Business Honors Programs

The McLaren School of Management supports several unique and innovative programs for students seeking a more rigorous and challenging academic experience.

These programs are comprised of a community of academically outstanding students who take honors designated courses in the School of Management and have the opportunity to take several university core curriculum courses through the Honors in the Humanities program. The School offers two tracks for honors level programming: (1) Flex Honors for Business Core Courses, where students may opt to take Business core courses in a flexible manner within their degree program or (2) The Honors Cohort Program (HCP), where juniors and seniors participate in a strong learning community where students complete the upper division business core as a cohort. Each of these options provides you with opportunities to interact with other honors students pursuing a challenging and rigorous course of study.

Track 1: Flex Honors

Students admitted to Business Honors Program last year and/or Freshmen, Sophomores or Juniors wishing to enroll in honors courses and having a minimum of a 3.3 GPA (as freshmen, sophomore and/or junior), are invited to pursue Business Honors programming through registration into the Honors designated sections of courses in the Business Core. During Pre-registration this spring, you will have the option to choose from a menu of honors core courses: Honors 294, Honors 302, Honors 304 and/or Honors 406 (if prerequisites are met). Registration in these courses will be based on meeting or exceeding the minimum GPA requirement (3.3 and above) or instructor permission.

Students will have the flexibility to choose which courses they would like to take in the Honors format. This new option provides maximum flexibility for scheduling. Our goal will be to begin offering at least three honors sections of business core classes each semester, growing the program based on student demand and eligibility in coordination with the Chairs of the offering departments. An honors capstone of 406 will be scheduled each fall for students hoping to graduate in December. Students may study abroad for a year or a semester while on the Flex Honors track. Students choosing this option have the ability to graduate early (if all requirements are met). Students taking at least 5 honors courses during their time in Flex Honors will receive special recognition at Graduation. Students are also invited to participate in extra-curricular honors programming. Students in Flex Honors will have the opportunity to register for special honors electives open to Flex Honors and HCP students each spring.

Track 2: Honors Core Learning Community (Honors Cohort Program-HCP)

If you have a cumulative 3.5 GPA and have not taken any upper division business core coursework (301, 302, 304, 305, 308, 401), you may apply to take the Honors Core to substitute for your upper division business core and, if accepted, join the Learning Community track—the HCP. The HCP does require all students to complete the 4-semester program following a pre-determined sequence with no exceptions or substitutions. Students in the HCP graduate from the program in May 2014, becoming the 9th cohort in the history of the program. The HCP option is a learning community model that enables the students to stay in the cohort and complete the Honors Core in the cohort together. Students will have spring of 2013 to study abroad; participate in an internship; take Business Honors Electives; and/or, courses in their major. The HCP curriculum will substitute for the upper division core in total (BUS 301, 302, 304, 305, 308 and 401). Please note: we may be piloting a new honors core curriculum with co-curricular and extra-curricular programming designed for the cohort that substitutes for the core courses listed above. If your intent is to graduate in December and/or you are taking any 300 level business core courses this semester (spring 2012), then you should be in Flex Honors (see above). Acceptance to the HCP is highly competitive. Students complete an on-line application, submit an essay, provide letters of recommendation and are interviewed by faculty and current HCP students.

In either honors programming track, the small class size makes it easy to develop a strong network of close relationships with other students and faculty. Commitment and motivation run high within the Honors classrooms, as do friendship and a strong sense of community. The program is dedicated to providing you with valuable experiences, both in and out of the classroom, including but not limited to:

• Field trips
• Dinners with the Faculty
• Corporate Speakers
• Opportunities to participate in Intercollegiate Business Competitions throughout the United States
• Mentoring and Internship programs
• Additional Co-curricular and Extracurricular Honors Programming
• Entry to a strong alumni network of former HCP and Flex Honors graduates

To apply for any of our Business Honors Programs, please use the following as a guideline:

For Incoming Freshmen:

1. Have a minimum high school cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher *
2. Strong ACT and or SAT scores
3. Possess strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills
4. Complete the application process (Letter of Recommendation, Proof of GPA, Essay, and Interviews)

*Students with an entering GPA of 3.5 may enroll in the Honors Section of Business 100: Launch into Business with instructor and/or advisor permission. Entry into Honors 294: Quantitative Business Analysis is with 294 instructor permission and/or recommendation from your Honors Business 100 course instructor.

For Transfer or Current USF Students:

1. Have a minimum university cumulative GPA of a 3.3 or higher for the Flex Honors Program or have a minimum university cumulative 3.5 or higher for the HCP.
2. Possess strong Written, Verbal, and Interpersonal skills
3. Complete the application process (Letter of Recommendation, Proof of GPA, Essay, and Interview). For HCP applicants only. Students interested in the Flex Honors program do not need to go through an application process.
4. Have not completed any Upper-Division Core Business Classes (HCP applicants only)

Application Process

Students applying to the Honors Program must first apply and be accepted into USF http://usfca.edu/undergraduate/. After admission to USF, students can apply to the Honors Cohort Program online using the following link: Honors Cohort Application

Applications will be accepted for the May 2014 cohort starting in February 2012.

Questions, Comments, or Concerns please email the Business Honors Programs at honors@usfca.edu.