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Admission for honors

Contribute to and advance knowledge in your discipline in a meaningful way.

The School of Music, Dance and Theatre offers special programming for Barrett, The Honors College students majoring in music, dance or theatre. Barrett, The Honors College, one of the nation’s highest-ranking honors colleges, offers musicians, dancers and performers many unique academic opportunities.

The honors thesis/creative project is your opportunity to contribute to and advance knowledge in your discipline in a meaningful way. Honors students engage with the most dedicated and talented professors committed to working with honors students. Barrett honors students create multiple advantages for themselves in securing internships and research opportunities in music. Your thesis/creative project may help you get admitted to the graduate school of your choice. The honors thesis/creative project may serve as a bridge to the professional world of music.

For a complete description of the mission, scope, requirements and opportunities, visit Barrett, The Honors College or the General Catalog, “Barrett, The Honors College.”


Music honors program

Students accepted into Barrett, The Honors College, should also make an appointment with the music faculty honors advisors:

The advisor assists students in selecting courses linked to their particular interests and in selecting a faculty honors mentor, a guide to students as they work to complete their specific major.

In the first term of upper-division standing, students meet with the faculty honors advisor to establish an honors thesis/creative project committee.

For a complete description of the music honors program, see the guidelines on The Honors College website.

Music honors contracts

Honors contracts offer honors students the opportunity to go beyond given course requirements and conduct an in-depth research project involving a closer contact with the course instructor. Honors students need to approach the course instructor about an Honors Contract at the beginning of the semester to discuss possible projects, topics and specific requirements (these could be the expansion of a 7-page research paper into a 15-page paper and other modified or supplementary assignments). Honors students may also receive advice on Honors Contracts from their honors faculty advisor.

Courses available for Honors Contracts may include:

  • MHL 341 and 342 Western Music from Antiquity to the Present
  • MHL 440 Music Since 1900
  • MHL 494 Baroque Music
  • MTC 125 Basic Music Theory
  • MTC 221/222/223 Music Theory: 18th, 19th or 20th Century
  • MTC 425 Studies in 20th Century Theory
  • MTC 327 Intermediate Form and Analysis
  • MTC 430 20th Century Counterpoint
  • MTC 422 Musical Acoustics

Dance honors program

The Dance program and Barrett, The Honors College offer in-depth educational experiences for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in dance. Once accepted into Barrett, The Honors College, students should make an appointment to consult with honors advisor to learn more about the various opportunities available.

Honors dance students enrich their academic study by completing a specific number of required honors credits, which may be fulfilled through honors contracts, internships and study abroad. Additionally, all students must produce a thesis/creative project to complete Barrett, The Honors College graduation requirements.

For a complete description of the dance honors program, see the guidelines on The Honors College website.

Honors External Examiner program

The Honors External Examiner program is an additional opportunity for students desiring to include an artist, scholar and/or educator outside of ASU as a special reader for the honors thesis. This highly competitive program requires submission of an application at least one month prior to the semester in which the student produces their final project. Learn more about the Barrett Honors External Examiner Program.


Theatre honors program

Students accepted into Barrett, The Honors College, should also make an appointment with the theatre honors advisor:

The honors advisor assists students in selecting courses linked to their particular interests and in selecting a faculty honors mentor, a guide to students as they work to complete their specific major.

In the first term of upper-division standing, students meet with the faculty honors advisor to establish an honors thesis/creative project committee.

For a complete description of the theatre honors program, see the guidelines on The Honors College website.

Honors External Examiner program

The Honors External Examiner program is an additional opportunity for students desiring to include an artist, scholar and/or educator outside of ASU as a special reader for the honors thesis. This highly competitive program requires submission of an application at least one month prior to the semester in which the student produces their final project. Learn more about the Barrett Honors External Examiner Program.