Patrick Leahy Honors Program in CALS

The CALS Honors program is part of the university-wide Patrick Leahy Honors College. Honors students are admitted into the joint program and do honors work with students from departments across campus in their first two years.

Established in 2001, the Patrick Leahy Honors College (PLHC) program brings together a small group of students from throughout CALS who seek additional academic challenges and opportunities to think critically across traditional academic boundaries. The centerpiece of the program is the senior honors thesis or honors project which is a substantial, original, independent, scholarly work that is completed under the direction of a faculty  advisor.

Each year, a select group of approximately 30 first-year students is invited to participate in the CALS Honors College program. Other students who amass an outstanding first-year academic record at UVM are welcome to apply for admission to the Patrick Leahy Honors College Program as sophomores.

Honors students also receive several other benefits, including the use of a special honors lounge (for study or for simply relaxing and socializing), in-class priority registration, the opportunity to live in the PLHC housing at University Heights (with students from honors programs throughout the university), field trips, and other events.

In their junior and senior years, students will do honors work as part of the CALS Honors program. In addition to the regular requirements for your major and for the CALS core competencies, PLHC course requirements and standards are listed below.

Graduation Requirements

First year of study

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  • 6 credits: Honors College electives HCOL 1000 and HCOL 1500.
  • 1 credit: first year CALS colloquium.

Second year of study

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  • 6 credits: Honors College elective HCOL 2000 (fall and spring).

Third year of study

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  • 1 credit of undergraduate research (or equivalent) approved by your home unit.
  • DOCUMENT with course for junior year research.
  • 2 credits of Honors College seminar.

Fourth year of study

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  • 6 credits of undergraduate research (or equivalent) approved by your home unit.
  • DOCUMENT with course for senior year research.

Additional requirements

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  • Submission of a thesis proposal at the beginning of the student’s senior year.
  • Complete a department-approved senior thesis project under the direction of a faculty advisor.
    • CALS juniors and seniors in the Honors College program will engage in an independent research or thesis project exemplary of significant scholarly activity in their area of study.
    • This activity will be documented in the form of their senior thesis and thesis defense to be approved by the faculty of their home unit or in the department in which the research is completed as well as approval of the chair within the home unit.
    • Mentor, committee and student guidelines DOCUMENT.
  • Maintain at least a 3.4 grade point average.