B.S. Information Sciences

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• Honors

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  As an honors student, you'll be part of a group that fosters intellectual curiosity, leadership, and change.

  Who qualifies for Honors programs?

  Every student is considered for honors programs through their freshman or transfer admission application. Some programs allow students to apply if they were not selected during this initial period (please see the information below for each program). The top students are selected for these programs based on a holistic application review. 

  Honors Programs

  Campus Honors

  The Campus Honors Program (CHP) provides an honors-quality way of satisfying general education requirements and helping students discover the interrelations between their own and other disciplines. Approximately 125 students are admitted to the CHP each year as first-year students. High-achieving students may apply for admission at the end of the first semester of their freshman year. Designated as “Chancellor’s Scholars,” students in the CHP may be enrolled in any undergraduate curriculum.

  James Scholars College Honors

  Every college at Illinois has its own honors program. Students admitted to these programs are called James Scholars.

  The James Scholar Honors Program in the School of Information Sciences recognizes the talents of academically outstanding students, promotes curricular/co-curricular growth, and helps prepare students to stand out in their future endeavors. James Scholars may also receive:

  • • • Priority registration for classes

      • A special distinction as a “James Scholar” on final transcripts upon graduation

  • • • Programming in areas such as undergraduate research, international experiences, career development, and co-curricular opportunities

  • • • More direct interaction with professors and advisors

  Students Eligible to Join:

  • • • Current School of Information Sciences students who have completed less than 75 hours, are included on the spring Dean’s List, AND who have at least a 3.50 overall GPA
      • On-campus transfer students into the School of Information Sciences, who are certified by their previous college as James Scholar
      • The top of the college’s incoming freshman class, based on a combination of a student’s ACT/SAT score, high school GPA, application essays and related involvement. Students are automatically considered for admission upon application to the University; there is no separate application
      • Off-campus transfers with at least a 3.75 transfer GPA may request to join the program.

  Please speak with your academic advisor if you have questions about the process

  Requirements:

  Students work with the iSchool Undergraduate Student Affairs Office to create an individual honors plan, selecting from academic and co-curricular experiences. In addition, students must meet the following requirements:

  • • • Maintain an Illinois semester and cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 (coursework from other institutions will not apply)
      • Maintain full-time enrollment and complete at least 12 graded credit hours during the fall and spring semesters.
      • Complete the required minimum number of honors courses and co-curricular experiences each academic semester.
      • Should a student be found to have committed any infraction of the UIUC Rules of Academic Integrity, they would automatically forfeit their James Scholar membership and privileges.

  Dean's List

  The Dean's List is prepared each semester to honor all full-time students whose grade-point average (GPA) for that semester ranks in the upper 20 percent of their college.

  To be eligible for Dean's List recognition, students must complete at least 12 academic semester hours taken for a letter grade (A through F). This excludes courses graded credit/no credit, satisfactory/unsatisfactory, and test-based credit that is graded pass/fail. No consideration is given for the Dean's List until all final traditional grades are posted. Students with I, DFR, or missing grades who believe they should be placed on the Dean's List as a result of a grade change or a grade received more than a month after the end of the semester, should notify the iSchool BS/IS Office ischool-is@illinois.edu to ensure that corrective action is taken.

  Students who are registered with the Center for Wounded Veterans (CWV) or with Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) who are enrolled less than 12 but a minimum of nine graded semester hours who are in the top 20 percent of their college are also eligible. Such students must sign a release with CWV or DRES indicating their consent for consideration for Dean's List eligibility and have submitted that consent to their home unit's academic affairs office (for iSchool students the release should be submitted to the iSchool Student Affairs Office) no later than Reading Day in the semester in which they wish to be considered for Dean's List. These consent forms are valid only for the semester in which they are issued, and students must submit by the deadline updated consent forms for each semester in which they wish to be considered for Dean's List.

  Bronze Tablet Honoree Distinction

  The University of Illinois began the tradition of inscribing the Bronze Tablets with the names of students receiving University Honors in 1925. A new tablet is hung in the Main Library each year. Inscription on the Bronze Tablets recognizes sustained academic achievement and is exclusively for the top 3% of each college’s graduating class. The actual GPA is recalculated every year and is based on all work completed at the university through the academic term prior to their graduation. To be identified as a Bronze Tablet recipient, transfer students, in addition to meeting the general rules for qualification, must also have earned at least 40 semester hours at this university and have cumulative University of Illinois grade point averages as high as the lowest eligible students who completed all of their academic work on this campus.