Honors students may qualify for one of the three designations on their official transcript as graduates of the Honors College by satisfactorily passing Honors courses as outlined below.

An Honors degree requires two semesters of a second language at the college level (or equivalent). Students who have previously taken a second language may test into a higher-level language class and take just one semester at MSU, provided it is at the 102 level or higher. Dual enrollment or AP credit can be used to satisfy the requirement, as can adequately passing a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) language exam. Please review MSU's language placement process for more information. American Sign Language is accepted as a second language. 

Honors Graduation Application Form
HIGHEST DISTINCTION
Honors Baccalaureate, Summa Cum Laude
(Minimum 3.7 Cumulative GPA)
Requirement No. Credits

HONR 201US and HONR 202IH "Texts and Critics"*

8 Credits
1 Upper-Division Honors Seminar 4 Credits
A Second Upper-Division Honors Seminar
OR HONR 450 Tutorial** (Student Fellow)		 4-6 Credits
Honors Thesis (May be in major or in Honors) 3 Credits
Other Honors Courses*** 9 Credits
Second Language (one year college-level or equivalent)  

Minimum Highest Distinction Credits

(excluding language)

 28 Credits
DISTINCTION
Honors Baccalaureate, Magna Cum Laude
(Minimum 3.5 Cumulative GPA)
Requirement No. Credits

HONR 201US and HONR 202IH "Texts and Critics" *

8 Credits
1 Upper-Division Honors Seminar 4 Credits

A Second Honors Seminar

OR HONR 450 Tutorial** (Student Fellow) 

OR Honors Thesis (May be in major or in Honors)

 4-6 Credits
Other Honors Courses*** 4 Credits
Second Language (one year college-level or equivalent)  

Minimum Distinction Credits

(excluding language)

 20 Credits
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Honors Baccalaureate, Cum Laude
(Minimum 3.5 Cumulative GPA)
Name of Course No. Credits

HONR 201US and HONR 202IH "Texts and Critics" *

8 Credits

1 Upper-Division Honors Seminar

OR HONR 450 Tutorial** 

OR Honors Thesis (May be in Major or in Honors)

 4-6 Credits
Other Honors Courses*** 4 Credits
Second Language (one year college-level or equivalent)  

Minimum Academic Achievement Credits

(excluding language)

 16 Credits

 

*Transfer and upper-class students may substitute HONR 301 plus another Honors course for HONR 201/202 pending Dean approval.

** HONR 450 Tutorial: Student Fellow can be in "Texts & Critics" or, per Dean approval, in an upper-division Honors seminar. May not repeat in "Texts & Critics" for graduation requirement. 

***Honors Courses: Any Honors courses including upper-division Honors seminars, tutorials**, contracts, special topics, Great Expeditions, Mentoring Gifted Students, additional thesis credits, and Honors courses offered in other disciplines (Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science, etc.).