Degrees & Credentials

UNM students can pursue multiple credential opportunities in the Honors College to study Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts or Interdisciplinary Design. From the Major through the Certificate, these options make it possible for students of any major to study interdisciplinary learning during their education at UNM. 

There are four transcribed credential options for Honors College students studying Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts:

Bachelor of Arts in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts (36 Credit Hours)
The Bachelor of Arts in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts (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. 
Learn more about the HILA, including requirements > 
UNM Honors Scholar Distinction (27 Credit Hours)
A truly substantial commitment to Honors education, the Distinction includes a thesis or other capstone, either within Honors or in connection with another department. This option is perfect for students pursuing Honors within their major.
Learn more about the Distinction including requirements >
Minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts (21 Credit Hours)
Minoring in Honors is a deeper commitment to interdisciplinary studies than the Certificate, and a perfect addition to any major on campus.
Learn more about the Minor, including requirements >
Certificate in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts (15 Credit Hours)
The Certificate option gives students with complex, full schedules a path within Honors. 
Learn more about the Certificate, including requirements >

The Certificate in Interdisciplinary Design provides students with an interdisciplinary community of scholars at the University of New Mexico doing research, teaching, and service at the confluence of design thinking, interactive working processes, and community engagement. All undergraduate students, from a range of diverse perspectives and disciplines–ranging from the humanities to the arts, to architecture & planning, and computer science–are invited to apply.

Requirements (12 credit hours) 

  • 12-credit hours from a list of approved courses, including at least one course that provides an introduction on how to design. Up to 6 credit hours may be completed in one department, including a maximum of 3 credit hours of independent study. Courses may double-count with major or elective requirements. A list of approved courses, may be found in the catalog

For more information, please visit the Interdisciplinary Design Certificate website. 

 Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will develop skills in interdisciplinary design that will enhance their problem-solving skills through the lens of fine arts, organizational learning, computer science, interdisciplinary honors, and architecture.
  2. Students will develop analytical skills to apply interdisciplinary design principles while conducting design practices that use ethical and culturally responsive methods.
  3. Students will develop skills in community engagement, collaborative working methods,  prototyping, and iterative processes to improve and reimagine communities. 
  4. Students will be aware of opportunities to apply interdisciplinary design as a tool to engage communities while developing communication methods to work with diverse stakeholders.
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Please contact Honors Advisors (honorsadvisors@unm.edu) or Megan Jacobs (mejacobs@unm.edu) with any questions. 

The Honors College encourages students who can to participate in international opportunities and to gain an international perspective. To this end, the college recognizes students who complete one of the four Honors College Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts options and who complete both an international program and either a minimum of 2 years of language or equivalent coursework with an international focus.

International Distinction Requirements:

  • International Educational Experience Abroad - 6 Credit Hours

And either:

  • Proven Proficiency in a Foreign Language OR 12-credit hour coursework in a Foreign Language
    Or
  • International Topics Courses - 12 Credit Hours
Justice, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEADI) Distinction recognizes Honors College students' commitment to justice, equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion throughout their time at UNM. 

Requirements (12 CH)

Students must complete one of the four Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts credential pathways in order to earn the JEADI distinction. The JEADI Distinction courses do not need to be in addition to coursework already completed for the Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts credential.

 

Other Honors Opportunities

Honors College students, regardless of credential path, have the option to complete special Honors coursework, including independent study or capstone projects. Our students may also have specific courses in their major that can count toward their Honors credential. 

Independent Studies

It is common for Honors students to envision educational opportunities unaccounted for in the usual course listings where Honors College faculty make sense as supervisors, mentors, etc. To execute these, students create Independent Studies (IS) of UHON 399 or 499 for 1-3 credit hours depending on the specifics of the study. To do an IS requires coordination with the faculty advisor and the completion and approval of the IS through the Honors College Curriculum Committee. Upon filling out the form, approval comes from first the advising professor (so let them know the form has been submitted) and then the Honors College Curriculum Chair.

Honors College Capstones

Both the Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts (HILA) major and Distinction require students to complete 6 credit capstones. For those completing the Distinction, that capstone may be done in another unit. Students pursuing other honors credential options are not required to complete a capstone, but they may nevertheless choose to complete one if desired.While each student's path is unique, there are three major categories of Honors College Capstone to choose from. HILA majors work with their faculty mentor to determine which of the three options is most appropriate and the specific details of the capstone. Other honors students wishing to pursue one of these capstones should likewise work directly with an Honors College professor. For capstones outside the Honors College, students will need to work within the relevant department or unit and check with an Honors College advisor to make sure that the capstone’s units have been approved within our system. advisor to make sure that the capstone’s units have been approved within our system. See Honors Capstone Opportunities >
Though Honors seminars are excellent places for minds to mature, an honors education isn’t necessarily limited to what is taught within this college. Across campus, there are courses that have been registered as Honors and which will automatically contribute to a student’s honors option. Most units have supplied us with lists of courses that they feel fit the principles of an Honors education. These Pre-Approved Courses can be automatically be counted to your completion of an Honors option. This specifically includes theses and other capstones one might need for the Distinction. Academic credit from the AP Research and AP Seminar exams also functions as a pre-approved course towards your credential. Likewise, Honors courses taken at other institutions are typically counted automatically. Students can also specifically request for a course that feels like it should be Honors to be approved toward their option.
If you would like to see if a non-Honors course you’ve taken or have in mind can be applied for Honors credit, please submit an Honors College Course Equivalency Form and chat with an advisor in Honors. Each option has different allowances for how many credits need to come from within the Honors College and how many can be from other units. This should make it easier for students with heavy schedules of required courses for their majors to complete Honors.However, honors courses in other units do not share all the aspects of Honors College courses listed above. They do not share the grading system, may have tests and textbooks, and may not be small seminars. But they have been put forward by their home departments, and recognized by the Honors College, as honors courses.