Plan II Honors (BA)
Department website: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/plan2/
This program is designed to provide a broad, liberal, and challenging education for a limited number of students whose high school class standing and admission test scores indicate strong academic potential and motivation. This program includes coursework restricted to Plan II students taught by professors selected for their excellent teaching records and the curriculum enables students to explore the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences and provide considerable opportunity for individual research, writing, and speaking.
Admission
Admission is separate from and in addition to university admission. Application materials and information about deadlines are available online. This program is not available to transfer applicants. Transfer applicants interested in the liberal arts are encouraged to seek departmental honors within their program.
Qualified students may be able to combine this major with any other major, degree or honors program at UT (with a few exceptions). Students interested in this possibility must apply both to this program and the additional program. Further information is available on the program website.
Total Hours Required: 120
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| T C 303C | Plan II World Literature Part I (requires at least a C-) | 3 |
| T C 302 | First-Year Signature Course: Plan II (requires at least a C-) | 3 |
| PHL 313Q | Logic and Scientific Reasoning | 3 |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: HIS (non-US) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| T C 303D | Plan II World Literature Part II (requires at least a C-) | 3 |
| M 310P | Modern Mathematics: Plan II | 3 |
| BIO 301E | Problems in Modern Biology | 3 |
| GOV 310L | American and Texas Government | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Problems of Knowledge and Valuation (requires at least a C-) | ||
| Natural Science and Technology, Part II (093) | 3 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Intermediate Proficiency | 6 | |
| Hours chosen from: ARH, MUS, or T D course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Problems of Knowledge and Valuation (requires at least a C-) | ||
| GOV 312L | Issues and Policies in American Government | 3 |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Intermediate Proficiency | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| T C 358 | Topics in Plan II Junior Seminar (requires at least a C-) | 3 |
| S S 302C | Honors Social Science: Methods and Theory (requires at least a C-) | 3 |
| Foreign Language other than English, Intermediate Proficiency | 6 | |
| T C 310 | Modes of Reasoning (requires at least a C-) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| T C 358 | Topics in Plan II Junior Seminar (requires at least a C-) | 3 |
| PHY 321 | Modern Physics: Plan II | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: AST, BIO, CH, GEO, P S, or PHY course | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: HIS (non-US) | 3 | |
| Upper-division elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Thesis Course: Honors (requires at least a C-) | ||
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Upper-division elective | 6 | |
| Hours chosen from: AST, BIO, CH, GEO, P S, or PHY | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Thesis Course: Honors (requires at least a C-) | ||
| Upper-division elective | 6 | |
| Free Elective | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major | ||
| T C 660H | Thesis Course: Honors (requires at least a C-) | 6 |
| Hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Topics in Plan II Junior Seminar (taken twice; requires at least a C-) | ||
| English Composition and Humanities | ||
| Hours chosen from: (requires at least a C-; may also count toward Core Curriculum) | 3 | |
| Plan II World Literature Part II | ||
| Plan II World Literature Part II | ||
| Non-United States History | ||
| Hours chosen from: Non-United States history in the same geographic area | 6 | |
| PHL 610Q | Problems of Knowledge and Valuation (requires at least a C-) | 6 |
| Subtotal | 27 | |
| Degree (see details below) | 51 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 15 | |
| Subtotal | 66 | |
| General Education | ||
| Remaining Core Curriculum (42 hours total) | 24 | |
| T C 302 | First-Year Signature Course: Plan II (requires at least a C-; may also count toward Core Curriculum) | 3 |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 27 | |
| College Requirements - Liberal Arts | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Additional Requirements and Policy
At least 36 upper-division hours are required. Majors may use electives to pursue a second major in the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Natural Sciences.
T C 660H is required of students seeking special honors in Plan II, students pursuing the Plan II degree alone, and students writing creative theses. In exceptional situations, students may be approved to enroll in T C 659T Essay Course, in lieu of T C 660H.
Mathematics courses at the level of college algebra may not count toward elective hours.
Students’ university grade point average (GPA), final grades in certain courses, and satisfactory progress toward the degree must meet certain thresholds to complete this program. If a student earns:
- Less than a 3.0 university GPA, they will be considered for academic program dismissal
- Less than a 2.50 university GPA at any point after their first semester, they will be dismissed from this program
- Less than a 3.0 and at least a 2.50 university GPA, they will be put on academic review
- Less than a C- in any of the requirements as indicated in this program's requirements tables, they will be dismissed from this program.
- Less than a 3.0 university GPA, they may not register for required courses Tutorial Course 660H nor 359T
Students who are not enrolled at the University for four consecutive long semesters and therefore fail to make satisfactory progress toward the degree will be automatically dismissed from this program.
All of these stipulations may be appealed and exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis by the director of Plan II in consultation with the associate director, assistant director, and academic advisors. A student who is academically dismissed from this program is eligible to enroll in a different Bachelor of Arts (BA) – Liberal Arts program.
Students in scholastic difficulty should discuss their problems with a Plan II academic advisor and the director.
To satisfy the mathematics and natural science degree requirement, majors may count no more than:
- 12 hours in mathematics, computer science, and statistics and scientific computation combined; and
- 9 hours in any single field of study
Students should meet with their academic advisor to discuss their individual academic plan.
Degree - Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Liberal Arts
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| Literature and Writing | ||
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing (Plan II honors requires at least a C-; may also count toward Core Curriculum) | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: Writing intensive coursework-see course list (may also count toward Core Curriculum; Plan II honors requires at least a C-) | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division Writing intensive coursework-see course list (may also count toward Core Curriculum; Plan II honors requires at least a C-) | 6 | |
| Choose a sequence below: | 12 | |
| Sequence 1: Plan II Honors (requires at least a C-; may also count toward Core Curriculum) | ||
| Plan II World Literature Part I | ||
or T C 303C | Plan II World Literature Part I | |
| Sequence 2: Plan I | ||
| British Literature | ||
or E 316M | American Literature | |
or E 316N | World Literature | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Intermediate Proficiency | 3 | |
| Choose a sequence below: Social Science | 3 | |
| Sequence 1: Plan II Honors (requires at least a C-; may also count toward Core Curriculum) | ||
| Honors Social Science: Methods and Theory | ||
or S S 302D | Honors Social Science: Psychology | |
or S S 302E | Honors Social Science: Anthropology | |
or S S 302E | Honors Social Science: Anthropology | |
or S S 302F | Honors Social Science: Economics | |
| Sequence 2: Plan I | ||
| Mathematics | ||
| Choose a sequence below: (M 301, M 316K, and M 316L do not count toward this requirement) | 3 | |
| Sequence 1: Plan II Honors | ||
| Modern Mathematics: Plan II | ||
| Sequence 2: Plan I | ||
Hours chosen from: Mathematics | ||
| Choose a sequence below: | 3 | |
| Sequence 1: Plan II Honors | ||
| Modes of Reasoning | ||
or PHL 313Q | Logic and Scientific Reasoning | |
| Sequence 2: Plan I | ||
| Choose a sequence below: | 15 | |
| Sequence 1: Plan II Honors | ||
Six Hours chosen from: Astronomy, biology, chemistry, geological sciences, physical science, or physics (may also count toward Core Curriculum) | ||
| Problems in Modern Biology | ||
| Modern Physics: Plan II | ||
Three Hours chosen from: | ||
Art history, music history, or history of theatre and dance | ||
Upper-division classical civilization, humanities, literature, or philosophy | ||
| Sequence 2: Plan I International Relations and Global Studies | ||
Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | ||
| Sequence 3: Other Plan I | ||
Hours chosen from: | ||
Liberal Arts multi-disciplinary minor in the Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
Liberal Arts multi-disciplinary minor in Cultural Expression, Human Experience, and Thought | ||
| Total Hours | 51 | |
Additional Requirements and Policies
Unless otherwise stated, students must complete at least:
- 15 upper-division degree hours
- 24 upper-division degree hours taken in residence at the University
- 36 additional degree hours taken in residence at the University.
Credit may be earned via credit by examination, extension, or transferred hours from another institution (requires dean's approval).
Major and minor required hours may also be used to fulfill degree requirements unless expressly prohibited.
A course in one degree area may not also be used to fulfill the requirements of another degree area unless specified otherwise.
Mathematics courses at the college algebra level may not count toward elective hours.
Majors
A major consists of 24 to 45 hours, with at least 15 upper-division hours unless the requirements of the major state otherwise.
Students must earn at least:
- 18 major hours taken in residence at the University.
- 6 upper-division major hours taken in residence at the University
- a 2.00 grade point average for in-residence major hours taken at the University unless a higher minimum scholastic requirement is specified for the major.
Minors
Students must get permission from their College of Liberal Arts academic advisor to pursue more than one transcript-recognized minor or certificate per major. The academic advisor will approve or deny the request after considering the student's long-term educational and professional goals and the student's ability to graduate within 4 years of entering the University.
Students should consult the department offering the course before planning to use it to fulfill the minor requirement.
Hours used to fulfill the requirements for a minor must be taken on the letter-grade basis.