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Join the Cosby Honors College

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Why should I join the Cosby Honors College?

Sure, graduating with Honors looks good on a resume, but the real reason to join is deeper than that. Your Honors classes will push you to grow intellectually, to be curious, and to develop new interests beyond your major. In these classes, you’ll get to learn across disciplines, and to experience the excitement of real scholarly inquiry, as you investigate questions without known answers. In these small, discussion-centered classes, you’ll make lifelong connections with peers and professors you might otherwise have never met.

Does it cost anything to participate in the Cosby Honors College?

Are Honors courses harder?

Usually, no. Typically, Honors courses are discussion-based, and they often involve interdisciplinary or hands-on learning. Rather than having more exams or lectures, Honors courses ask you to be actively involved in your own learning. Our Honors physics course throws out the lab manual and instead engages students in real experimentation, where you don’t know what you’ll find. Students in another Honors course work as mentors for high-schoolers—these Honors students make a real difference in the Eau Claire community. These are just two examples—check out our course catalogs to learn more.

Will Honors be extra work besides my major/minor and add time to my degree?

Nope! Almost all Honors courses count toward the Liberal Education core that all students must complete, and some courses also count towards major and minor requirements. You’ll have the option of turning an upper-level course into an Gonors experience by designing your own supplemental project (we call these “Honors contracts”). Honors students also earn credit through research, independent studies, study abroad, and writing a senior Honors thesis. Plus, active Honors students get priority registration, which helps students in many majors complete their coursework sooner.

What if my GPA slips?

What if Honors isn't for me?

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Join the Honors LLC

New first-year Honors students have the option to join our Living Learning Community in Bridgman Hall.

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Work with Outstanding Faculty

Every semester, Honors students have the opportunity to choose from more than 30 specialized courses taught by outstanding instructors from across campus.

A group of students hold booklets in front of a computer display.

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Aim High

Honors students distinguish themselves through research, community engagement, international experiences, and more.

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A Supportive Community

In Honors, we support each other in aiming high and exploring widely.

Admission Guidelines and Scholarships for the Cosby Honors College

New First-Year Students

The first step in being considered for the Cosby Honors College is to apply and be admitted to UW-Eau Claire.

After a student has been admitted to UW-Eau Claire, there are two pathways to earning an invitation to the Cosby Honors College. Many new students are invited to join Honors based on scores achieved on the ACT or SAT and their academic standing in high school. Students will be invited to join the Cosby Honors College if they meet these criteria:

A 28 or higher ACT composite score (SAT 1300+) and high school class rank in the top 5%*
A 29 or higher ACT composite score (SAT 1330+) and high school class rank in the top 10%*
A 30 or higher ACT composite score (SAT 1360+) and high school class rank in the top 15%*
_{*3.95 GPA if class rank is not available}

Any student who does not meet these benchmarks or who chooses not to submit ACT or SAT scores may be considered for Honors admission through our holistic review process. To ensure that you are considered for holistic review, please email us at honors@uwec.edu and fill out the Admissions Scholarship and Honors Application on Gold for Blugolds before December 1. Students who complete the application between December 1 and February 1 will be considered for remaining openings. Invitations to the Honors College will be sent out following the December 1 and February 1 deadlines.

If you are a prospective first-year student and received an invitation to participate in the Cosby Honors College, you can accept it by following the link in the email you received, or by emailing us at honors@uwec.edu.

Honors Scholarships for New First-Year Students

Participating in the Cosby Honors College comes at no extra cost to our students—and we also offer scholarships. All new first-year students who join the Cosby Honors College in the fall and fill out the Admissions Scholarship and Honors Application on Gold for Blugolds before February 1 will receive at least $1000 in scholarships from UW-Eau Claire for their first year. Students must complete the Admissions Scholarship and Honors Application to be eligible for this scholarship. For the best chance at scholarships, fill out the application prior to December 1. All Cosby Honors College students are also eligible to apply for additional scholarships that are open only to Honors students after their first year on campus.

Current Students

Current UW-Eau Claire students who are interested in joining the Cosby Honors College should petition to apply as soon as possible once they have midterm or final grades from their first semester at UW-Eau Claire. Submit a petition by November 15 to join Honors for the following spring semester, and by April 1 to join Honors for the following fall semester. To petition for admission, submit a personal statement, a current degree audit, and a screenshot of the current semester’s midterm grades to honors@uwec.edu.

The personal statement must be 1200-2000 words and should address the student's academic interests and qualifications, why they are interested in the Cosby Honors College, and how they would contribute to the Honors community.

Honors Scholarships for Current UW-Eau Claire Honors Students

Continuing Honors students are eligible to apply for special Honors scholarships for engagement and leadership, academic achievement, and study abroad. The application for Cosby Honors College scholarships for continuing students can be found on Gold for Blugolds and is due on March 14.

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Mark Stephen Cosby Honors College

McIntyre Library 2002
103 Garfield Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701
United States

715-836-3621

honors@uwec.edu