Honors Information

Honors are officially accorded to Microbiology majors at three levels:

Graduation with Special Honors in Microbiology

Microbiology majors wishing to qualify for this research distinction should apply to the honors advisor for admission to the honors program upon completion of 12 hours of microbiology and 8 hours of organic chemistry, but no later than the beginning of the senior year. Students are urged to discuss the honors program with the honors advisor and to seek a research supervisor professor in the semester prior to applying for admission. An all-University average of 3.0 and a combined average of 3.5 on work in microbiology and chemistry are required for admission. The requirements for graduation with Special Honors, in addition to the usual requirements of the major, are:

• MIC 679H or two semesters of MIC 379H, Honors Tutorial Course
• At least 3 semester hours of biochemistry or an acceptable substitute
• At least 60 semester hours of course work compiled at the University of Texas at Austin and counted toward the degree
• A thesis or presentation based on the MIC 679H research program. The form and the content of the research report will be determined by the supervising professor and approved by the Honors Advisor
• A University grade point average of at least 3.0 and a grade point average in microbiology and chemistry of at least 3.50.

Graduation with University Honors

• Graduation with University honors is based on the average of all grades earned at the University of Texas at Austin whether the courses taken were passed, failed, or repeated. Students who complete fewer than sixty (60) semester hours at the University of Texas at Austin are not eligible. Courses taken Pass/Fail are counted in the sixty-hour minimum, but only letter grades (including grades of F in Pass/Fail courses) are used to determine the grade average.
  
• In each May graduating class nor more than twenty percent of the graduates may be awarded an honors designation (graduation with honors, with high honors, or with highest honors). No more than four percent may be granted highest honors, and no more than six percent may be granted high honors. In addition to satisfying these criteria, a student must have an overall grade point average of at least 3.30 for honors, 3.667 for high honors, and 3.867 for highest honors.
  
• A student may graduate with both University Honors and Special Honors in Microbiology.

Dean's Honors List (compiled each semester)

In addition, the Dean's Honors List, prepared at the end of each long-session semester, gives official recognition and commendation to those students whose grades for the semester indicate distinguished academic accomplishment. This list is divided into 5 groups according to the number of grade points earned. Thus, emphasis is placed upon both the quality and quantity of work done.