Degree Programs

What: Choose a 4-year degree plan that allows students to take small honors versions of major level courses, work closely with faculty, complete independent research, write a thesis and present at the Honors Symposium. Dive deeply into the Human Ecology fields of study while getting a strong natural sciences education. See Honors Thesis Guidelines for more information.

Note for students beginning Fall 2022 and later (22-24 Catalog and later): Honors in Advanced Nutritional Sciences (HANS) students will select any BS Nutrition degree option and incorporate the research and thesis coursework into that degree plan.

Benefits: Be a part of a small community of honors scholars; work closely with faculty; explore and perform cutting edge research; dedicated staff and faculty support; scholarship opportunities. Receive an honors degree, a certificate, and a line on your transcript stating “Special Honors in [department]”

Eligibility:

Demonstrated high academic performance in the past and potential for future success
Must have 3.3 GPA overall and 3.5 GPA in Human Ecology courses

Receiving Honors:

Maintain the GPA requirements listed above
Submit a Special Departmental Honors Thesis Application Form/Thesis Proposal and receive approval before registering for the 379H thesis course
Earn a letter grade of at least a B on the 379H thesis course
Present at the School of Human Ecology Honors Symposium
Submit a bound/ signed copy of the thesis to the School as well as a digital copy to archive in the UT Digital Repository.

Program Websites:

Honors in Advanced Nutritional Sciences (HANS)

Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences (HAHDFS)

How to Apply: Incoming Freshman

Incoming freshmen should complete the College of Natural Sciences Honors application when applying to UT. The recommended deadline for incoming freshmen is October 15. The regular deadline for incoming freshmen is December 1.

If you are, or soon will be, a High School Graduate and have not enrolled in college after high school:

Nutritional Sciences:

Complete the ApplyTexas application for Freshman Admission and select Nutritional Sciences (E 71900) as your first or second major preference.
At the end of the ApplyTexas application, check the box that states that you are interested in applying for an honors program.
- Note: You will not be able to begin the honors program application until you have submitted your admission application. (It can take up to 24 hours for you ApplyTexas application to be received by UT Austin once you submit it on the ApplyTexas site. Please submit early to avoid complications and delays.)
Complete and submit the honors program application by the DECEMBER 1 deadline. All students who select Nutritional Sciences as a major preference and apply to the College of Natural Sciences Honors will also be considered for HANS regardless of which honors program you indicate as your preference.

Human Development and Family Sciences:

Complete the ApplyTexas application for Freshman Admission and select Human Development and Family Sciences (E 56000) as your first or second major preference.
At the end of the ApplyTexas application, check the box that states that you are interested in applying for an honors program.
- Note: You will not be able to begin the honors program application until you have submitted your admission application. (It can take up to 24 hours for you ApplyTexas application to be received by UT Austin once you submit it on the ApplyTexas site. Please submit early to avoid complications and delays.)
Complete and submit the honors program application by the DECEMBER 1 deadline. All students who select Human Development and Family Sciences as a major preference and apply to the College of Natural Sciences Honors will also be considered for HAHDFS regardless of which honors program you indicate as your preference.

**If you are an incoming freshman student interested in HANS or HAHDFS, but you did not list Nutritional Sciences or Human Development and Family Sciences as your major preference and/ or you did not complete the CNS Honors application, please contact Dr. Ladia Hernandez, Research Advisor - SoHE Honors Program - GEA 313B, (512) 471-0890.

How to Apply: Current UT Students

If you are a Continuing or Transfer student:

Nutritional Sciences - Complete the HANS Continuing and Transfer Student Application and submit the form to Dr. Ladia Hernandez, Research Advisor - SoHE Honors Program. Have a faculty member complete and submit the HANS Reference Form.
Human Development and Family Sciences - Complete the HAHDFS Continuing and Transfer Student Application and submit the form to Dr. Ladia Hernandez, Research Advisor - SoHE Honors Program. Have a faculty member complete and submit the HAHDFS Reference Form .
It is important that your reference knows about you as a person in addition to your academic abilities. If you do not have a professor who knows you well enough, we will also accept references from a high school teacher or advisor. Your application will not be considered complete until the reference is received. Give your reference plenty of time to submit the form before the deadline.

**Continuing and transfer students are admitted to the HANS and HAHDFS program on a rolling basis. Please submit your application as soon as possible.

Human Ecology Honors Degree Programs

How to Apply: Incoming Freshman

How to Apply: Current UT Students