The Honors Program of the institution began in 1985 with an original class of 25 and a director whose compensation was a one-course-load reduction in teaching responsibility. Named the Chancellor’s Honors Program in 2006, the program is open to entering freshmen and a limited number of sophomore and junior transfer students. The students selected to receive prestigious UT scholarships are automatically invited to participate in the Chancellor’s Honors Program. Colleges and departments also have honors programs.
The first special honors program was initiated in fall 1960 with a three-quarter series of courses on Men and Ideas for intellectually superior first-year students. Each of the courses carried two hours’ credit, and the special series was taken in addition to the regular course load.