Bachelor in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts

The bachelor's degree in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts, often called HILA, is a great way to develop a broad-based and flexible interdisciplinary liberal arts education similar to that offered by many small liberal arts colleges. Also, this specialized degree program provides the opportunity to integrate ideas and methods from different disciplines. The HILA Major is ideal for ambitious students whose passions don’t fit neatly into one discipline. Each senior has the opportunity to conduct research, develop a creative project, perform service learning in the community, or co-teach an honors course with a faculty member. 

If you’d like to major in the BA in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts, it’s a good idea to start discussions with an Honors College faculty member who can help mentor you during your Honors College experience. Then, you can apply to the major degree program. 

The BA in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts requires the Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts Major Application, including a proposed course of study (Deadlines: October 15 for spring admission, March 15 for fall admission). At the time of application, students must have completed or have in-progress at least 45 credit hours, 12 of which are in Honors. 

Students majoring in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 and complete: 

1. Minor or second major in a field of study that complements or supports the capstone project
2. 18 credit hours in courses numbered 300 or higher containing significant coursework involving skills as defined by Honors College program student learning outcomes: interdisciplinary, research, community engagement, critical thinking, communication skills, creative thinking;
3. 6 hours in an honors integrative block course or equivalent;
4. 36 credit hours in UHON or HNRS courses, including:
   • 3 credit hours in each of the following levels
     • HNRS 1000
     • HNRS 2000
     • UHON 300
     • UHON 400
   • 12 or more elective credit hours, at least 12 of which are at the 300-level or higher  
   • 6 credit hours may include integrative block if taken as UHON or HNRS
   • 6 hours of coursework in one interdisciplinary capstone:
     • Thesis/project: UHON 490 and UHON 491, or
     • Senior teaching: UHON 492 and UHON 493, or
     • Service learning: UHON 495 and UHON 496;
5. At least 120 total credit hours;
6. At least 12 credit hours of a single non-English language or provide evidence of equivalent proficiency.
7. All General Education curriculum requirements, some of which may be completed through UHON courses. Refer to the Undergraduate Program section of this Catalog for information on courses that meet General Education curriculum and U.S. and Global Diversity and Inclusion requirements.

Integrative Block Courses

Each student majoring in the Honors College is required to take one “integrative block course”; these 6 credit hour courses are also open to non-majors who are interested in a specific topic. These blocks consist of two courses from different fields, combined through a seminar co-taught by professors of different academic disciplines. The combination of perspectives and narratives from two disparate disciplines provides both a unique and inspiring learning experience for students, as well as a grounding in the breadth of skills needed to succeed in a world of unanticipated challenges. These courses are integrative, interdisciplinary and often transformative experiences. Past integrative blocks have included: Conexiones, Scotland Write to Roam, Route 66, and Graphic Memoir.