Jill Hernandez, Ph.D., Dean
103 McClellan Hall | Box 41017
Lubbock, TX 79409-1017
T 806.742.1828 | F 806.742.1805
honors@ttu.edu | www.honors.ttu.edu
Although Honors courses are taught by award-winning faculty in departments and colleges throughout the university, the following faculty have appointments exclusively with the Honors College or have joint appointments that include the Honors College.
Professors: Bradatan, Caswell, Hernandez, Wong
Associate Professors: Giemza, Hodes, Smith, Tomlinson
Assistant Professor: Carrell
About the College
The Honors College provides highly motivated and academically talented students opportunities to maximize their potential and develop skills for global citizenship. The Honors College combines the personal attention and instruction of a small liberal arts college with the diversity of course offerings, extra-curricular activities, and intellectual opportunities of a major research university. Honors courses are small, student-centered, and discussion-oriented. Honors seminar classes are interdisciplinary and often examine connections among related areas of study. Honors courses provide a learning experience that complements and expands on any academic major or career path. The goal is for students to see relationships among different areas of study, develop analytical thinking abilities, obtain research experience, learn a foreign language, gain international exposure, and obtain communication skills that will allow them to become informed and independent thinkers and successful practitioners in whatever career path they choose.
With the exception of students who enroll in the Honors Sciences and the Humanities (HSH) major, students accepted into the Honors College are also enrolled concurrently in the college that houses their major area of study. Enrollment in the Honors College provides a number of benefits for students, including early registration, housing in an Honors residence hall and learning community (on a first-come, first-served basis), extended library privileges, opportunities to expand their intellectual awareness (e.g., a weekly current events forum and a book club), study abroad scholarships, and opportunities to do research. The College also schedules a variety of special events such as speakers, recreational activities, and cultural performances. The Honors College is able to award scholarships for high-achieving students as well as those qualifying on a needs basis.
Honors students are encouraged to engage in the greatest possible range of educational experiences during their time at the university, including (1) the Honors Undergraduate Research program, which enables and compensates students to take part in undergraduate research with faculty in many disciplines and prepares them for more advanced work at the graduate level; (2) international study, which enhances marketability and fosters personal growth and acquisition of cultural knowledge and language skills; and (3) personalized academic advisement.
Honors students who complete at least 24 hours of honors credit (including one 3000-level Honors seminar and one 4000-level Honors seminar) graduate “with Honors from the Honors College,” a distinction that is noted on transcripts and diplomas and receives special recognition in the graduation program. Those who also complete six additional hours of senior thesis work graduate “with Highest Honors from the Honors College.”
Degree Program
The college offers programs leading to the following degrees:
Academic Program
The Honors College encourages interdisciplinary work and presents a range of courses and programs that offer such opportunities. At the heart of the Honors College experience is a series of departmental classes taught by some of the university’s most talented professors. These courses include those fulfilling both core curriculum and specific major or minor requirements. They are generally limited to 20 students and while curricularly they parallel their regular-section counterparts, due to the more intimate learning environment, classes are faster paced, more interactive, more writing intensive, and more tailored to the interests of the students. The Honors program also offers a variety of seminars on special topics that explore specific subject areas in depth and with an interdisciplinary focus.
Applying for Admission
Students must make special application to be considered for admission to the Honors College either as an entering freshman or as a continuing Texas Tech or transfer student. In general, threshold application requirements for incoming freshmen are a composite Revised SAT score (reading and math only) of 1360 or above, a composite ACT score of 29 or better, and/or graduation in the top 10 percent of the high school class. However, the Honors College applies a portfolio approach to student admission by considering in the admission process such factors as application and entrance exam essays; student activities; and special skills, abilities, or experiences. Therefore, students whose SAT, ACT, or class standing do not meet the threshold requirement may still gain admission, just as students who surpass those requirements may not be admitted.
For continuing Texas Tech or transfer students, eligibility to apply is based on a college GPA of 3.5 or better. It is recommended that transfer students apply to the Honors College after completing a semester at Texas Tech to allow for an evaluation of the student’s capabilities. The college also will consider admitting students who do not meet the above criteria but offer a compelling reason why they should be part of the program. Admission is competitive and contingent upon the pool of applicants for any given year. Admission deadlines and information are posted online at www.honors.ttu.edu.
To remain in good standing in the Honors College, incoming first-year students must maintain a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA while at Texas Tech and demonstrate adequate progress toward completion of the Honors degree requirements. For more details, visit the Honors Student Handbook.
TTUHSC School of Medicine Early Acceptance Program
The joint Texas Tech University–Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Early Acceptance Program offers an exciting opportunity to select Honors College students by allowing them to waive the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and apply early (typically the junior year) to the School of Medicine (SOM) at TTUHSC. Successful applicants to the Early Acceptance Program are notified of their acceptance to the medical school in late January and must complete their baccalaureate degree prior to admission to the SOM.
The primary goal of this special program is to encourage Honors students to broaden their educational experiences before they enroll in their professional studies. The waiver of the MCAT allows students to include coursework or other experiences in areas such as languages, the humanities, mathematics, and business, thus enabling them to become more well-rounded professionals.
General Requirements for Application. Early acceptance is available to Honors students within any major, so long as the requirements for entry to the School of Medicine are met and the students are judged to be exceptional candidates by the SOM Admissions Committee in the circumstances under which they apply. Students who are eligible to apply must meet the following criteria:
- Enroll officially in the Honors College
- Enter Texas Tech as first-year students (students classified as transfer students upon entering Texas Tech are ineligible)
- Be legal residents of the state of Texas
- Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
- Graduated from a high school in Texas
- Have earned a composite score of at least 1360 on the SAT (verbal and math portions only) or at least 30 on the ACT upon matriculation at Texas Tech (the composite score must be earned in one test administration)
- Submit a “checklist” form to the Honors College during their semester of application to the SOM
Visit honors.ttu.edu for further information.
School of Law Early Acceptance Program
Early Decision Plan. The Honors College and the Texas Tech University School of Law cooperate in an Early Decision Plan that allows exceptional Law School applicants who are Honors College students in good standing to receive notification of their acceptance during their third year at Texas Tech. Enrollment in the School of Law does not occur until after the student receives a baccalaureate degree.
To be eligible to apply for Early Decision, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5
- An LSAT score that places them in the top half nationwide
- An SAT score of at least 1300 (verbal and math only) or an ACT of at least 29
- Enrollment in the Honors College, making satisfactory progress toward a baccalaureate degree with a diploma designation in Honors Studies
- Submit an Honors certification form to the Honors College at the time of application to the School of Law
Students must apply during the fall semester of their third year and must take the LSAT by December of that year. Students who receive and accept an Early Decision offer must commit to enroll at the Texas Tech School of Law and may not apply to other law schools. The School of Law Admissions Committee applies the same standards and procedures for Early Decision applicants and applicants reviewed under the traditional admission process.
Visit honors.ttu.edu for further information.
TTUHSC School of Health Professions Provisional Admission Decision Initiative
Provisional Admission Decision Initiative for Entry-Level Clinical Educational Programs in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. The School of Health Professions (SHP) at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) and the Honors College at Texas Tech University (TTU) will cooperate in an Early Admission Decision initiative to allow exceptionally well-qualified TTU Honors students to apply for and be considered for early admission to one of the following three graduate programs within the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences: Master of Athletic Training (MAT), Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), or Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). An Early Admissions Decision applicant may only apply to one of these programs. Enrollment in the selected program does not occur until after the student earns a baccalaureate degree with honors from the TTU Honors College and meets the requirements listed below. Students must graduate with a baccalaureate degree from TTU in any field as a member in good standing of the Honors College.
To be eligible to apply for early admission, the following criteria must be met by the applicant at the time of application:
- Enrolled in TTU Honors College.
- Completed at least 60 credit hours.
- Completed a minimum of 6 credits hours in Honors.
- Possess a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.70 or higher.
- Possess a GPA of 3.70 or higher in prerequisite courses for the relevant SHP program.
- Clinical observation hours: Complete at least 50% of the relevant program’s clinical observation hours.
All eligible Early Admissions Decision applicants will be interviewed by members of the Admissions Committee of the relevant program. Applicants who pass the interview will be offered provisional early admission to that program with the following stipulations:
- The applicant must complete all of the program’s required prerequisite course work as a component of their TTU baccalaureate degree.
- The applicant must maintain their enrollment in the TTU Honors College, with the applicant making satisfactory progress toward a baccalaureate degree with a diploma designation in Honors Studies from the Honors College.
- At the end of the Fall semester of the senior year (defined as having completed at least 18 hours of the required credit hours in courses designated with an (H) attribute, leaving no more than 6 hours Honors designated SCHs to graduate with Honors (of the required 24 hours in Honors), the applicant must have:
a. A cumulative undergraduate TTU GPA of 3.70 or higher; and
b. A TTU GPA of 3.70 or higher in prerequisite course work for the relevant program.
- In the case of applicants who are granted provisional early admission to the DPT program, a GRE score at or above 50th percentile ranking in Verbal and Quantitative sections and a score of at least 3.5 in the Analytic Writing section must be obtained by the end of the Fall semester their of senior year.
The Admissions Committees for the MAT, OTD and DPT programs will apply the same prerequisite requirements, clinical observation hours, standards and procedures to all applicants, including Early Admission Decision applicants. Applicants who receive and accept a provisional early admission offer must commit to enroll in the designated TTUHSC SHP program and may not apply to similar programs at another university or college. Applying to a similar program at another university or college will nullify their early admission offer to the designated TTUHSC SHP program.
Early Admission Decision applicants are encouraged to review application requirements for the MAT, OTD and DPT programs. This information is available at the TTUHSC website and the SHP catalog.
Visit honors.ttu.edu for further information.
Honors Sciences and the Humanities Undergraduate Program
The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in Honors Sciences and the Humanities (HSH) are designed for capable, curious students who are pursuing a broad and challenging course of study that will prepare them for a variety of careers and a lifetime of active citizenship. Most university graduates change careers several times during their lives. Therefore, this degree emphasizes “portable skills” such as critical thinking and problem solving that equip students with career flexibility. HSH also leads to knowledge and skills that qualify students for admission to graduate and professional programs such as law and medical schools. Students who seek a career in health professions can complete their science requirements while pursuing the HSH major.
The HSH major emphasizes a broad, humanistic approach to understanding the world. Students pursuing an HSH major must be admitted to the Honors College. With required completion of an Honors Thesis, HSH leads to graduation with the distinction of Highest Honors. Students in HSH must complete one of the following concentrations: Medicine, Global Health, & the Humanities; Humanities Driven STEM; Environmental Science & the Humanities; or Politics, Philosophy, Economics, & Law. For further information about HSH see honors.ttu.edu.
HSH majors are strongly encouraged to include a study abroad experience as part of their education and are required to take a foreign language through the 2nd year, which is good preparation for study in a foreign country. Study abroad may be at one of the Texas Tech University overseas campuses or anywhere else in the world where it can be arranged. Students may study abroad in any semester; however, most may benefit from opting to study abroad in the summer to avoid interrupting the sequence of required courses.
Communication Literacy Plan. The Honors Sciences and the Humanities (HSH) major provides a solid foundation of humanities-based coursework. This coursework emphasizes holistic communication skills which include oral and written mastery emanating from close reading of primary and secondary texts, critical analysis, preparation of oral and written arguments, receiving criticism, and re-writing. Communication Literacy coursework for the Honors Sciences and the Humanities major includes ENGL 2391 , HONS 4302 (or an approved 4000-level Seminar substitution), HONS 3300 , and HONS 4300 .
Contact: Prof. Kurt Caswell, 201A McClellan Hall, kurt.caswell@ttu.edu, 806.742.1828
Undergraduate Program Offerings, Course Descriptions & Curricular Tables
(Click on program for curricular table.)
Bachelor’s
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Honors Sciences and the Humanities, B.A.: Environmental Science and the Humanities Concentration
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Honors Sciences and the Humanities, B.A.: Politics, Philosophy, Economics, & Law Concentration
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Honors Sciences and the Humanities, B.S.: Environmental Science and the Humanities Concentration
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Honors Sciences and the Humanities, B.S.: Humanities Driven STEM Concentration
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Honors Sciences and the Humanities, B.S.: Medicine, Global Health, and the Humanities Concentration
Undergraduate Minor
