The University Honors College

Coreen Jackson, Ph.D., Dean

Harold M. Love, Sr.
Student Success Center Suite 119

Faculty: 

Ballard De Ruiz, A., Brindley, J., Browning Jr, R., Harris, D., Oates, V., Ondzighi-Assoume, C., Williams, L., Addae, I., Baker, D., Campbell, S., Ghosh, S., Hsieh, H., Kamssu, A., Li, X., Miah, M., Smith, T., Venkatraman, S., de la Mothe, L., Morrison, M., Shive, J., Armwood, C., Gardiner, A., Hamidzadeh, H., Hayes, P., Liu, S., Onyebueke, L., Parthasarathy, R., Yett, B., Zein-Sabatto, M., Batts, B., Bonds, S., Brown, B., Brown, C., Campbell, C., Dickson, P., Gishe, J., Heaston, C. Jackson, A., Johnson, O., Majors, A., Pace-Newbern, M., Pleban, F., Poindexter, C., Sanford-Terry, M., Smith, J., Allen, S., Anderson, J., Barwick, C., Bertrand, M., Bowie, C., Browne, S., Cathey, S., Cornwell, C., Field, C., Flood, W., Gadsden, C., Jimenez-Cano, J., Klomegah, R., Laflin, S., McKinney, J., Miller, T., Murray, E., Peters, S., Pinkard, M., Powers, L., Rasmussen, L., Roy, R., Scales, J., Shafer, P., Smith, R., Tang, Q., Thompson, A., Whitney, J., Williams, H., Winston, T., Woods, L., Yigit, I., Al-Masum, M., Allison, A., Azad, S., Beni, R., Bhatt, G., Bohannon-Stewart, A., Guha, S., Hui, D., Ivy, M., Jones, Y., Martin, E., Moore, J., Moore, J., Ohair, J., Okoro, C., Phambu, N., Siddiquee, T., Vercruysse, K., Wayu, M., Young-Seigler, A., Zheng, M., Blackshear, J., Hobbs, T., Hughes, S., Reid, C., Triplett, K.

The Mission 

The University Honors College (UHC) mission is to prepare students as scholars and leaders to excel in a global society through innovative learning, research experiences, and integrated services. This interdisciplinary program is designed for academically bright and gifted students. Since its inception in 1964, the University Honors College has been a leader in promoting scholarship and providing a stimulating and challenging educational experience that prepares students for global leadership. The primary goal of the College has been to create and maintain a community of academically bright and talented students who would serve as campus leaders and role models, impacting positively on the University and enhancing the mission of Tennessee State University. The Honors College stresses excellence as a way of life.

The College

The University Honors College offers special opportunities for exceptional high school graduates or college students with a record of achievement and a sincere desire to learn and lead. Through the Honors curriculum and special programs, gifted students are challenged, stimulated, and inspired intellectually to explore their potential and to reach new levels of academic excellence. Students are exposed to an advanced curriculum that provides opportunities for critical analysis, creative achievement, intensive research, scholarly thought, and spirited exchange with classmates and professors.

Course Work

UHC coursework encompasses Honors course offerings in general education and each major. Honors classes commence in the freshman and sophomore years when students enroll in the Honors versions of general education courses. At the junior and senior levels (3000/4000 level courses), when students are fully involved in their major area of specialization, students can choose Honors courses from their respective college (including the Honors College) which has a numbering system unique to their college for special topics, colloquium, as well as Senior Project/Honors Thesis courses. The Honors courses are offered as cross-listed options from a select group of course offerings in each college which allow the student to fulfill their Honors requirements simultaneously with their Degree Works requirements.  

Honors College courses are numbered: HONR 3010 to 3089 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3090-3099 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4010-4089 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4090-4099 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4990-4999 (Honors Senior Project).

College of Agriculture courses are numbered: HONR 3710 to 3789 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3790-3799 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4710-4789 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4790-4799 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4960-4969 (Honors Senior Project).

College of Business courses are numbered: HONR 3310 to 3389 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3390-3399 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4310-4389 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4390-4399 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4920-4929 (Honors Senior Project).

College of Education courses are numbered: HONR 3610 to 3689 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3690-3699 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4610-4689 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4690-4699 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4950-4959 (Honors Senior Project).

College of Engineering courses are numbered: HONR 3410 to 3489 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3490-3499 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4410-4489 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4490-4499 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4930-4939 (Honors Senior Project).

College of Health Sciences courses are numbered: HONR 3210 to 3289 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3290-3299 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4210-4289 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4290-4299 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4910-4919 (Honors Senior Project).

College of Liberal Arts courses are numbered: HONR 3110 to 3189 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3190-3199 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4110-4189 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4190-4199 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4900-4909 (Honors Senior Project).

College of Life & Physical Sciences courses are numbered: HONR 3810 to 3889 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3890-3899 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4810-4889 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4890-4899 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4970-4979 (Honors Senior Project).

College of Public Service courses are numbered: HONR 3510 to 3589 (Honors Junior Special Topics), HONR 3590-3599 (Honors Junior Colloquium), HONR 4510-4589 (Honors Senior Special Topics), HONR 4590-4599 (Honors Senior Colloquium) and HONR 4940-4949 (Honors Senior Project).

The Honors College is directed at students who want to combine the best of liberal education and professional specialization. The Honors College does not require additional courses beyond those required of other students.  Grades awarded in UHC courses coincide with those given for courses in the regular curriculum.

Admission/Retention Requirements

In addition to the general application for admission to the University, the prospective Honors student must also complete the application for admission to the Honors College. Entering freshmen must have a high school cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.4 or higher, with an ACT score of 25 or an SAT score of 1220 (the sum of critical reading and math). Transfer or current freshman, sophomore, and first-semester junior students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher. Interested students must complete the Honors Application for admission to the UHC. Freshmen are required to take 24 honors credits, sophomores are required to take 18 honors credits, and juniors are required to take 12 honors credits to have an honors designation on the diploma upon graduation from the university. To remain in good standing in the Honors College, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 GPA, based on all coursework. A student may withdraw from the College at any time but should first notify the Honors office.

Benefits

While providing the advantages of a growing state university (low cost, vast resources, and cultural diversity), the UHC also harnesses the attractiveness of an Honors College that fosters individual attention, small class size, and close interaction with faculty and fellow students. The Honors College also provides a myriad of Honors co-curricular engagements, community service and civic engagements, scholarly research, internships, Honors Conferences, Honors T.E.D. Talk, summer research, Graduate School, and career preparation opportunities. They also have the option to build their leadership skills by participating in the Honors Student Leadership Council and the university at large through the Student Government Association.

Other benefits include:

• Scholarships designated specifically for honors students
• A variety of social and cultural activities
• Challenging courses designed especially for UHC students with limited enrollment
• Intellectually oriented faculty and peers
• Domestic exchange to outstanding universities for a semester or year
• Opportunities for study abroad
• Exposure to special internships and graduate study opportunities

Graduation with University Honors

At commencement, students who complete the requirements of the Honors College will graduate with “University Honors.” These requirements include: 1) taking the required Honors courses and Honors College approved contract courses which give a regular course an “honors dimension,” 2) writing and defending an Honors Senior thesis or an acceptable Senior Project or Senior Recital, and 3) maintaining a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.25 and above.

The Honors graduates are distinguished by wearing a gold satin stole with the Honors College lettering embroidered in blue on top of their graduation gown. The gold is symbolic of University Honors and general scholarship. The Honors stoles are provided by the Honors College which represents the Honors distinction earned. We at Tennessee State University are very proud of all graduates especially those who go beyond the call of duty to achieve such outstanding distinctions.

https://www.tnstate.edu/honors/ 

Courses

• HONR 4601 - Readings and Research in Psychology (3)
• HONR 4602 - Readings and Research in Psychology (3)
• HONR 4603 - - Readings and Research in Psychology (3)
• HONR 4604 - Advanced Research Methods (3)
• HONR 4700 - Biosecurity & Bioinformatics (3)
• HONR 4701 - Omics (3)
• HONR 4702 - Industrial & Environmental Biotechnology (3)
• HONR 4703 - History of Interiors (3)
• HONR 4704 - Non-Residential Design (3)
• HONR 4705 - Furniture Design and Decorative Finishes (3)
• HONR 4706 - Interior Architecture (3)
• HONR 4707 - Internship/Seminar/Options (6)
• HONR 4708 - Med Nutrition Therapy I (3)
• HONR 4800 - MARC Seminar Series (1) to (2)
• HONR 4900 - Senior Project (3)
• HONR 4905 - Senior Project (3)
• HONR 4910 - Senior Project (3)
• HONR 4911 - Senior Project Writing (3)
• HONR 4960 - Senior Project Writing (3)