Skip to main content

As a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council, the Academic Honors Program at Colorado Mesa University (CMU) offers highly motivated undergraduates enriched studies in their academic major. Completion of honors requirements varies by academic program, but each includes opportunities for students to actively engage in more advanced study through coursework and a capstone project that can include research or creative work presented in a scholarly venue. Students completing a program's academic honors requirements are recognized at CMU's Commencement Ceremony.

Qualifications and Requirements

Application Process and Qualifications for All Academic Programs

Students seeking participation in an Academic Honors Program must have earned at least 45 semester credit hours with a minimum 3.5 grade point average (GPA) at the time of application. An application process occurs each spring semester, and interested students should contact the Academic Department Head for the application deadline. In addition to the credit hour and GPA qualifications, an applicant also should submit:

the application form linked here; and

• a summary of no more than one, single-spaced page that

-details the applicant's scholarly background, community and/or University service, and academic awards; and

-describes briefly why s/he is applying for an academic honors program of study.

• meet any additional requirements, as applicable, that are outlined in the program-specific information that follows.

Admission to the Honors Program is competitive. Applications will be reviewed by faculty members in the appropriate program/department, and students will be notified on their acceptance status within the timeframe indicated in the program-specific information.

Requirements of All Academic Honors Programs

All students completing an Academic Honors program of study are expected to complete a senior capstone activity. The activity can range from an honor's thesis to a creative work to an undergraduate research project. Second, students must present the results of their activity in a scholarly venue approved by their Academic Honors Program advisor (e.g., CMU's Student Showcase, a regional meeting for the relevant discipline). Finally, some academic honors programs have additional requirements of their students which are outlined, as relevant, in the program information that follows.

Requirements Specific to Music Majors:

• Must be a Music major to apply
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 (cumulative) and 3.75 or higher in music content. This GPA must be maintained through graduation.

• Successfully pass the performance part of the Sophomore Review, or an extended jury if application to the Music Honors Program is made after the Sophomore Review.
• Complete the following, based on student's concentration:
- Performance - perform a junior lecture recital
- Music Education - perform a junior lecture recital or a field experience project
- Elective Studies in Business - design and implement a project related to the Music Industry and present this at the CMU Student Showcase
- Liberal Arts - option of a junior recital or a thesis interrelating at least two disciplines
• In addition to the Senior Capstone Recital/Presentation required for the concentration, complete the following:

- Performance - perform a senior recital with extensive program notes

- Music Education - perform a full-length senior recital with extensive program notes or an honors thesis on current trends in music education.

- Elective Studies in Business -an honors thesis that is to be presented at the Student Showcase

- Liberal Arts - option of senior recital or honors theses that interconnects at least three disciplines
• Complete an Honors Thesis related to Music History, Music Theory, or Composition
- Students in all concentrations during their senior year will identify a historical or theoretical topic in which they are interested, research the topic and write an extended thesis on this topic. From this thesis, a presentation will be made at the Student Showcase.

Note: Students in the Music Honors Program, as performance/music education majors must perform on the annual Honors Recital held during Recital Hour. Students majoring in Music Industry and Liberal Arts may also choose to be considered to perform on this recital.

Program Contact

Name: Dr. Darin Kamstra, Department of Music

Phone: 970.248.1088

Email: [email protected]