Admission to UNF Honors Program

The Honors Program at UNF is a four–year program divided into two components, University Honors and upper level Honors. University Honors is designed for students in their first two years of college. There are also two upper level Honors tracks, Honors in the Major and Interdisciplinary Honors, for students in their third and fourth year of college.

University Honors is designed for freshman and sophomore students at UNF. Students enrolled in University Honors take a minimum of 14 hours of Honors course work. Honors seminars are special topics courses that change each term. Most of these special topics courses replace General Education requirements at the lower division. After successfully completing University Honors, students have the opportunity to enroll in one of the upper level Honors tracks.

The Honors Program is highly selective, admitting fewer that 15% of the entering freshman class for participation. The Program admits students whose scholastic performance demonstrates an enthusiastic and curious approach to learning. We look not only for students who have high grade point averages and test scores, but also for students who have sought out the most challenging high school courses, are leaders in their school and community, and give back to the larger community through service.

There are two different ways to gain admission into the lower level component of the Honors Program. All prospective students must begin by applying to UNF. Students who are admitted into the University and have a very strong academic record or are part of the Early Action Program are invited to join the Program. Other students who are interested and qualified also may apply to the Program.

Graduating high school seniors are encouraged to apply to the Honors Program if any of the following criteria are met:

  • Top 10% of class
  • SAT score is 1200 or above or ACT is 26 or above
  • Recalculated UNF GPA is 3.75 or higher
  • International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement credit
  • Outstanding writing and analytical skills
How to apply

Students must submit the University Honors application and complete all required sections. Application deadlines for University Honors are June 1 (for fall term enrollment) and December 5 (for spring term enrollment).

If you have any questions or would like to receive more information about the Honors Program, please contact us at (904) 620-2649 or honors@unf.edu.

Upper Level Honors & Interdisciplinary Honors

Interdisciplinary Honors and Honors in the Major are the two upper level honors tracks at the University of North Florida and are designed for students interested in participating in undergraduate research.

There are two different ways to gain admission into upper level Honors. First, students who were admitted into University Honors and successfully completed the lower level requirements and post a minimum 3.4 UNF GPA are guaranteed admission into Interdisciplinary Honors. Second, students who either were not in University Honors, or were unable to successfully complete the requirements of University Honors, must apply to the Program. Applicants are required to submit a completed upper level Honors application. Students will then enroll in the 1 hour Thesis Research Prospectus Colloquium. During the colloquium, students will develop a thesis proposal and gain the commitment of faculty mentors. At the completion of the Thesis Research Prospectus Colloquium, students then need to submit a formal written prospectus to be approved by the Honors faculty.

The admission deadline for the fall semester is July 1st and for the spring semester is November 5th.

Honors in the Major is offered in the following majors:

  • College of Arts and Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, History, Mass Communication, Mathematics, and Statistics, Philosophy, and Psychology
  • College of Business: all majors
  • College of Computing Sciences and Engineering: all majors
  • College of Health: all majors
  • Honors in the Major for the College of Education is not offered

All students interested in Honors in the Major must contact the Honors Admissions Coordinator in order to get permission to enroll in the program. Students will then enroll in IDH 3922, Thesis Research Prospectus Colloquium. During the colloquium, students will develop a thesis proposal and gain the commitment of faculty mentors. The student then needs to submit the formal HIM application, along with a formal written prospectus, a letter of recommendation from a faculty member, and a statement of support from the department chair. The student must also submit a copy of the approved HIM application to the Honors office.

In the event that a student has already established a relationship with a faculty mentor and developed a research plan, the student may submit the plan and faculty agreement with a completed HIM application to the Honors Office.

Admissions Requirements

These are the minimum requirements of the application process. Depending on the major, there may be additional requirements. Students should contact their upper level advisor or Honors admissions coordinator to obtain additional information. GPA requirements for graduation depend on the requirements in each individual department.

College of Arts and Sciences:
  • Biology: An overall GPA of 3.5 or higher, completion of at least three Natural Science courses with a grade of no less than a B
  • Chemistry: An overall GPA of 3.5 or higher, completion of at least three Natural Science courses with a grade of no less than a B
  • History: Completion of four history courses with an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher
  • Mass Communication: An overall GPA of 3.5 or higher, completion of MMC3105 and MMC3422 with a B or above
  • Mathematics and Statistics: Completion of Calculus I and II, and one other Mathematics or statistics course at the 3000 level, with an overall GPA of 3.4 or higher and a major GPA of 3.25 or higher
  • Philosophy: At least four philosophy courses including at least two at the upper level, and an overall GPA of 3.5 or better
  • Psychology: Completion of at least three Psychology courses, with a grade no less than a B, and an overall GPA of 3.67
College of Business Administration:
  • All Majors: A cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in all college course work
College of Computing Sciences and Engineering:
  • All Majors: A student who has completed the core coursework in one of the College's major programs with GPA of at least 3.5 and a cumulative UNF GPA of 3.4 or higher
College of Health:
  • All Majors: Completed the core coursework of one of the College of Health's major programs with a minimum 3.5 GPA

An upper level application for both Honors in the Major and Interdisciplinary Honors is available for download. If you have any questions about the Honors Program, please contact us at (904) 620-2649 or honors@unf.edu.