Frequently Asked Questions

Honors classes are not designed to be more difficult, and they are not designed to have a greater workload. Moreover, the course work is not accelerated in the way that course work in “AP” high school classes is accelerated. Rather, Honors classes are different: they are small classes in which students engage in discussion with one another and with the instructor, and they work together to think critically and write effectively about myriad issues. From this perspective, an Honors class is more likely to have students seated in a circle as opposed to a traditional arrangement of rows.

Yes. All Honors students pursue their majors in another College while they are enrolled in The Honors College. Honors students who are, for example, in the School of Business or in the School of Nursing and Health Professions must stay on track with the Honors Core requirements, and they are also encouraged to take Honors versions, respectively, of their Business and Nursing classes (and other general education courses). The Honors Advisor helps each student to plan accordingly; these meetings are brief and are key to staying on track!

No. Honors students are not required to take any extra classes in order to graduate from The Honors College. Honors classes satisfy degree requirements no matter what one’s major may be. Honors students graduate with the same number of credits as non-Honors students.

No. Honors students are not required to more in tuition or fees to be members of The Honors College. They must, however, meet the Honors requirements

Yes. If you have AP or CAPP credits, we will honor those credits and we will factor them into your Honors requirements. You will not be required to retake those classes simply because they were not Honors versions of those classes. In fact, Honors students who have earned many AP or CAPP credits are often able to graduate in less than four years.

Yes. You can leave The Honors College at any time, and it will not significantly affect your time to graduation. But it is not likely that you will do so, for it is rare for a student to decide to leave The Honors College.

When you are enrolled in The Honors College at UW Oshkosh, you receive the benefits of a small liberal arts college coupled with the wide range of opportunities presented by a comprehensive University. In addition to the package of benefits, The Honors College offers a unique educational experience rarely found elsewhere: our students—no matter what major(s) or minor(s) they choose—experience the Honors Core courses, a common intellectual experience that prepares them to be excellent writers, critical thinkers, and problem solvers. Students experience high-impact educational practices in classes that are small, interactive, and dynamic. As a result, our alumni are routinely hired by top employers and accepted into the graduate schools of their choice. (See below.)

Every year, many of our Honors graduates are employed before graduation, or they have an acceptance in hand to a medical school, law school, or graduate program of their choice. (Be sure to see our Fast Facts.) We keep in touch with them, and we invite them to mentor our current Honors students and to give presentations from time to time as part of our “Meet Honors Alumni” series. In fact, we’re so proud of our Honors Alumni that we established the Honors Outstanding Alumni Award, which is presented periodically at the Honors Graduation Ceremony.