Honors in the Major

Students have the opportunity to graduate with honors in the major. Departmental honors students must maintain an overall grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.33 in work for their major and a cumulative University of Iowa GPA of at least 3.33.

For BA in Health Studies and BS in Exercise Science, Health Promotion and Human Physiology

In order to graduate with honors in the major, students must successfully complete the honors research course sequence HHP:4900 Honors Research and HHP:4910 Honors Research II; write an honors thesis that is judged to be of honors quality; and make an oral or poster presentation of the honors thesis in an approved venue, such as a department research seminar or professional conference.

Prior to enrolling in HHP:4900 student must have secured a position in a research lab on campus (typically enrolled through HHP:3994 Undergraduate Research). The lab can be in the HHP department. However, it can also be outside the department in related areas such as Biology, Chemistry, Psychology or the College of Medicine. Visit the HHP research labs for more information. Feel free to contact our faculty directly. Additional research opportunities are listed by the Office of Undergraduate Research. 

Honors course details

HHP:4900 Honors Research

Students must work with a faculty member pursuing research in a laboratory and/or classroom outside of scheduled class time. The course will focus on an introduction to concepts, principles, and methods of research. Topics include research design, data collection, data analysis, reporting research, and critical critique of research literature.

HHP:4910 Honors Research II

This course allow for the completion of honors research begun in HHP:4900. Emphasis will be on the analysis of data, writing and oral presentation of honors thesis, and working with a faculty member pursuing research in a laboratory and/or classroom outside of scheduled class time.

For BS in Therapeutic Recreation

In order to graduate with honors, students must successfully complete TR:4194 Honors Readings and TR:4195 Honors Problems, in which they conduct a reading or research project under the supervision of a faculty member in their major and write a paper summarizing the project's results.

Honors course details

TR:4194 Independent Honors Readings

Independent reading or research project under faculty supervision usually leading to an honors paper.

TR:4195 Independent Honors Problems

Completion of a project over and above normal independent study as an honors project; major research effort involving close work with an advisor.