Honors College

The mission of the Honors College is to provide an innovatively delivered curriculum for high achieving students who choose to challenge themselves beyond the boundaries of classrooms or academic departments. Established in 1998 with a small cohort of students, the successful honors program flourished and garnered tremendous community support. In 2014, the Board of Regents approved the creation of our Honors College, which now serves over 300 students.   

Graduates are awarded the Honors College regalia in recognition of completing a rigorous honors curriculum that complements their baccalaureate degrees. Graduates have conducted undergraduate research, engaged in interdisciplinary studies, participated in service learning, and studied internationally.  Through experiential learning and creative endeavors, all honors students have the opportunity to design engaging collegiate experiences that prepare them for graduate school and professional careers.  The Honors College provides scholarships to support their education and co-curricular experiences that build critical, professional skills needed to impact our community and world.

The Honors College is also home to the Honors Academy, which allows students to complete collegiate work and acculturate to university studies while concurrently enrolled in high school. The Honors Academy enables high achieving students to enroll in our honors courses and experience a learning environment that rewards intellectual curiosity and engaged discussions. 

Honors College students become members of Honoris Causa, our award winning student honor society.  Honoris Causa impacts our entire campus by supporting the publication of Momentum and The Abstract Annual. This year, our students have served as editors to campus publications, interned in the Georgia Legislature, published research articles in professional journals, presented at statewide conferences, and three students spent the year studying at Oxford University.  Next year, our graduates will medical and graduate schools at universities such as Auburn, Georgia Regents, and Oxford. 

Entering Freshmen Admission Requirements and Application

• To be considered for the Honors College, applicants must have applied for admission to Columbus State University.
• Students should complete the Honors College Application through our online application available at https://honors.columbusstate.edu.
• Entering freshman will be selected on the basis of SAT/ACT scores, grade point average, honors, and participation in high school and community activities.
• Admission requirements* for entering honors freshmen are:
  • SAT score of at least 1200 with a minimum of 550 on each subsection or an ACT composite score of 26
  • A high school academic GPA of 3.50 or higher
  • No College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) deficiencies (based on state of Georgia requirements) preventing regular admission to Columbus State University

  *Students not meeting these minimum requirements may be admitted provisionally, if space is available, and are encouraged to apply. All applications will be evaluated for scholarship opportunities that are available through the Honors College.

 Students are admitted to the Honors College on an ongoing basis as applications are received.

 All applications will be considered for eligibility for scholarships.  Students deemed eligible will be notified of additional steps they should take.

Transfer/CSU Undergraduate Enrollment Requirements and Application

In order to qualify for admissions, current CSU students or students transferring to CSU must meet the following criteria for admissions to the Honors College:

• Completion a minimum of 15 semester hours earned that are applicable to a degree program
• An overall cumulative grade point average of 3.4 or higher in academic courses that are applicable to a degree program*
• Recommendation form completed by a university faculty member

Honors College Requirements

All CSU Honors students must maintain active enrollment, participate in service projects, and complete coursework as described briefly below. For detailed expectations and policies, please refer to the current handbook at the link to the right.

Enrollment Requirements

Once admitted into the CSU Honors College, members must enroll in a minimum of nine semester hours per semester, maintain a 3.40 cumulative GPA, and show progress toward earning an honors diploma. Members with Honors Scholarships must enroll in a minimum of twelve semester hours per semester.

Service & Vitae Requirements

One of the goals of the CSU Honors College is to foster leadership development and civic engagement. Therefore, members of the CSU Honors College receive recognition of their service activities and for serving as an elected officer in a campus or community organization. In addition, members are also required to submit a curriculum vitae documenting their professional development. This is designed to help each member of the college to develop a well-rounded portfolio for graduate schools and careers.

Curricular Requirements

• Complete ITDS 1779H Scholarship Across the Disciplines (2 credit hours)
• Earn a total of 30 Honors Points by submitting work into each of the following areas:
  • Personal Enrichment – 10 points required
  • Academic Enhancement – 10 points required
  • Research & Independent Inquiry – 10 points required
• Complete HONS 3555 Great Conversations (3 credit hours)
• Complete an Honors Senior Project Sequence (3 credit hours)

HONS 4901: Senior Project Proposal & HONS 4902: Thesis and Oral Defense
or
HONS 4901: Senior Project Proposal & HONS 4912: The Alternative to the Thesis
or
Other departmental capstones with the Dean's approval.

Students must graduate with cum laude honors (3.4 GPA) or better.