Lee Honors College
A student in a ball cap and glasses stands at the front of an honors college classroom, arms spread wide, gesturing toward the slideshow on the screen, giving a presentation on Dizzy Gillespie.

Honors Coursework

Honors courses that invite you to dig deeper, ask bigger questions, and engage more fully with the subjects that interest you.

Discover an engaging, in-depth learning experience

Honors coursework is designed to enrich your education, not overload your schedule. Instead of increasing the amount of work you do, honors courses at WMU create opportunities to learn differently and engage more deeply with ideas. 

The Lee Honors College offers a range of academic courses across majors that are intellectually stimulating, but not overwhelming. Honors courses provide smaller, discussion-based classes that allow for more meaningful interaction with faculty and fellow students. The result is a learning environment centered on active engagement through conversation, projects, and hands-on experiences.

Honors advisors walk students through the registration process in the honors college lounge.

Honors experiences built into your degree, not added on

Taking courses through the honors college does not delay your graduation! We recommend you earn your honors credits by enrolling in honors sections of courses you are required to take. Most honors courses count toward Western Essential Studies (WES) requirements as well as your major or minor, allowing courses to serve multiple purposes within your academic plan.

I really admired the energy you brought to class each day. It always helps when a professor has a clear interest and passion for what they teach, and I believe that is what made this experience so wonderful. Your patience and genuine interest in your students meant so much to me.
— Thank you note to an honors instructor

Explore honors courses

The sample student schedule below illustrates how honors courses fit within a typical academic schedule. Most honors students take a combination of honors and non-honors courses each semester. Students may earn honors credit through honors college courses (HNRS) and honors sections (identified with an HC designation). HNRS and HC courses can fulfill major, minor, or WMU Essential Studies (WES) requirements. 

Because honors opportunities vary by major and academic plan, be sure to meet with both your honors and primary advisor regularly to stay on track with your honors requirements.

Fall semester

  • BIOS 1120-HC
  • HNRS 2500
  • BIOS 1100
  • ENGL 1060
  • MATH 1220

Spring semester

  • CHEM 1100-HC
  • CHEM 1110
  • ART 1200
  • HNRS 4103
  • BLS 3050-HC

Academic support that goes further

From personalized advising to peer mentorship and faculty guidance, the Lee Honors College provides an additional layer of support that helps you explore opportunities, stay on track, and make the most of your academic experience.

Honors alumna Serena Karlov stands in full regalia, holding her diploma folder, in front of Miller Fountain.

Honors advising

Your honors advisor works alongside your academic advisor to help you plan coursework and understand graduation requirements. They also help you connect with opportunities for research, scholarships, Study in the States, and study abroad.

Connect with your honors advisor
Honors advisor Kerrie Harvey stands with the Peer Student Success Team mentors in the honors college lounge.

Peer support

The Peer Student Support Team (PSST) is a mentorship program designed to provide an academic and social support system for incoming first year students, transfer students, international students, and prospective students who are joining the Lee Honors College.

Meet the PSST