Prospective Students

 

Degree Requirements
Fulbright College Advising Center - Overview of Degree Requirements and Worksheets

For students with superior academic abilities, the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences provides a comprehensive program of Honors Studies. Fulbright Honors students have a choice of two options in order to graduate with honors, College Honors Program and the Departmental Honors Program.

** All Fulbright Honors Students must complete and defend an original honors thesis/project.

 

College Honors

The College Honors option is an interdisciplinary honors program designed for students with highest academic and artistic ambition. College Honors students will complete over one third of their undergraduate curriculum in honors courses, including a College Honor’s core, honors colloquia, and research hours. Incoming first-year students, especially those planning post-graduate education like medical school, law school, or graduate school, choose to participate in the College Honors Program.

• Apply to the Fulbright Honors College

 

Departmental Honors in Chemistry

This option emphasizes directed independent study within the department of the student. Departmental Honors students follow the Fulbright College core and must complete at least 12 hours of honors coursework in their undergraduate career. This option is designed for students who do not meet the initial requirements for Fulbright Honors and transfer students with more than 24 hours. Students with good academic backgrounds and strong interests in research are encouraged to participate in the department honors program.

• Entrance into the program is normally during the sophomore year or the first semester of the junior year, and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 is required. 
• Entrance is initiated by consulting the department honors advisor, Dr. Paul Adams, who will help arrange conferences with potential faculty research project advisers. 
• When there is an agreement between the student and the adviser on a research project or area, an Honors Advisory Committee is set up to supervise the honors candidate's program.

The heart of the program is the research project, but students are encouraged to broaden their experience beyond required courses within chemistry, the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities.

• Participation in Honors Colloquia, honors sections of regular courses, and chemistry departmental and divisional seminars is especially recommended.
• All honors candidates enroll in the spring semester Honors Seminar (CHEM 4011H), and senior honors students must make at least one seminar presentation.
• A comprehensive written report is required in the spring semester of the senior year, followed by an oral presentation.
• Students should enroll in their respective faculty mentor's section of CHEM 400VH chemistry research course for one credit hour for a total of three semesters/terms.
• Students who are conducting research with a faculty mentor outside the department of chemistry and biochemistry must first have the permission of the department chair as well as the department honors advisor. Those students enroll in the current department chair's section of CHEM 400VH. 
  
  

Fall Junior Year	Spring Junior Year	Fall Senior Year	Spring Senior Year
CHEM 400VH - 1 credit hour	CHEM 400VH - 1 credit hour	CHEM 400VH - 1 credit hour	CHEM 4011H
	CHEM 4011H

 

• Based on the written and oral reports and the evaluation of all aspects of the student's honors program, the candidate's Honors Advisory Committee will recommend whether the distinction "Chemistry or Biochemistry Scholar Cum Laude" should be awarded. Higher degree distinctions are recommended only in truly exceptional cases and are based upon the whole of the candidate's program of honors studies.

 

Courses 

A full listing of courses is found in the undergraduate catalog.

 

Undergraduate Research 

Students also are encouraged to conduct research in the lab of a faculty member. This can be done as part of the student's course load (CHEM 400V/400VH) after students have completed organic chemistry II. Almost half of all chemistry majors participate in research. There is also a summer research program, NSF - REU, for which students may apply.

 

Chemistry and Pre-Professional Clubs

Majors have several student groups to choose from to connect with classmates and gain additional skills. 

 

Scholarships and Awards

Financial support is available for all chemistry majors through scholarships and merit awards.

 

Contact a Departmental Advisor

A department advisor would be happy to discuss options with you. Please select an advisor from the list of Undergraduate Advisors below. Prospective students should select the Freshman Advisor. Inquiries can also be sent to cheminfo@uark.edu.