1. Undergraduate

Honors Program

Graduate with honors from any of our three undergraduate majors and complete independent research with our renowned faculty.

Honors Courses

All honors students need 30 honors units to graduate with honors (see Honors graduation requirements). We currently offer ISTA 498H: Senior Capstone and ISTA 499H: Independent Study for honors credit.

We also encourage students to contract our classes for honors credit. Additionally, we offer co-convened undergraduate/graduate-level courses, for which you can earn Honors credit.

Honors Thesis or Project

To graduate with honors, you must complete an honors thesis or professional project. Honors College students must also complete and submit the Honors Thesis Prospectus at the end of the semester prior to beginning the thesis or project.

The Honors Thesis requires six units of honors credit, taken over two semesters; additionally, many honors student take a one-unit honors class in preparation for their thesis.

You must apply to the School of Information to register for ISTA 498H: Honors Thesis and complete your honors thesis (Standard ISTA majors take only three units of in-person ISTA 498; honors students may register for six units of ISTA 498H over two semesters, and work individually with their faculty supervisor).

To register for ISTA 498H:

  1. Complete an Honors Thesis Prospectus and secure a faculty advisor
  2. Sign in to UA Handshake to start your application
  3. In "Career Center" choose "Experiences" (Career Center has a drop-down menu)
  4. Select "Request an Experience"
  5. Select University of Arizona iSchool Faculty-Supervised Undergraduate Individual Studies Request (492, 498H, 499) 

  6. Fill out the form and include your Faculty Supervisor's contact information.  

Once you are approved, the department will register you for ISTA 498H credit with your faculty advisor, who will submit a grade for you at the end of the semester. 

Honors Advising

Visit our advising page for schedule an appointment or view walk-in hours for Laura Owen, the School of Information's academic advisor.

Interested in exploring our majors? Learn more about our three degrees—Information Science & eSociety, Information Science & the Arts, and Information Science & Technology.

See the Honors College information page for questions about Honors College requirements, programs, status, or how to apply to the Honors College.

Study Abroad

The Honors College offers honors credits in the five study-abroad programs that they sponsor. We do not offer direct credit in any current study abroad program, but you may talk to the School of Information advisor about getting study abroad credit pre-approved for your major or Gen Ed credit.

Questions?

If you have any questions on this process, please contact the Undergraduate Academic Advisor, Laura Owen.