Joining and Membership in Honors

Joining

Admission to the COE Honors Program is administered by the University Honors Program. For information about joining, see this information.

After Freshman Honors Program

If you are a member of the Freshman Honors Program (FHP), you may continue in the Engineering Honors Program if you have:

• Maintained a 3.5 cumulative GPA or better
• Submitted a ‘Statement of Honors Purpose’ to the University Honors Office which was approved
• Attended or viewed an Engineering Honors Program orientation session before submitting your plan of study.

Continued membership allows you to participate in the activities in the University Honors Program, including seminars and honors housing, while you develop a program of study.

Entrance After Freshman Year

If you left or never participated in the FHP, you may join the Honors Program by completing an Honors application (see the UHP web page for more information), and having:

• Maintained 3.5 cumulative GPA or better
• 48 credits remaining before graduation.
• An approved ‘Statement of Honors Purpose.’

You must also:

• Attend an Engineering Honors Program orientation session before submitting your plan of study (held each semester; watch for announcements).
• If joining with 48 credits remaining, submit your plan of study the same semester you join.

Staying in Good Standing

In order to maintain good standing within the UHP and EHP, you must:

1. Maintain a continuing cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above.
2. Participate in two Honors Seminars.
3. Submit a Program of Study (POS) to the EHP not later than four semesters prior to graduation.
4. Develop an Honors Project and have it approved by the EHP at least two semesters prior to graduation. The project must be completed and presented before or during the semester of graduation.

Review of Academic Progress

Members are required to maintain cumulative and term GPA’s of at least 3.5. The college of engineering honors program committee (ECHPC) will evaluate the previous semester GPA and cumulative GPA at the beginning of every semester. If either GPA is below 3.5, you will be contacted by the EHP or UHP administration.

The following flow chart defines how the ECHPC policy deals with a low term GPA:

Text-only version of flowchart defining how the ECHPC policy deals with a low term GPA.

1. First, they check your cumulative GPA
This is your overall GPA at Iowa State.
If your cumulative GPA is 3.5 or higher
You’re still on track.
• If you’re graduating this term:
You will still be certified for Honors graduation.
• If you’re not graduating yet:
You stay in the program and continue as usual.
If your cumulative GPA is below 3.5
The committee looks more closely at your situation.
2. Are you graduating this term?
If YES (you are graduating now):
• You are placed on Probation 1.
• You receive a warning letter.
• The Honors Committee reviews your record to decide whether you can still graduate with Honors.
If NO (you are not graduating yet):
• You may be placed on Probation 2 or removed from the program.
• You and your advisor may be asked to explain (“show cause”) why you should stay in the program.
• The committee reviews the situation and decides whether you can continue in the Honors Program. 1. ECHPC contacts advisor. Student and advisor may “show cause” for remaining in EHP. Case is brought to Committee. If decision = no, student is dropped from EHP 2. If status = Probation 1, Chair contacts advisor. Chair decides whether to certify for Honors graduation. If status = Probation 2, ECHPC, in consultation with advisor, decides whether to certify for Honors graduation.