College Honors Programs
The James Scholar Programs
Every undergraduate college within Illinois has a James Scholar Program, a college-specific, undergraduate honors program. The programs are named for the fourth president of the University of Illinois, Edmund J. James, who believed scholarship and research were fundamental to human progress. James’ achievements helped to transform the University of Illinois into a campus of international importance.
James Scholar Programs may require the completion of Honors Credit Learning Agreements (HCLAs). HCLAs enable James Scholars to complete honors requirements without enrolling in a special honors course or section. This is accomplished by creating a student-instructor agreement, whereby the student agrees to complete a course-related activity of an extraordinary nature, which may be in addition to or in lieu of regular course work.
College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES)
The ACES James Scholar Honors Program empowers exceptional undergraduates to enhance their academic experiences through a broad array of activities. Participation is open to all qualified students enrolled in any degree program within the College of ACES.
Becoming an ACES James Scholar
Qualified incoming students are invited to the James Scholar program by the Honors Dean following review of their admission application and prior to their arrival on campus. Typically the top 15% of incoming freshmen and transfer students with a 3.5 or greater cumulative GPA are eligible to participate.
Freshmen who do not initially qualify may apply for acceptance into the James Scholar program during the first three weeks of their second semester if they have achieved a minimum GPA of 3.40 during their first semester.
A complete description of the ACES James Scholar Honors Program and its requirements is available in the ACES Honors Handbook.
Freshman James Scholars
Honors Activities
At least one scholar's activity is required during the freshman year: Completion of a course with an Honors Credit Learning Agreement; completion of a designated honors course or honors section of a course; or an activity involving effort beyond normal academic requirements approved by the Honors Dean in the College of ACES.
Freshmen must carry at least 28 graded credit hours for the academic year and attend selected James Scholar activities.
Upperclass James Scholars
Participation
Students with sophomore status or greater and a cumulative GPA of 3.40 or higher are eligible to continue participation. Students that are dropped can apply for readmission if the cumulative GPA is raised above the minimum 3.40 by the first semester of their junior year.
Sophomore Year
Students carry at least 28 graded credit hours for the academic year, complete an honors activity as described for the freshman year, and participate in selected James Scholar activities.
Students must also submit for approval an Honors Completion Plan that proposes: (1) Annual participation in an honors activity as described for freshmen,; (2) at least four 400-level courses; (3) at least one 500-level course; (4) a bachelor’s thesis, laboratory project, or design project; (5) annual participation in selected James Scholar activities; and (6) presentation of a poster or display summarizing their research at the annual ExplorACES event or another approved venue.
Junior and Senior Years
Students complete the approved Honors Completion Plan. Junior transfer students meeting the minimum 3.40 GPA requirement may apply to enter the ACES James Scholar Honors Program during their first semester at Illinois.
Upperclassmen are awarded $1,000 to help defray the cost of the bachelor’s thesis, laboratory project, or design project, and are also awarded a partial academic scholarship for one semester.
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College of Applied Health Sciences (AHS)
Unique Aspect: The Career Development and Leadership
Program within the AHS James Scholar Program helps students
fund study abroad trips, leadership programs, conference travel,
and undergraduate research. James Scholars can also take part
in a mentorship program and attend the alumni speaker series.
Admission: Outstanding freshmen are invited to participate
and are notified of their eligibility in a letter from the college.
These students will also be invited to participate in a freshman
seminar course offered through the AHS Dean’s Office.
Requirements: Each year AHS James Scholars must:
- Complete 14 graded hours per semester
- Maintain a 3.5 cumulative and semester GPA
- Complete an honors activity in the fall semester. After freshman year, students complete two honors activities per year
Departmental Honors Programs
Contact AHS for information on honors
programs within specific departments.
For more information, visit www.ahs.illinois.edu/advising/ JamesScholars/default.htm or contact Renique Kersh,
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs at 217.333.2131.
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College of Business (BUS)
The College of Business offers two honors programs: The College of Business Honors Program and the College of Business James Scholar Program.
College of Business Honors Program
The College of Business Honors Program is a unique honors program. As a leadership program, it provides its students with significant experiences, especially during the freshman and sophomore years, which allow the students to build skills, especially leadership skills. The students in the program are then expected to use their skills to improve the experience of all the undergraduates in the College of Business. This model of leadership and service is based on the idea of continuous improvement. Goals set by the classes in the honors program have included development of a college undergraduate honor code; creation of better student to student communications within the college; higher percentages of students taking advantage of international programs; and effective use of our new business building by our undergraduates. The students in the Honors Program are constantly looking for ways to improve the college.
As a leadership program, the College of Business Honors Program purposely does not offer “honors” classes in the college’s three academic departments. Philosophically, we believe that business students, especially honors students, need to develop the interpersonal skills with the widest possible variety of students and professionals on campus. Some of the benefits for students in the program include merit scholarships, classes in freshman and sophomore years with Assistant Dean for Honors, an international trip at the end of the freshman year (Japan/Korea in 2005; Germany/Poland in 2006; Brazil in 2007; Turkey in 2008; China in 2009), a “Conservations with Leaders” program, social events, and mentoring. The students in the program state the greatest advantage is the opportunity to work with such a great team of student leaders.
Admission: Each year, the Honors Program selects approximately 100 students from among the approximately 1100-1200 high school seniors admitted to the College of Business to be interviewed by a current Honors Program student and an alumnus of the College of Business . From the students interviewed, approximately 70 are offered a place in the College of Business Honors Program. Our goal each year is for 35 students to accept our offer.
College of Business James Scholar Program
The James Scholar Program in the College of Business promotes professional growth by its undergraduate by setting high intellectual and professional standards with a program that reinforces the educational mission of the College of Business.
As freshmen, James Scholars will take an honors section of BUS 101 during the fall semester and participate in the Dean’s Honors Seminar in the spring. They will participate in the college’s job shadow program during winter break and the Sleeman Leadership Conference in the spring. As sophomores and juniors, the James Scholars will select from a list of activities to fulfill their James Scholar requirements. These activities include service, entrepreneurship, leadership, intense study in finance and private equity, international programs, technology, consulting, and research. In the fall semester of senior year, James Scholars will either continue James Scholar activities from junior year or participate in department related honors activities.
Throughout their participation in the James Scholar Program, students are expected to maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA with a minimum semester GPA of 3.5 (except first semester freshman year when the minimum is 3.4).
Admission: The top 15 percent of the entering freshman class, normally 150-170 students, is invited to participate in the Business James Scholar Program as a James Scholar Nominee. Students will be selected based on multiple criteria: academic achievement, test scores in addition to leadership skills and extracurricular record in school and/or the community. The assistant dean for honors makes the final selections and students are notified of their eligibility in an email from the college in mid-March.
College of Education (EDU)
Unique Aspect: Education will provide research grants, up
to $100, to support James Scholars working with faculty on
research. Freshmen will be greeted at the fall welcome and
will be able to meet and sign up to do research with Education
faculty. Each spring the college will hold a Research Symposium
for freshmen James Scholars to share their research experiences with other scholars, faculty, students, and staff.
Admission: Entering freshmen in the top 15% of
the college’s admitted applicant pool are invited to
participate in the James Scholar Program.
Requirements: Each semester, EDU James Scholars must:
- Complete one honors course, an Honors Credit Learning
Agreement (HLCA) an approved research project, or
participate in an approved study abroad experience
- Maintain a 3.5 Illinois and cumulative GPA
For more information, visit www.illinois.edu/academics/
honors/colleges/education.html or contact Brenda
Clevenger, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs at 217.333.2800.
College of Engineering (ENG)
Unique Aspect: There is a strong emphasis on
participating early in research projects and students take
full advantage of registering for classes before others.
Freshmen are admitted through the Undergraduate
Application for Admission, and all students must apply
or re-apply for the upperclass honors program.
Admission: Freshmen admitted to the College of Engineering with an ACT composite score of at least 33, or SAT equivalent,
as well as with a high school rank of at least 99% are eligible to participate in the Freshmen James Scholar Program. Freshmen
who do not initially qualify may apply after achieving a GPA of
3.3 or higher after one semester. Students in Electrical and
Computer Engineering must achieve a 3.5 GPA or above.
Requirements: For the freshman year, each Engineering James Scholar must:
- Complete at least one honors activity, including:
- Honors course
- Honors Credit Learning Agreement (HCLA)
- An activity approved by the Engineering Honors Council
For more information, visit http://jamesscholar.cen.uiuc.edu or call 217.333.2280.
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College of Fine and Applied Arts (FAA)
Unique Aspect: The FAA James Scholar Program is
designed to recognize, support, and encourage students who
demonstrate superior academic performance and talent. These
students have opportunities to work with faculty on individual
projects, complete honors classes, and enrich their educational
experience through curricular and co-curricular offerings.
Admission: The top 10% of entering freshmen are invited
by FAA to participate in the fall semester. Freshmen
who do not initially qualify may self-nominate for
membership after the completion of the fall semester,
provided they have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
Requirements: Each semester, an FAA James Scholar must:
- Maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA
- Complete at least 14 credit hours
- Complete an honors experience
For more information, visit www.illinois.edu/goto/jamesscholarfaa or call 217.333.6061.
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Division of General Studies (DGS)
Admission: The DGS James Scholar Honors Program is designed to both provide a curricular and co-curricular honors experience for qualified DGS freshmen and sophomores and prepare them for continued honors work in their ultimate college destination. The top 10-13 percent of the entering DGS freshman class will be eligible, by invitation, to be James Scholars. These students will be contacted by the Honors Director prior to enrolling for their first semester.
Continuing DGS students can self-nominate to be James Scholars with a 3.6 cumulative Illinois GPA. Off-campus transfer students that join DGS can self-nominate if they earned a 3.6 cumulative GPA at their previous institution or by providing documentation of honors status from their previous institution.
Requirements: DGS James Scholars must earn a 3.5 GPA each semester to remain eligible for the program. Students can earn honors credit by enrolling in special honors courses, enhancing standard courses through an Honors Credit Learning Agreement (HLCA), or by other approved opportunities. Two honors requirements must be completed per academic year to remain eligible.
In their first semester as freshmen, DGS James Scholars will enroll in GS 102, a freshman honors seminar. This course provides a team-based approach to understanding issues of leadership, service, research, and creativity. A semester-long project will culminate in a series of class presentations.
Major Declaration: DGS students need to be aware that each college administers its James Scholar Program in unique ways. Students who have satisfied the requirements for DGS will maintain the James Scholar status once they declare a major or transfer to another college on campus. It is important that students review the James Scholar requirements for the colleges they wish to enter. The DGS Honors Director welcomes the opportunity to assist, guide, and mentor such students in their quest to cover their specific honors requirements.
Read more on the DGS James Scholar Honors Program.
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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS)
James Scholar Program
Within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the James Scholar Honors Program encourages academically gifted students to develop their abilities fully and to achieve high academic recognition. By annually maintaining certification as James Scholars, participating students seek sustained intellectual achievement as undergraduates.
Admission: The James Scholar Honors Program offers a number of curricular and co-curricular opportunities to entering first-year students who elect to participate as a James Scholar Designee. Incoming students are notified of their eligibility by a separate letter of invitation from the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Qualified continuing or transfer students with a qualifying cumulative grade point average may self-nominate to become an LAS James Scholar by inquiring at the LAS Honors Office at Room 1 of the University YMCA. Eligibility requirements are subject to change per academic year and can be found on the LAS Honors website (see below). LAS James Scholars must complete at least two honors courses or HCLAs during the academic year, and earn a 3.50 Illinois cumulative grade point average to remain in the program.
Departmental Honors Programs
Individual departments in LAS have developed honors offerings for undergraduate students who show excellence and special interest in their chosen majors. Graduation with departmental distinction will require a strong Illinois and program GPA, as well as completion of specific departmental honors courses, seminars, or research projects. Departmental honors courses and Honors Credit Learning Agreements will satisfy James Scholar course requirements at the college level.
Departments with honors opportunities include Integrative Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Mathematics, Psychology, English and History; other LAS major programs may develop honors experiences on an individual basis. To join a departmental honors program, students should contact their academic adviser early in their college career.
LAS Honors at Graduation
To graduate with College Latin Honors, a student must rank in the top 12% of the LAS graduating class and satisfy one of the following three requirements:
- Completion of 25 hours of honors courses (including work taken on Honors Credit Learning Agreements); or
- Completion of 35 hours of 300-400 level coursework; or
- Satisfaction of the requirements for departmental distinction.
Cohn Scholars Program
This program provides a unique opportunity for outstanding first-year humanities students. Program components include receiving a $1,000 scholarship, taking a designated seminar or course, and attending various cultural activities. An additional benefit of the Cohn program is the opportunity to take an independent study course with a faculty member. Incoming first-year students with a record of outstanding achievement who have chosen humanities majors are invited to apply. A faculty committee nominates the Cohn Scholars.
Read more on LAS honors.
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College of Media (COM)
Unique Aspects: The James Scholars program
in Media is designed to give high-ability, highly
motivated students the opportunity to work closely
with instructors in honors classes, on honors projects
in traditional classes, or in independent studies.
Admission: The top 20 percent of the freshman class,
generally based on ACT/SAT scores and high school grades
relative to other students, are invited into the program.
Freshmen who do not qualify initially will be asked to join
the program for the following academic year provided
that they are included on the college’s Dean’s List (top
20 percent GPA) during the spring academic term.
Requirements: A Media James Scholar must:
- Maintain semester and cumulative GPAs of at least 3.5
- Complete at least 14 credit hours for traditional
letter grades each semester
- Complete one honors course, HCLA, or work
on an honors project with a Media professor as
an independent study each semester
For more information, visit www.media.illinois.edu/current/
email media-ssc@illinois.edu or call 217.244.4329.
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