Wayne A. Reaud Honors College
The Reaud Honors College empowers students to achieve their maximum intellectual and personal potential from all academic disciplines at Lamar University’s five undergraduate colleges. The College offers opportunities for academic challenges, campus engagement, residential life, summer projects, and community service. Through a proven dialectical approach, students are guided to explore, refine, and develop their personal goals to further their educational and professional aspirations beyond Lamar University.
Requirements
Incoming first-year students are reviewed through a holistic admissions process that includes high school GPA of 3.85 or above, class rank in the top 10%, prompted essay responses, AP/IB/Honors courses taken, dual enrollment achievements, and TSI exempt status. Applications with SAT scores of 1260 or higher and ACT scores of 27 or higher are welcomed and are considered as an additional data point when reviewing the application packet. Students already enrolled at Lamar must have a university GPA of at least 3.7 and at least 12 and no more than 45 academic credits to apply. Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA to remain an active member of the Honors College. Finally, Reaud Honors College students are eligible for financial support through the McMaster Honors Scholarship, the Dr. Donna Birdwell Scholarship, and the Tom Jones Memorial Scholarship. Applications may be submitted online at https://www.lamar.edu/honors-college/apply-now/index.html. For more information call (409) 880-2294.
Curriculum
All Honors College students, regardless of major, must accrue 23 Honors credit hours including the Honors Thesis, or 26 hours (of which 8 hours must be at the upper level) without the thesis. In addition, all students must take two Honors Seminars (HNRS 3161) or one Honors Topics (HNRS 4364) course. Students must complete at least one of the following high-impact educational practices: undergraduate research/creative activity, diversity/global learning, internships/cooperative education, or service-learning. It is possible to attain these requirements in a variety of ways. There are Honors sections in every Core Area, Honors Petition courses for lower- and upper-level Honors-approved courses, Honors Contract courses to individually enhance a course in the regular curriculum for Honors credit and Honors Independent Study (HNRS 3360) for students in any major to create a course of study not covered in the regular curriculum. Lastly, the Honors Thesis (HNRS 4360 and 4361) permits students aiming at post-baccalaureate degrees to demonstrate their ability to complete a major research/creative project.
Co-curriculars
Honors students also have a wide variety of co-curricular opportunities. Students can engage in travel/study opportunities with Study Abroad (global) and Partners in the Park (national). They consider global issues with their peers from around the world through the Model United Nations program. The Honors Student Association encourages participation in the cultural life of the campus and community and provides Honors students with their own vehicle for organizing events and service activities and getting involved in campus life. They can become involved in leadership through the Honors Student Association Executive Committee, the Peer Mentoring program, or the newly formed Reaud Leadership Institute and minor in honors studies that engages students in a unique, multidisciplinary set of courses focused on developing leadership and critical thinking skills. Finally, they can take part in experiential learning opportunities like internships, shadowing, co-op programs, and undergraduate research.
Reaud Leadership Institute
The Reaud Leadership Institute focuses on leadership development, global influence, and a variety of experiential learning opportunities to help students grow into influencers. The Minor in Honors Studies supports the mission of the Reaud Leadership Institute by engaging students in a unique multidisciplinary set of courses focused on developing their leadership and critical thinking skills.
From the first year on campus to the senior thesis, students in the institute will have opportunities to engage in leadership development experiences that aim to inspire deep learning and prepare them for career success. The 19-hour Minor in Honors Studies enables a select cohort of the best students in the Reaud Honors College—Reaud Fellows—to take innovative and rigorous courses from the best faculty at Lamar University. All Presidential Scholars and Legends Scholars will be invited to participate in the creative and advanced interdisciplinary learning experience that is complementary to several majors at Lamar University with special emphasis, but not limited to, majors that include Political Science, Sociology, and Criminal Justice. Reaud Fellows enrolled in the Minor in Honors Studies will participate in the Reaud Leadership Institute and graduate as a Reaud Honors College graduate.
To learn about the honors college experience, please visit our website at: