“Transdisciplinarity means intentionally thinking through ideas or problems that cannot be fully understood within only one discipline and doing so with scholars from a range of disciplinary perspectives and areas of expertise.”
Dr. Brad Tuggle, Director of University Honors Program, UA Honors
Curriculum
The University Honors Program offers a robust four-year curriculum (from your Honors Year One experience in UH 100 to your Capstone Experience in UH 401) that provides students with the skills, practice, and opportunities to master three Student Learning Outcomes: Creative and Critical Thinking, Ethical and Empathetic Citizenship, and Collaborative and Inclusive Leadership. In the middle years of the program, students choose from a wide variety of seminar and experiential courses that develop their abilities in these three key areas.
Admission Information
The requirements for admission to the UHP are a 30 ACT/1360 SAT and a 3.5 high school GPA or higher. Because of our commitment to meeting the needs of students from within the state, Alabama high school graduates have another path to admission if they are within the top 5% of their class and have at least a 28 ACT/1310 SAT or higher and a 3.5 or higher GPA. Additionally, current UA students admitted as full-time undergraduates with at least 12 UA hours and a minimum 3.5 UA GPA and Incoming Transfer Students with at least 12 overall hours and a minimum 3.5 overall GPA will be accepted to the UHP upon submission of their applications.
We also recognize that standardized test scores may not be the best indicator of exemplary and exceptional academic promise. The Honors College offers an additional pathway to admission for students that is ACT/SAT test-optional. Students are eligible to alternatively apply to the Honors College with a 3.7 or higher cumulative GPA, two letters of recommendation and an additional essay. Each application for test-optional admission will be reviewed by the Honors College Admissions Committee, and individual applications will be evaluated based on the strength of cumulative GPA, curriculum, essay and letters of recommendation.
Test-Optional Essay Question
The University of Alabama’s Honors College expects you to think critically about our world. Please describe an instance when you have critically thought about a subject and altered your original perspective. How did this challenge you? What did you learn from this process?
500-word limit. Please upload a Word Doc or PDF in the upload section of the application. Letters of Recommendation may also be sent to honors@ua.edu.
Although there is no formal deadline to apply to the Honors College, incoming freshmen should apply as soon as possible to facilitate registration for Honors Housing. All eligible students who apply after the registration deadline for a semester will be admitted for the next semester after they enroll. Applicants submitting test-optional applications should apply by March 1, 2024 for full consideration. Test-optional applicants are welcome to apply after this date, but may be waitlisted.
The aim of Honors Year One is to aid each student in exploring and establishing their place within the Honors College, The University of Alabama and the greater community.
Honors Action is an exciting, week-long community engagement experience and course designed to provide Honors College freshmen with the opportunity to engage in meaningful community-based partnerships.
Honors College Assembly serves as the student representation of the Honors College student body.
Academic Directors
Dr. Brad Tuggle, Director of UHP
(205) 348-7052
A Welcome from the Director of the University Honors Program
Welcome to the University Honors Program! Whether you are a current student, a prospective student, an alumna/us, a parent, a partner or a donor, we are so glad that you want to be a part of our program. The University Honors Program (UHP) is dedicated to helping students achieve excellence as Critical and Creative Thinkers, Ethical and Empathetic Citizens and Collaborative and Inclusive Leaders. In this way, we are preparing students to go out into the world and change it for the better. As a place to achieve big things, ask big questions and activate big goals, UHP is here for you. We look forward to your involvement. Please let us know if you have any questions. Roll Tide!
Sincerely,
Dr. Brad Tuggle
Full-time Faculty
Dr. Darren Surman
Assistant Professor, Director of The Achieve Scholars Program(205) 348-5551
