The Departmental Honors Program is designed for students
who have begun upper division course work
within a declared major.
Twenty-two departments on campus offer this advanced specialization within their discipline.
The program permits eligible students to participate in the Honors College by taking 12-hours of advanced work within their major and/or area of interest.
Departmental Honors classes are primarily individualized course sections, research, and independent study supervised by professors who are distinguished in their field. Departmental Honors allows students to pursue areas of personal interest by delving deeply and independently into a topic.
Students who are part of the Honors College have the privilege of being first on campus to register for classes. Honors students are encouraged to use Priority Registration to plan their academics around Honors course offerings.
Honors students are also eligible for scholarships, special programming, research projects and Honors Housing. Students may join the Association of Honors Students, a student-led campus social and philanthropic organization.
Students who have completed the Departmental Honors requirements and have a 3.5 GPA at graduation will be certified as graduates of the Honors College.
Admission Criteria
Students must meet the following criteria for admission to Departmental Honors:
* Attain a 3.5 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale for least 12 hours of coursework undertaken at Eastern Illinois University
* Permission of both the Departmental Honors Coordinator and the Dean of the Honors College.
Transfer students who have not completed 12 hours at EIU may obtain probationary admittance with the recommendation of the Departmental Honors Coordinator.
Program requirements vary slightly within the departments, but generally require 12 hours of coursework in independent study, research, graduate work, and thesis. Courses typically substitute for major requirements.
The Departmental Honors Coordinator is the primary supervisor for the program. Departmental Honors provides students with an exceptional opportunity for interaction and mentoring by faculty who are paramount in their field.
Students who wish to be certified as graduates of the Honors College should complete a Graduation Check Sheet by mid-term of the semester in which they graduate. Graduation Check Sheets may be obtained from the Honors Office in Booth House on 4th Street or downloaded from this website.
Students who complete the 25-hours of University Honors requirements and have a 3.5 at the time of graduation will be considered graduates of the Honors College. Those students will have a notation on their transcripts and will be recognized at graduation ceremonies.
