About the UHC

The University Honors College (UHC) is a small degree-granting college within Oregon State University. The UHC offers OSU's most prestigious degree, the Honors Baccalaureate Degree, which can be earned in any undergraduate major.

Benefits of the University Honors College

There are many benefits to being part of the University Honors College:

• Graduate with the Honors Baccalaureate degree, one of about 13 such degrees in the nation
• Be a member of a tight-knit community of about 800 students
• Small class sizes (no more than 24 students)
• One-on-one interaction with faculty
• All classes are taught by professors, not teaching assistants
• Personal academic advising from the UHC advisors
• Priority living in the UHC Residence Hall (currently McNary Hall)
• Two centrally located study lounges including a computer lab, free printing, and lounge areas perfect for study groups, sleeping, and meetings
• Leadership opportunities
• UHC trips and events
• Free candy from the UHC office
• Support in the completion of an undergraduate thesis
• Over 90% of UHC graduates who apply to law, medical, and graduate schools are accepted (depending on student accomplishments)

Applying to the UHC

Admission to the UHC is competitive. Students who are eligible to apply must complete a separate UHC application (there is no additional application fee) for consideration. First, apply to OSU. Second, apply to the UHC. The UHC application is available on our web site between Sept 1st and Feb 1st as an online application. You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application; if you do not receive this email within one week of applying, contact the UHC office. we will mail your admission decision letter six to eight weeks after the application deadline (November 1 for early round applicants, February 1 for primary round applicants). Admitted students need to notify the UHC no later than May 1st of their intent to enroll in the UHC.

Taking Honors Classes

The University Honors College creates an entirely new curriculum each academic year featuring some of OSU’s most inspiring teachers and serving many of OSU’s most talented and motivated undergraduates. As a University Honors College students you will complete approximately one fifth of your course work in the Honors environment. Many Honors courses can also satisfy university and major-field requirements. Honors classes are small - no more than 24 students - and are taught by OSU's top faculty. Compared to offerings in the general curriculum, UHC courses are more discussion based and in-depth, but they do not typically involve more work. Each term you will meet with an advisor in your academic department and an advisor in the UHC to help plan for courses that meet your requirements and speak to your interests.

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research

As a member of the University Honors College, you’ll have research opportunities ordinarily limited to graduate students. Not only can you work with leading faculty and make real contributions to their research, the honors thesis gives you the opportunity to design and conduct a research project of your own. In addition, many UHC students win research grants and publish their findings well before they graduate.

UHC Faculty

Through Honors classes and research, you’ll study and work with some of Oregon State’s finest professors, many of whom have national and international reputations in their fields. Mentoring relationships develop easily in the UHC, guiding you through your college career, preparing you for the future, and showing you how to solve challenging problems and make a positive difference in the world. The UHC senior thesis, the capstone to the Honors curriculum, is completed under the guidance of distinguished university faculty members.

UHC Graduates

The University Honors College prepares students to succeed in any field they choose to pursue after graduation. Our graduates have had extraordinary acceptance rates (over 90 percent) into graduate and professional schools, including Harvard, Emory, Stanford, and respected medical schools like Johns Hopkins, Mt. Sinai, and Oregon Health & Science University. The opportunities offered by the UHC and OSU are designed to equip students with the experiences, connections, and achievements to help them stand out both professionally and in their communities.

Next Steps

If you would like to learn more about the UHC, we encourage you to get in touch with us through one of the following channels:

• Contact us directly to schedule a visit or speak to someone over the phone by calling 541-737-6400 or emailing honors.college@oregonstate.edu
• Send an email to one of our UHC Envoys listed here to learn about the UHC from a student's perspective. All Envoys are current UHC students who are available to share information and answer questions about their experience via email or in person.
• Visit our Facebook page to learn more about what's going on in the UHC community or leave a note with a comment or question for students or staff to answer.
• Apply! Don't forget that you must complete the UHC application after completing the OSU application in order to be considered for admission to the UHC. If the deadline has already passed, don't fear: you can apply to the UHC once you've arrived at OSU as well.