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Honors Program

Honors Exchange Credits

The University Honors Program is proud to announce two pathways for completing University Honors credentials. Beginning in Fall 2019, Honors students may choose between Pathway 1 or Pathway 2.

Two pathways will allow students greater freedom and flexibility in charting their Honors pathway. In addition, two pathways will encourage students to engage in diverse high-impact educational practices (HIPs) while allowing greater collaboration among the HIP units in Student Diversity, Engagement and Success (SDES).

Students must maintain the minimum cumulative UWW GPA of 3.4 to graduate with University Honors, regardless of pathway.

(Note: Students in good standing in the Honors Program may apply for Honors Exchanges to be retroactively credited.)

Pathway 1: Earn 21 Honors Credits through Honors coursework and/or H-Option Projects.

Pathway 2: Meet the Honors residency requirement of a minimum of 6 Honors credits through Honors coursework and/or H-Options, then students pick their own pathway to 21 by earning Honors Exchanges through the SDES programs listed below. (Students may also complete additional Honors Courses and/or H-Option Projects in this pathway!)

The application for Honors Exchange credits can be found here. Students who have already participated in Honors Exchange programs may gain retroactive credits by filling out the application and e-mailing the Honors Program at honors@uww.edu. 


Number of Honors Credits: Dependent on the Course (for example, a student would earn three (3) Honors credits in a 3-credit course and only one (1) Honors credit in a 1-credit course)

SDES Unit: University Honors Program

  • Honors Courses are one of the two main ways (the other being H-Option Projects) by which students can complete the University Honors Program's residency requirement. The residency requirement states that a minimum of nine (9) Honors credits must be earned through Honors courses or H-Options.

  • A course grade of a B or better is required to earn Honors credits for the course.

For a complete list of Honors courses, click here.

Number of Honors Credits: Dependent on the Course (for example, a student who successfully completes an H-Option in a 4-credit course would earn four (4) Honors credits)

SDES Unit: University Honors Program

  • H-Option Projects are one of the two main ways (the other being Honors Courses) by which students can complete the University Honors Program's residency requirement. The residency requirement states that a minimum of nine (9) Honors credits must be earned through Honors courses or H-Options.

  • Honors students enrolled in a non-honors course may complete an H-Option Project designed in collaboration with an instructor to augment their learning in the course.

  • A course grade of a B or better on a completed and approved H-Option Project is required.

  • In order to graduate with University Honors, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative UW-W GPA of 3.4 and earn twenty-one (21) Honors credits.

For more information, click here.

Number of Honors Credits: typically three (3) Honors Exchange Credits

Cooperating SDES Unit: Office of Global Experiences

  • Honors students who complete an international travel study course may apply to have their course converted to Global-Honors Exchange Credits.

  • For their successful completion of a credit-bearing travel study course, including a formal presentation at an Office of Global Experiences promotional event upon their return (if requested), Honors students will earn Global-Honors Exchanges equivalent to the number of course credits of the travel study course.

  • A course grade of a B or better on a completed and approved H-Option Project is required.

  • In order to graduate with University Honors, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative UW-W GPA of 3.4 and earn twenty-one (21) Honors credits.

  • Up to nine (9) of the twenty-one (21) Honors credits may be earned through Global-Honors Exchanges (this includes credits earned through travel studies and semesters abroad).

  • Additionally, as with all Honors-Exchanges, Honors Students must complete the Honors residency requirement by completing nine (9) Honors credits through Honors coursework or H-Option Projects.

For more information on the international travel study opportunities available at UW-Whitewater, please visit the Office of Global Experiences webpage here.

Number of Honors Credits: 6 Honors Exchange Credits per Semester Abroad

Cooperating SDES Unit: Office of Global Experiences

  • Honors students who complete a semester abroad program may apply for Global-Honors Exchange Credits.

  • A formal reflection piece upon the conclusion of the study abroad experience is required.

  • A formal presentation at an Office of Global Experiences promotional event after the study abroad experience may be required.

  • In order to graduate with University Honors, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative UW-W GPA of 3.4 and earn twenty-one (21) Honors credits.

  • Up to nine (9) of the twenty-one (21) Honors credits may be earned through Global-Honors Exchanges (this includes credits earned through travel studies and semesters abroad).

  • Additionally, as with all Honors-Exchanges, Honors Students must complete the Honors residency requirement by completing nine (9) Honors credits through Honors coursework or H-Option Projects.

For more information on semester abroad opportunities available to students at UW-Whitewater, please visit the Office of Global Experiences webpage here.

Number of Honors Credits: Three (3) Honors Exchange Credits per Year

Cooperating SDES Unit: King/Chavez Scholars Program

  • Eligible King/Chavez Scholars who wish to join the University Honors Program are required to meet with the Honors Program Director to create a pathway to University Honors Program completion.

  • In order to graduate with University Honors, a KC-Honors student must maintain a minimum cumulative UW-W GPA of 3.4 and earn twenty-one (21) Honors credits.

  • Additionally, as with all Honors-Exchanges, KC-Honors students must complete the Honors residency requirement by completing nine (9) Honors credits through Honors coursework or H-Option Projects.

  • If a King/Chavez Scholar is admitted into and successfully completes the McNair Scholars Program, the terms and conditions of the Agreement between the McNair Scholars Program and the University Honors Program would apply.

  • If a King/Chavez Scholar does not join the McNair Scholars Program, the King/Chavez Scholar is eligible (like most Honors students) to earn Honors Exchange Credits through Honors Program exchanges with other SDES high-impact practice units.

For more information, please see the Director of the King/Chavez Program or the Director of the University Honors Program. For more information on the KC Scholars Program, click here.

Number of Honors Credits: Six (6) Honors Exchange Credits per Year

Cooperating SDES Unit: McNair Scholars Program

  • Eligible McNair Scholars who wish to join the University Honors Program are required to meet with the Honors Program Director to create a pathway to University Honors Program completion.

  • In order to graduate with University Honors, a McNair-Honors student must maintain a minimum cumulative UW-W GPA of 3.4 and earn twenty-one (21) Honors credits.

  • Up to twelve (12) of the twenty-one (21) Honors credits may be earned through McNair-Honors Exchanges.

  • Additionally, as with all Honors-Exchanges, Honors Students must complete the Honors residency requirement by completing nine (9) Honors Credits through Honors coursework or H-Option projects. 

For more information, please see the Director of the McNair Scholars Program or the Director of the University Honors Program. For more information on the McNair Scholars Program, click here.

Number of Honors Credits: Three (3) Honors Exchange Credits per Year

Cooperating SDES Unit: Undergraduate Research Program

  • Honors students in RAP are partnered with a faculty researcher in their chosen field and assist the faculty researcher with a research project.

  • For their successful completion of online RAP training, a year of faculty-led research, and presentation at UW-Whitewater's Undergraduate Research Day, Honors students will earn three (3) Undergraduate Research-Honors Exchange credits.

  • Up to nine (9) of the twenty-one (21) Honors credits may be earned through Undergraduate Research-Honors Exchanges (this includes credits earned through RAP, Undergraduate Research Grants, and SURF).

  • Additionally, as with all Honors-Exchanges, Honors students must complete the Honors residency requirement by completing nine (9) Honors Credits through Honors coursework or H-Option Projects.

For more information on the RAP-Honors Exchange, please see the Director of the University Honors Program. For more information on RAP, visit the Undergraduate Research Program webpage here.

Number of Honors Credits: Two (2) Honors Exchange Credits per Undergraduate Research Project

Cooperating SDES Unit: Undergraduate Research Program

  • Honors students work with a faculty mentor to propose and conduct their own research project.

  • For their successful completion of an Undergraduate Research Project, Honors students will earn two (2) Undergraduate Research-Honors Exchange credits.

  • The Undergraduate Research Program requires presentation of all Undergraduate Research Grant projects at UW-Whitewater's Undergraduate Research Day, as well as one other conference (usually either the National Conference for Undergraduate Research or the UW-System Symposium).

  • Up to nine (9) of the twenty-one (21) Honors credits may be earned through Undergraduate Research-Honors Exchanges (this includes credits earned through RAP, Undergraduate Research Grants, and SURF).

  • Additionally, as with all Honors-Exchanges, Honors Students must complete the Honors residency requirement by completing nine (9) Honors Credits through Honors coursework or H-Option projects.

For more information on the Research-Honors Exchange, please see the Director of the University Honors Program. For more information on the Undergraduate Research Grants, visit the Undergraduate Research Program webpage here.

Number of Honors Credits: Three (3) Honors Exchange Credits per Project

Cooperating SDES Unit: Undergraduate Research Program

  • Honors students work with a faculty mentor to propose and conduct an extensive research project that begins in the summer and is completed in the academic year.

  • For their successful completion of a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Honors students are eligible to earn three (3) to four (4) Undergraduate Research-Honors Exchange credits.

  • To receive three (3) Undergraduate Research-Honors Exchange Credits, Honors students must present their project at UW-W's Undergraduate Research Day and one other conference (usually either the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) or the UW-System Symposium).

  • To receive four (4) Honors Exchange Credits, Honors students must present their project at UW-W's Undergraduate Research Day, NCUR, or UW-System Symposium, and one additional professional conference.

  • Up to nine (9) of the twenty-one (21) Honors credits may be earned through Undergraduate Research-Honors Exchanges (this includes credits earned through RAP, Undergraduate Research Grants, and SURF).

  • Additionally, as with all Honors-Exchanges, Honors Students must complete the Honors residency requirement by completing nine (9) Honors Credits through Honors coursework or H-Option Projects.

For more information on the Research-Honors Exchange, please see the Director of the University Honors Program. For more information on SURF, visit the Undergraduate Research Program webpage here.

Number of Honors Credits: Dependent on the Course (for example, a student who successfully completes a 3-credit CBL course would earn three (3) Honors Credits)

Cooperating SDES Unit: Community Based Learning Program

  • Honors students complete fifteen (15) hours of direct, face-to-face contact with a partner community organization in a Community Based Learning course.

  • Honors Students should note that training, prep, project work, and reflection are additional requirements, and may not be recorded as part of the 15 required hours for the Honors Exchange portion of the CBL course.

  • A course grade of a B or better on a completed and approved H-Option Project is required.

  • Up to nine (9) of the twenty-one (21) Honors credits may be earned through CBL-Honors Exchanges.

  • Additionally, as with all Honors-Exchanges, Honors Students must complete the Honors residency requirement by completing nine (9) Honors Credits through Honors coursework or H-Options projects prior to graduating with University Honors.

For more information on the CBL-Honors Exchange, please visit the Community-Based Learning webpage here.