Engineering Honors Program

Honors Courses
Engineering Honors Students have access to honors, where students are encouraged to speak, inquire, write, challenge, and do. Engineering Honors students also have the option to customize their curriculum by enrolling in Honors Independent Study or by conducting research.

Specialized Advising
Honors students maintain close relationships with honors advisors, who help students select beneficial courses to complete the honors track, present options for undergraduate research, and provide advice on career preparation and personal development. Students will meet with staff and faculty advisors each semester to select course options and discuss other opportunities.

Seminars and Other Special Opportunities
Honors students are invited to seminars and other special opportunities for interacting with world leaders in engineering and business, who will discuss career options they might never have considered.

Undergraduate Research
An important component of the Engineering Honors program is an undergraduate research experience in which students engage in one-on-one research with our honors faculty and are integrated into their research groups. These experiences prepare students for graduate studies and make them more competitive for graduate admissions and fellowships.

Priority Registration
Honors students have the opportunity to register one day prior to the start of the ordinary pre-registration period for continuing students. Incoming freshmen have the benefit of registering for honors sections at their New Student Conferences.

Special Recognition
Students who successfully complete all program requirements will receive a designation on their transcript. They will also be given special recognition during the commencement ceremony by wearing an Engineering Honors stole and lapel pin.

Eligibility Criteria: Incoming Freshmen
Exceptionally qualified incoming students who meet the requirements for admission are welcomed to the Engineering Honors (EH) program at Texas A&M University at Qatar. Admission to the program is competitive. Review of applications is holistic, with the goal of identifying students who will benefit the most from — and bring the most to — the program. Invited students to the Engineering Honors Program must complete an additional application process (see below application requirements for all students).

Courses required for completion are decided with students’ academic and faculty advisors based on available honors courses.

All honors students are required to register for ENGR 181H.

Continuing Students
At the end of their first semester, students with a 3.5 or higher GPA are invited to apply to EH. Application deadlines are determined on a semester-by-semester basis.

Transfer Students
Transfer engineering students who enter with a 3.5 GPA or higher may register for honors courses and can apply to the program after their first semester at Texas A&M University at Qatar. Admission to ENGR Honors for transfer students is based on a holistic review process of all institutions attended and is mainly determined by an individual student’s time to degree completion.

Application Requirements for Freshman and Continuing Students

• at least one letter of reference (from someone with knowledge of scholastic aptitude (i.e., high school or university math or science teacher)
• an essay describing their interest in the EH Program and general career goals
• a resume
• electronic signature and statement of honor

Application materials should be submitted electronically in PDF format to Amanda Roberts Mather, Assistant Director for Academic Services, amanda.mather@qatar.tamu.edu.

Application deadline for Fall 2023 admitted students is 1 August 2023.

Academic requirements
Students must earn at least 18 credit hours of Honors credits (undergraduate honors courses with HNR prefix or graduate courses) in courses from any Engineering or Science department.

The hours can consist of the following:

• At least 12hrs must be Engineering credit
• A maximum of 3hrs can come from Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory coursework (ENGR 181H must be S/U)
• No more than 6hrs of graduate courses
• Between 4-6hrs of Research (ENGR 491H)**
• No more than 2hrs of Directed Studies (ENGR 485H)**
• 1hr of Engineering Honors Seminar (ENGR 181H). Survey of interdisciplinary topics related to the professional practice of engineering; seminars with practicing professionals in industry and government.

** Students can use no more than 6hrs of research towards the total 18hrs. Research credits can consist of 485H and/or 491H.

Non-academic requirements
EH-advising: Meet with the academic and faculty advisor each semester.

EH-activity: Participate in at least one EH program-approved activity each regular semester.

EH-annual report: Submit an annual EH reflection in May of each year.

EH-End of year recap: Students will participate in a recap meeting with the Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services at the end of the long terms (fall and spring).

Graduation requirements

• Earn a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Earn a GPA of 3.25 or higher in honors courses
• Earn no grade lower than a B in the required honors courses
• Receive no honor code violations
• No grade below a C on the transcript (ECEN Only)

• Complete a thesis with the Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) Program (ECEN Only)

Transcript notation is pending successful completion of the honors requirements. Students must meet all requirements by the stated clearance deadline in student rule 14.5.