Honors Program

Philosophy and Objectives

The Honors Program of Inter American University is designed to achieve the maximum development of undergraduate academically talented students. The Program aims to attract students looking for an academic program that challenges and guides them by means of an interdisciplinary, leadership and critical thinking approach.

In this Program the University will make efforts to achieve that students assume greater responsibility for their learning through research and independent work. The faculty of the Program will plan learning experiences with an interdisciplinary and critical analysis approach that enhances the development of the student as an educated person.

The objectives of the Honors Program are:

To identify talented students whose abilities, needs, interests and motivations are or require an attention different from those of the students of the regular program.
To provide talented students interdisciplinary academic and leadership experiences of the highest quality that challenge their performance and allow them to work as independent learners by strengthening their research and critical judgment skills by means of multidisciplinary honor studies.
To establish and foment an academic environment that stimulates talented students in their academic and leadership aspirations and promotes their total and integral development.
Facilitate economic incentives based on academic merit.

Admission and Readmission

July 1 or the next workday for regular registration has been established as the deadline for applying for admission to the Program for the academic year, in academic terms beginning in August. Admission to the program is once per year. Students may be admitted in other terms, subject to the availability of funds.
First year students with a high school index of 3.50 or above and an admission index of 1,300 points or more will be considered for admission. Freshman students coming from high school will receive the invitation letter to apply for the Program along with their letter of admission to the University.
Second- and third-year students who have achieved a general index of 3.50 or more and meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard in their term of studies immediately prior to applying to the program. Students who interrupt their studies in the Honors Program may be considered for readmission if they satisfy the Program's retention requirements and submit a readmission request letter.
Transfer students who meet the criteria for the honors program may apply for admission. The coordinator or director of the Honor Program will request the honor file from the university of origin.
Transferred students that meet the criteria of second year students may request admission to the Program. However, the academic file of the university of origin will be used.
All candidates for admission or readmission must present to the Program coordinator or director the required documents listed below. The coordinator or director will evaluate the application and, if necessary, require an interview with the candidate.
1. Application
2. One (1) letter of recommendation from a professor or teacher
3. Answers to guide questions
4. Certification of commitment to participate in co-curricular and student development activities such as: student organizations, leadership activities, internships, exchanges, academic, cultural, sport, religious, and service to the community activities and others.

Retention

To continue the classification as an Honors Program student, students must meet the following requirements in each academic term:

Pass the courses of the Program with a grade of B or above.
Maintain an overall grade point index of at least 3.50.
Continue in and pass 100% of the academic load in which they are registered.
Approve at least six (6) credits per year in Program courses, unless these have not been offered.
Complete the Evaluation of Participation by Term form and present documentation showing their participation in co-curricular and student development activities in the interview for renewal of the scholarship.
Cases presenting special circumstances will be evaluated by the coordinator/director of the Program and, if necessary, by the Program Advisory Committee. The final recommendation will be presented in writing to the dean of academic affairs for approval. Authorization to continue in the Program as an exception does not necessarily include the student’s eligibility to receive the economic incentive.

Academic Privileges

Students of the Honors Program will have the benefit of the academic privileges enumerated below.

An economic incentive of the Honors Program for the tuition payment related to the requirements of the degree to which they aspire, and in accord with the incentive level they are eligible for.
A 15% discount in registration costs in continuing education courses while they are active in the Program and up to one year after having graduated with a bachelor’s degree.
Learning experiences such as: individual research, portfolios, seminars, special topics, educational cooperation, experimental courses and special projects.
An indication on their official transcript that they belonged to the Program.
Preferred treatment in the registration process.
A special identification as Honors Program students.
Recognition at graduation, achievement night and at other activities in which academic performance is recognized.
The same benefits as graduate students in regard to their use of the Information Access Center.
An invitation to special academic activities of the campus and, as far as possible, of the University.
An invitation to participate in the Program of study trips, internships and in activities of academic development promoted by the academic units and the Vice Presidency for Academic and Student Affairs and Systemic Planning.
When students graduate from the University, an annotation will appear in their academic file indicating a distinguished graduation for having belonged to the Honors Program.

Curriculum

The Honors Program offers students multidisciplinary studies among the following curricular alternatives:
1. To take the General Education, major and elective courses that are offered under this Program.
2. To take courses designed for the Honors Program as well as seminars that offer cultural, leadership and interdisciplinary academic experiences that enrich their curriculum as well as their integral development.
3. To take courses leading to a minor in honor multidisciplinary studies, by campus.
Honors Program courses will be offered in separate sections identified and designed so that students may develop their potential to the maximum through experiments, real life situations, essays, creative projects, monographs and reports. These courses will promote individual research with an interdisciplinary focus, critical analysis and learning through co-curricular and student development experiences.
Students planning to begin a master’s degree who have completed more than 90 credits of their bachelor’s degree may take graduate courses if they meet the requirements of the program they are applying for. However, these courses will not be covered by the Program economic incentive.
Students must take a minimum of six credits per year in Honors Program courses if the courses are offered.
All Honors Program courses approved by students will be counted towards the degree they are pursuing. For this purpose, the mechanisms of validation, course substitution or official authorization will be used, as may be appropriate.
Courses with a grade lower than B will not be considered for the purpose of certifying the approval of 12 credits in Program courses in the academic record.
Experimental course may be created for the Honors Program.
Other students not belonging to the Honors Program may enroll in the sections reserved for this Program if they qualify for the course. However, they must have prior authorization of the coordinator/director of the Program or of the Department Director.

Description of the economic incentive

The economic incentive of the Honors Program is awarded in agreement with the following levels:

Freshman students:

Level I	Basic Incentive: for elegible candidates who have an admissions index of 1,300 to 1,349.
Level II	Superior Incentive: for elegible candidates who have an admissions index of 1,350 to 1,399.
Level III	Extraordinary Incentive: for elegible candidates who have an admissions index of 1,400 to 1,600.

Sophomore and Junior students:

Level I	Basic Incentive: for elegible candidates who have a general grade point index of 3.50 to 3.79.
Level II	Superior Incentive: for elegible candidates who have a general grade point index of 3.80 to 3.90.
Level III	Extraordinary Incentive: for elegible candidates who have a general grade point index of 3.91 to 4.00.

The amount of the economic incentive in each level is as follows:

Level I	Basic Incentive: tuition payment for three (3) credits of an Honors Program course, in the academic terms indicated.
Level II	Superior Incentive: payment of six (6) credits in a registration of at least 12 credits, which includes an Honors Program course.
Level III	Extraordinary Incentive: payment up to a maximum of 12 credits of the registration, which must include an Honors Program course.

To retain eligibility for the economic incentive, students must maintain the grade index established for the incentive level they are in.

The evaluation for the eligibility of each student to continue in the incentive level will be conducted at the end of each term of the academic year by the coordinator/director of the Program. The academic year is divided into two parts: the first includes the terms that end between August and December; the second includes the terms that end from January to May.

Students must complete their course of studies within a period of time that does not exceed six (6) years.