Honors College

Catherine Krause, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Dean
Ursula Shepherd, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico, Associate Dean

Dudley Wynn Honors Center
Student Health Center Building, Room 21
MSC06-3890
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 277-4211

Faculty
Sarita J. Cargas, D.Phil., University of Oxford (UK)
Leslie A. Donovan, Ph.D., University of Washington
Sarah Feldstein Ewing, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico
Christopher L. Holden, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
Richard Howell, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico
Amaris Ketcham, M.F.A., Eastern Washington University
Celia López-Chávez, Ph.D., University of Seville (Spain)
Troy Lovata, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
Jason R. Moore, Ph.D., University of Cambridge (UK)
Ursula Shepherd, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico
Ryan Swanson, Ph.D., Georgetown University
Michael Thomas, Ph.D., University of Washington

Emeritus
Rosalie C. Otero, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico

Introduction

The Honors College at the University of New Mexico is located in the heart of campus in the Dudley Wynn Honors Center on the plaza level of the Student Health Center building. The College provides a liberal arts education to highly motivated and academically committed undergraduates from all University of New Mexico colleges and schools. The Honors College offers a Bachelors of Arts in Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and a Minor in Interdisciplinary Studies. Students can also choose to obtain a fifteen-credit hour transcripted Honors designation. All options complement a student’s academic work in another University of New Mexico college or school.

The Honors College features small (16–17 students) interdisciplinary seminars that allow for lively discussion, student participation and the opportunity to work with outstanding faculty selected for their commitment to students, scholarship, and teaching. Students receive individual advisement, extensive interaction with faculty, and opportunities for independent research and field-based learning here and abroad.

Participation is by application only; all undergraduates interested in a challenging intellectual program are encouraged to apply online. Students are primarily selected on the basis of their academic potential (ACT or SAT scores), record in high school, or college-level work and intellectual motivation. Students are encouraged to join the Honors College during the first semester of their freshman year. Second-semester freshmen, as well as sophomores and first-semester juniors, may, however, also apply to the College.

Honors seminars are offered at the 100-, 200-, 300- and 400-levels. The Legacy Seminars offered at the 100-level introduce Honors students to interdisciplinary scholarship while meeting Humanities core curriculum requirements. Seminars offered at the 200-level continue students’ exposure to interdisciplinary work. In addition, 200-level seminars are offered that meet University of New Mexico Core curriculum requirements in all areas except foreign language. Upper-division seminars allow students to deepen their understanding of the interconnectedness of academic disciplines; 400-level seminars are explorations of topics that are more in-depth than those of lower-level seminars, and students assume greater responsibility for their own learning. The capstone senior options (Senior Colloquium with Service-Learning, Senior Thesis, or Senior Teaching) allow students to examine personal value systems and social ethics, gain experience as student teachers, or pursue independent research.

Admission Requirements

The following are the minimum requirements for admission to the Honors College:

A high school cumulative G.P.A. of 3.5 or higher and an ACT cumulative test score of 29 (or higher) or SAT score of 1860 (or higher).
Transfer or Current UNM students must have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.20 or higher.
High School applicants with scores at or below a 3.4 G.P.A./ 28 ACT or 1859 SAT, and college applicants with a G.P.A. at or below 3.1 must also include a 1-page personal essay. The 1-page essay should be about you, your goals, and your interest in the Honors College. Special consideration is given to essays which demonstrate community/academic involvement and strong written communication.
All students are required to submit an application for admission to the Honors College.