About the Honors Program
For those with high aspirations, being part of the Honors Program means not only distinction, but special opportunities and challenges. Through a combination of specialized General Studies classes and research projects in your major, the Honors Program will develop your talent by challenging you to go further into an academic discipline, broaden your education beyond the usual required work, and reward your intellectual curiosity. Honors work can also be very practical. Prospective employers and graduate admissions committees often look carefully at an undergraduate record for evidence of extra initiative and genuine intellectual strength.
Program benefits
- Secure your spot in class with early registration privileges each semester
- You’ll get to take specialized honors courses and conduct independent research projects
- Through research and presentation, you’ll have opportunities to travel
- Access to honors scholarships and exclusive events
- Receive special recognition on your academic transcripts and during commencement
- Live within a community of like-minded students through Honors Housing
- You’ll be appointed with a dedicator Honors advisor to help guide you to success
For more info:
Lauren Rastede
Assistant to the Dean
School of Arts and Humanities
Humanities, Room 210
402-375-7394
[email protected]
Joining the Honors Program
Levels of Honors
Students may earn one of three participation levels of Honors recognition in their major, dependent on the number of Honors courses they have completed.
- High Honors in the Major – 18 hours of honors credit
- Complete a minimum of 12 hours of honors credit
- Complete honors project while enrolled in 395 and 499 for a minimum of 6 hours
- Maintain 3.3 cumulative GPA, 3.3 within the major GPA - Honors in the Major – 12 hours of honors credit
- Complete a minimum of 6 hours of honors credit
- Complete honors project while enrolled in 395 and 499 for a minimum of 6 hours
- Maintain 3.3 cumulative GPA, 3.3 within the major GPA - Scholar in the Major – 6 hours of honors credit
- Complete honors project while enrolled in 395 and 499 for a minimum of 6 hours
- Requires strong recommendation from an instructor, advisor, or the department chair.
Honors students complete an independent project in research or creative activity, usually spanning their junior and senior years. Your research can take you just about anywhere - in the lab or library, in the community, or in the U.S. or abroad! With the number of programs offered at Wayne State, the potential topics for research are endless.
A sample of recent project topics include:
- "An Examination of Flex Time and the Effect on Workplace Equity and Motivation"
- "Cordial Pen: Creating a Font that Lies Between Handwriting and Type"
- "The Differences and Similarities Between Atrial Fibrillation and Supraventricular Tachycardia"
- "Enhancing Web Development through Accessibility: A Comprehensive Guide"
- "Investigating the Role of HCMV US18 in Viral Infection"
- "Musical Movements: Songs of Nineteenth-Century Nationalism and Abolitionism"
- "Policing in America: A Necessary Source of Crime Control"
- "School Shootings: How an Individualistic American Society has Failed its Children"
- "Sneaker Resale Dynamics and Athlete Performance"
Honors research classes serve as a capstone for Honors Program experience and provide the opportunities for honors students to delve further into an academic interest.
395 Independent Study
Students are required to participate in at least 3 hours of Independent Study (395) to be eligible for the Senior Honors Colloquium (499). Participation in Independent Study (395) will be limited to one independent study of 1 to 3 hours per semester with 6 credit hours being the maximum allowable over any number of years.
499 Senior Honors Colloquium
The 499 Senior Honors Colloquium is open to students who have earned at least 3 credit hours in 395 Independent Study, and who have an overall GPA of 3.3 and a minimum of 3.3 GPA in their major. The Honors Colloquium is required for graduation with honors
How to join
If you meet the program requirements below, you can apply for the program online with your WSC username and password. Upon acceptance to the program, honors students are immediately eligible to begin taking honors courses.
Program eligibility
The Honors Program is open to qualified freshmen, transfer, and current WSC students.
Incoming first-year students
- High school GPA 3.5 or higher
- Minimum ACT score of 25 or SAT score of 1100
Current WSC students
- Cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher at WSC
Transfer students
- Complete all transfer work at community college
- Minimum community college GPA of 3.5
- Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher at WSC
Program continuance
In order to continue in the Honors Program, students must maintain at least a 3.3 cumulative GPA, and at least a 3.3 GPA in honors courses. If a student falls below either of these, he or she will be placed on a semester probation. If the GPA criteria are not met by the following semester, the student will not be permitted to continue in the program. The student may apply for reinstatement into the program at a later date but must meet the criteria set forth for a non-honors student. To apply, please log in to the honors application with your WSC username and password.
You can reap the rewards of your achievements if you are selected for our generous merit scholarships. Among them is the John G. Neihardt Scholarship, the most prestigious scholarship awarded by Wayne State College. Neihardt Scholars are required to participate fully in the Wayne State College Honors Program. In addition to all the benefits of the Honors Program, if you're awarded this scholarship, you'll receive:
- Paid tuition for up to 128 credit hours
- On-campus double room waiver for four years
- Annual stipend of $500 for a maximum of four years

I have immensely enjoyed all the honors courses that have been offered. The courses provide a more in-depth study of certain topics, and I'm able to connect with like-minded students who are passionate about their education. One thing I've really loved about the program is the honors project. I've been able to connect my passion with a personalized course. The research opportunity and experience has also made me an excellent candidate for graduate school.
Isabelle Vacek
Ankeny, Iowa
Psychology, Human Services



I have immensely enjoyed all the honors courses that have been offered. The courses provide a more in-depth study of certain topics, and I'm able to connect with like-minded students who are passionate about their education. One thing I've really loved about the program is the honors project. I've been able to connect my passion with a personalized course. The research opportunity and experience has also made me an excellent candidate for graduate school.


Isabelle Vacek
Ankeny, Iowa
Psychology, Human Services

Live with other Honors students

Earn a prestigious merit scholarship
Partners in the Parks
Each year, WSC students participate in Partners in the Parks (PITP), an outdoor learning program coordinated by the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC). The PITP program offer unique opportunities for college honors students and faculty to visit America's national parks and participate in outdoor recreational activities.
