Undergraduate Honors

Qualified students earning either a BA or a BS degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a major in astronomy or physics may graduate with Honors in Physics & Astronomy by fulfilling the following requirements:

(1) By the end of the candidate's final semester, achieve a GPA of 3.5 in the major, in all courses taken in residence and elsewhere; and

(2) Complete at least 24 semester hours of astronomy and physics courses numbered 500 or above, including undergraduate research represented by two hours of credit in ASTR 503, PHSX 501 or PHSX 503. A grade of B or better must be earned in one of the following: ASTR 503, PHSX 501 or PHSX 503.

All of our department’s honors requirements include student research, for which results shall be presented in either:

(1) a written research summary, read by 3 faculty members in physics and astronomy or related fields or authorship on a peer-reviewed manuscript; or

(2) a research-based oral presentation at an appropriate venue (e.g., Undergraduate Research symposium, a presentation in an advanced department seminar class, a discipline specific meeting); or

(3) presentation of a poster at an appropriate venue. 

Students planning to graduate with honors in physics and astronomy must file a Declaration of Intent Form, preferably during their junior year but no later than enrollment for the final undergraduate semester.​

For more information, please email physics-honors@ku.edu.