Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Will I have to take extra classes to be in Honors?
A: Not at all. Most of the Honors classes substitute for Core Curriculum classes that everybody has to take anyway. In your major you can take Independent Study classes, courses listed as “Petition for Honors Credit”, or complete Honors Contracts in classes that are part of your degree plan.

Q: Won’t Honors classes mess up my grades?
A: Our experience here at Lamar shows that our students tend to make the same grades in their Honors classes that they make in their regular classes. At Lamar, we have many Honors program students who graduate with top grades.

Q: Won’t Honors classes be a lot of extra work?
A: You might work a little harder, but only because you are getting more out of your classes! Our goal is not to make you work harder, but rather to see to it that you get returns for your efforts – returns in the form of a quality education. Honors classes often have a different format, which appeals to many students.

Q: Will the Honors Program make me repeat classes I have already taken as non-Honors?
A: No. We have lots of Honors classes that you can take to reach the minimum number of Honors hours required for Honors Program graduation. You choose which classes fit best with your schedule, your degree plan, and your interests.

Q: Some majors like engineering are not compatible with Honors work…right??
A: Wrong. The Honors Program complements all majors. In the past several years, engineering students as well as students in Nursing and other highly structured programs have become increasingly successful in achieving the status of Honors Program graduate. In any major, it is a good idea to take several Honors classes your freshman year so that you have more flexibility in your junior and senor years when the degree requirements become more restrictive.

Q: OK, How do I put this… aren’t Honors Program students nerds?
A: Not a Lamar!! Our students are a very diverse and active group, including SGA presidents, Lamar Ambassadors and winners of many student awards. The Honors Student Association was Student Organization of the Year in both 2003 and 2004 among professional and departmental groups.

Q: After I graduate, how will anyone ever know whether I was in Honors or not?
A: Honors classes are clearly identified as such on your permanent transcript. If you achieve the status of “Honors Program Graduate,” that will be on your permanent transcript, too. Even if you just graduate in good standing with the Honors Program, your Honors classes will still draw attention. More than that, the Honors Program gives you opportunities to do independent research and to access enriching educational experiences that will really make you stand head and shoulders above the rest after graduation.

Q: I have to work. Is it possible for me to do Honors, too?
A: Yes, it is possible. Lots of our students have jobs. We do our best to work with our Honors students whatever the circumstances of their lives may be.

Q: I have a family. I couldn’t possibly make it in the Honors Program, could I?
A: Yes, you can. As we said, we have a diverse group of students with a wide range of responsibilities. Think of the Honors Program as a set of resources – depending on your work load and your family responsibilities, you decide how much of those resources you want to access.

Q: What benefits do I get from being in the Honors Program?
A: The benefits available to you in the Honors Program include an enriched educational experience (through our Honors classes and academic activities); access to McMaster Honors Scholarships and Research/Study Grants; membership in the Honors Student Association; Honors housing in Cardinal Village; individualized advisement; opportunities for independent research and presentation of that research; Access to the Scholars Development program and associated scholarship and fellowship competitions.