University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

The Honors College is designed to enhance the education of UW-Stout students. Our emphasis is on challenging students to think in more depth and detail and to provide the opportunity to meet other students while doing so. We challenge talented and intellectually adventurous students through formal academic and extracurricular activity. UW-Stout's Honors College is not like most high school honors classes. It is not simply more or harder work — it is an entirely different approach to learning. Discussion and debate don't end at the classroom door. You'll find yourself continuing to explore issues in your conversations outside the classroom. Read what current students and alumni have to say about the program.

Academic Requirements

Entrance into the Honors College
Students are accepted into the Honors College in one of two ways: being invited to join based on high academic achievement or by applying using the application form on this website. Students from a wide range of academic experiences are encouraged to apply and have successfully completed the college’s requirements. 

Honors Units
Honors College students complete eight honors units during their time at Stout. Honors units include an exciting variety of course offerings each semester, study abroad, and Honors contracts.

Courses: We have an exciting variety of courses in every general education category. Students earn general education credits by taking Honors courses in place of regular classes. Students read primary source materials rather than textbooks and discussion-based classes are centered on important questions.

Contracts: Honors College students complete at least one honors contract. To receive these honors credits, students meet with their professor to design and accomplish a project that interests them and that adds depth or breadth to their study.

Study abroad opportunities are another way to earn up to two Honors units. See the Study Abroad website for more information.

Honors Colloquia
Each semester honors students consider an issue and a related text. Readings are done independently and a date is set for the whole of the Honors College student body to meet to discuss the topic in small groups. Members of the faculty facilitate the small group discussions. The evening ends with each group forming a question or statement summarizing their discussions.

Living and Learning Communities
The Honors College has a "living and learning" component of the program whereby students may choose to live in Antrim-Froggatt Hall for their first year and Wigen Hall for those past their first year.