Faculty

The programs within the University Honors Program perform several functions. They help attract and retain the university’s best and brightest students and offer an exceptional undergraduate education through classes and seminars. Through the honors program, students have opportunities to have close interaction with faculty and professional staff on campus, research opportunities, and social and residence-based activities.

Many faculty consider teaching honors students to be a highlight of their work. While most rewards for teaching honors students are intrinsic, the energy and enthusiasm that result – on the part of both students and faculty – can enhance and rejuvenate faculty work both in and outside the classroom.

Individual faculty or faculty supervising lab work with first-year students with whom they are matched based on abilities, skills, and interests. Matches occur in the fall semester, and students earn 1-2 Pass/Fail credits in the spring semester. Some students continue their research in the summer or following semesters. For more information about being a research mentor, visit the First-Year Honors Mentor Program page.

  • Many departments offer honors-designated courses, particularly Engineering, English, Chemistry, Math, and Physics. These are often smaller than average, more hands-on or inductive, and taught by advanced or especially interested faculty.
  • Honors students can also take a regular course for honors credit by completing a contract for more in-depth or independent work. The contract must be agreed upon by the student and faculty member and approved by the Honors Administrative Director.
  • For more information about course contracts, visit the Honors Courses page.
  • Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about how to offer an honors section of a course you teach.

  • Honors seminars are one- or two-credit Pass/Fail courses addressing a wide variety of current topics of interest to honors students. Topics can reflect faculty interests (e.g., “Tolkien's Mythology”) as well as professional expertise (e.g., “Science Communication Secrets: Beyond Speaking Clearly”). With enrollment generally limited to 17 students, seminars promote an atmosphere of intellectual exchange and a high level of student involvement in learning.
  • Both tenure-eligible and non-tenure-eligible faculty or professional staff and graduate students with teaching experience are welcome to propose seminars. Once the seminar is underway, instructors are contacted regarding a professional development grant of $500 per seminar.
  • Instructors who wish to propose a seminar for a future semester should read these guidelines and complete the Honors Seminar Proposal Form (proposals are due Friday, February 9, 2024, for fall 2024 seminars). Note: A sample seminar proposal form is available on the seminar guidelines page.
  • To review examples of previously taught seminars, see our past seminar offerings. If you would like to know more about honors seminars, please contact us for more information.

  • Each student completing work in honors creates a final Honors Project that serves as a capstone experience. Faculty can work with students, advising and supervising them as they complete creative, scholarly, or empirical research projects.

Advisors

Every major has minimum requirements for graduation. This minimum is one achievable by the “average” student. We believe honors students are well above average, able to develop challenging and interesting paths to graduation, and to take advantage of the flexibility membership in the honors program provides.

Academic advisors play an important role in honors, assisting students in planning their Honors Advisory Program, encouraging them to have a deeper engagement in their education at Iowa State, and guiding them to the courses, people, and experiences that will help them achieve their academic goals. Advising honors students involves additional advising processes, but we hope these lead to rewarding conversations and mentoring relationships. Many advisors consider working with honors students to be a highlight of their work.

All FHP students are required to develop a preliminary four-year academic plan as part of their Honors 1210 First-Year Seminar. We ask that you review the student’s plan to ensure their degree program requirements are met. We check for their University Honors Program requirements. You can see all assignments and forms on the FHP Forms page.

For students applying to join the University Honors Program after entering ISU (students who participate in FHP and meet the eligibility requirements to join UHP via another process), advisors are asked to review and discuss the student’s statement of purpose. Eligibility requirements and a link to the application form can be found on the Apply to Honors page.

Many colleges require the academic adviser to review and approve students’ formal Honors Advisory Program, another chance to talk to students about goals and how they are choosing to construct their academic programs. Students’ honors requirements are detailed on the College Honors Requirements pages.

Advisors will sign an acknowledgment of students’ Honors Project Proposals, and after the projects are presented, the forms are filed. Students will often seek your advice as they develop ideas for the project.