and the other during the last spring semester in residence.
   
   
3. One additional honors opportunity, which may be selected from
   
   
   • an additional semester (or 2 credits) of participation in directed research
     
     
   • an upper division honors course or seminar (3xxx-4xxx)
     
     
   • a graduate-level course (seniors only; requires permission)
     
     
4.   At least 60 credits at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, including two semesters of upper division honors registration in CBS.
   
   
5. Achieve a GPA for the last 60 credits of A-F registration of 3.750 for summa cum laude, 3.666 for magna cum laude, and 3.500 for cum laude. The last 60 credits include all courses taken in the earliest term included in this calculation. Thus, the calculation includes at least 60 semester credits.

For more information contact: Sarah Corrigan, Academic Advisor, UHP and Assistant Director, CBS, huhta001@umn.edu