The Indiana University Southeast Honors Program (IUSHP) strives to provide an enriching academic experience that promotes intellectual growth, personal responsibility, and community engagement. By fostering academic excellence, self-reliance, and collaboration, the program empowers students to contribute meaningfully to society while balancing high standards with a supportive, nurturing environment. Through the guidance of faculty, students pursue enhanced educational objectives alongside a traditional baccalaureate degree. Students engage in research and creative activities, present findings to various audiences, and apply academic knowledge to serve communities, all while reflecting on their experiences to develop self-awareness, personal growth, and lifelong learning.
Personalized Pathways in Honors
All undergraduate students are invited to apply for admission to the Honors Program at any point during their career at IU Southeast, and we want to help you maximize your experience by providing different pathways within Honors.
Depending on your chosen pathway, you will earn one of three Honors designations: University Honors Collegian (Tier One), University Honors Scholar (Tier Two), or University Honors Scholar.
Most Honors students follow this pathway: it’s typically applicable for students within their first year or two or study at IU Southeast, and it introduces and develops foundational skills such as written communication, oral communication, project management, and research. As a Tier One student, you will complete a self-selected research project as part of the Introduction to Honors Research seminar (HON-H215), you will complete two 300-level, interdisciplinary Honors seminars, and you will complete the four General Honors Requirements (Presentation of Project, Eportfolio, Service Learning, and Career Readiness). To learn more about the courses you’ll take as a Tier One student, please visit the Honors Program Curriculum page.
This pathway is intended for students already established in their field of study and is typically taken by current IU Southeast students or students transferring to IU Southeast from other institutions. If you’re already confident in foundational skills such as writing and project management, this may be the best path for you. As a Tier Two student, you’ll complete two upper-level, interdisciplinary seminars designed to expose you to different perspectives and encourage you to apply your skills in new ways. You will also complete the four General Honors Requirements (Presentation of Project, Eportfolio, Service Learning, and Career Readiness). To learn more about the courses you’ll take as a Tier Two student, please visit the Honors Program Curriculum page.
This pathway is traveled the least often as it requires the completion of both Tier One and Tier Two requirements. As a Tier Three student, you’ll complete two self-selected research projects, four upper-level, interdisciplinary seminars, and the four General Honors Requirements (Presentation of Project, Eportfolio, Service Learning, and Career Readiness). To learn more about the courses you’ll take as a Tier Three student, please look at both Tier One and Tier Two courses on the Honors Program Curriculum page.
Student Learning Outcomes
Every course in the program is designed to foster student growth and development in the areas listed below. It is our intention that Honors Program students will graduate from IU Southeast as solid critical thinkers, clear writers, and effective public speakers.
Additionally, the Honors Program gives students numerous opportunities to develop their capacity to sort through information, understanding the difference between credible sources and those that are not, and to develop their ability to manage multi-step projects from conception to completion.
Honors students will exhibit cross-discipline-based higher-order thinking skills, the ability to select and organize credible evidence to support converging arguments, and the ability to solve academic problems using strategies appropriate to the task at hand.
- Introduced in HON-H103
- Reinforced in HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Mastered in HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Assessed in HON-H103, HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
Honors students will create and construct written works in various academic modes in order to communicate clearly, knowledgeably, and effectively.
- Introduced in HON-H103
- Reinforced in HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Mastered in HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Assessed in HON-H103, HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
Honors students will develop speaking skills in order to communicate clearly, knowledgeably, and effectively, and express ideas and concepts in multiple formats.
- Introduced in HON-H103
- Reinforced in HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Mastered in HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Assessed in HON-H103, HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
Honors students will conceive, plan, and execute high-quality research, creative, or applied projects in the appropriate disciplinary or multi-disciplinary context.
- Introduced in HON-H103
- Reinforced in HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Mastered in HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Assessed in HON-H103, HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
Honors students will be able to acquire, analyze, evaluate, and disseminate information and will use this information ethically.
- Introduced in HON-H103
- Reinforced in HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Mastered in HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
- Assessed in HON-H103, HON-H104, HON-H306, HON-H307, and HON-H495
Grounded in the concepts of Civic Engagement and Teamwork, as defined by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Honors students will identify a need or problem within a specific community, they will apply specific skills to meet that need or problem, they will collaborate with other individuals or groups, and they will reflect on their learning experience.
- Introduced in HON-H103 and, for Tier Two students, during the selection of a self-selected Service Learning Project
- Reinforced in HON-H104
- Mastered in HON-H104
- Assessed in HON-H103, HON-H104, and, for Tier Two students, at the completion of the self-selected Service Learning Project
Students should be able to identify the multiple disciplines comprising an Honors course. Students should be able to identify and synthesize concepts and methodologies from multiple disciplines.