The Honors College
Hui-Ching Chang, Ph.D.
Dean of The Honors College, Professor of Communication
The Honors College (www.albany.edu/honorscollege) is a vibrant community providing intellectual challenges to talented students who are ambitious in pushing the limits of knowledge in the classroom and beyond, maximizing the opportunities available to them, and committing to civic engagement through leadership, hard work, and responsibility.
Mission
The mission of The Honors College is:
- To attract and retain academically talented, serious students with interests matching the programs of the University at Albany
- To recognize and encourage students to attain the highest level of academic achievement and beyond
- To help students develop as scholars by facilitating connections between professors and students
- To offer intense academic experiences to challenge honors students in all disciplines
- To develop a sense of community among the students in The Honors College
- To prepare students for advanced study in graduate and professional schools, or for a rewarding professional life
Structure
The Honors College is housed in the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education. The main office of The Honors College is located in LC 31, (518) 442-9067. It is administered by the Dean who reports to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the Honors College Governing Board. Members of the Governing Board include the Deans of all Colleges and Schools at UAlbany, or their designees; teaching faculty equal to the number of deans on the Governing Board; and one sophomore, junior, and senior honors student. The teaching faculty are appointed by the Provost in consultation with the University Senate’s Governance Council. Students are elected by those in their graduating class.
Student Body
- Approximately 290 students are admitted to The Honors College each year
- Approximately 250 students are admitted as incoming first-year students
- Approximately 30-40 students are admitted at the end of their first semester or at the end of their first year. All first-year students at UAlbany can apply for admission at these times. Admission decisions are made by the Dean, in consultation with the Honors College Admissions Committee.
Curriculum
Students admitted as incoming first-year students are required to take 18 credits, including T UNI 101, in honors courses before their junior year. Up to four (including T UNI 101) of the 18 credits may be earned through one-credit seminars. These seminars supplement the 3-credit courses and are often on nontraditional or interdisciplinary topics that challenge students with different ideas and perspectives. Students admitted to the Honors College during their first year at UAlbany are required to take 12 credits in honors courses.
Most honors courses are offered at the 100, 200, and 300 levels. Many are designed to meet one or more General Education requirements and some meet major requirements. Enrollment in honors courses is open to students in The Honors College only. Honors courses are listed within each department's course listing (with a T prefix) and on The Honors College website: https:www.albany.edu/honors-college/academics/courses-seminars.
After completing 18 or 12 honors credits, students in the Honors College proceed to complete the honors program in their major during the latter half of their undergraduate career at UAlbany, if their major has an honors program. Students in a major that does not have an honors program consult with the Dean and the Chair/Head of the chosen major regarding the program they will follow in their next two years. A senior thesis or creative project is required to
Expectations
To remain in the Honors College, students in The Honors College must earn a 3.25 GPA during their first semester; 3.30 GPA during their first year; and a 3.50 GPA each subsequent semester. Students entering The Honors College during their first year must earn a 3.50 GPA each semester to remain in The Honors College. Students not achieving the required GPA may request a probationary semester, in consultation with the Dean. All honors students in a major that has an honors program must apply and be admitted to the honors program in their major.
Students who would like to remain eligible for honors housing must attend a required number of honors events during their first and second years at UAlbany. Honors event attendance policy is designed to invigorate the honors community, and is subject to change.
Honors College Courses
T UNI 101 Honors Education: History, Theory, & Practice (1)
A required course for all incoming first-semester students in The Honors College. Students will be introduced to university life, the roles of students and professors in the university, basics of research, and working effectively in small groups to promote each other's learning. All first-semester honors students are required to enroll. Open to Honors College students only. S/U graded. Students failing this course may be dismissed from The Honors College.
T UNI 102 Introduction to Honors Research (1)
A course for all honors students to help them develop research ideas and plan a successful project. Students will be introduced to basic concepts of research, supplemented and exemplified by presentations of honors theses by senior honors students and by professors supervising undergraduate research. Prerequisite: first-year student in The Honors College or new second-year student in The Honors College.
T UNI 110 Honors Writing and Critical Inquiry (3)
Introduction to college-level critical inquiry with a focus on the practice of writing. Based on principles of rhetorical theory, the course emphasizes intensive practice in academic writing as well as writing in other contexts. Students complete various projects in order to deepen their understanding of writing as a vehicle for inquiry and enhance their ability to produce clear and effective prose for different audiences and purposes and in different media. Only one of T UNI 110, U UNI 110, or A ENG 110 may be taken for credit. Must be completed with a grade of C or better or S to meet the Writing and Critical Inquiry requirement. Prerequisite(s): first-year student in the Honors College.
T UNI 150 Honors Topics (1)
The Honors Topics seminar addresses: a current/timely topic; specialized contents that are not included in the regular Honors curriculum; interdisciplinary focus that crosses disciplinary boundaries; and topics that integrate classroom learning with practice in the field. Special topics course offerings vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit for a total of three credits when content varies. Open to Honors College students only.
T UNI 250 Honors Advanced Topics (3)
The Honors Advanced Topics seminar may address: a current topic for timely in-depth analysis; feature specialized contents not included in the regular Honors curriculum for new insight; and provide interdisciplinary focus that crosses but also integrate disciplinary boundaries. Special topics course offerings vary from semester to semester. May be repeated once for credit when content varies. Open to Honors College students only.
