Honors College Global Scholars Program

The Global Scholars Program: Cohort 1 is for incoming first year (first time in college) Honors Students. Students from any major are welcome to apply for the GSP. Applicants must be admitted to the UNT Honors College for the fall semester and make the following commitments:

• Participate in GSP-specific global education programming throughout the year in preparation to travel abroad. There is no extra cost to students associated with this element of the program.
• Enroll in the following Honors Courses during their first academic year:
  • HNRS 1000: First Year Semester (1 credit hour) during the fall semester.
  • HNRS 1100: The Good Society (3 credit hours) during the spring semester.
  • The GSP international travel program is tied to the HNRS 1100: Good Society course, so this course must be taken in order to participate.
• Participate in Global Intensive Opportunity international travel program to Copenhagen, Denmark in May 2027.

Summer 2027 Global Intensive Opportunity to Copenhagen

• Travel to Copenhagen, Denmark, and extend our classroom learning through lived experiences. Through site visits, discussions with experts, and cultural immersion, students will deepen their understanding of how different societies define and pursue the concept of a "good society," applying theoretical insights to real-world settings.
• Tour world-renowned art museums, explore castles, meet with Danish experts, take in Scandinavian design, experience efficient public transportation, and eat some of the best pastries imaginable!
• The program will last 12 days and begin the Monday after Spring graduation weekend.
• Visit the UNT Study Abroad website for more information.

The Summer 2026 application for GSP Cohort 1 closed on Monday, July 20, 2026.

Interest Sessions

Each summer, we host GSP Virtual Information Sessions. All Summer 2026 Information Sessions have concluded.

For further information, please reach out to HonorsCollege@unt.edu

The Global Scholars Program Cohort 2 is a competitive selection program for continuing and transfer Honors students interested in exploring family and community transitions within a global context. Applicants must be current Honors College students who are in good academic standing and make the following commitments:

• Participate in GSP-specific global education programming throughout the Spring semester in preparation to travel abroad. There is no extra cost to students associated with this element of the program.
• Enroll in the following Honors Course in the Spring semester:
  • HNRS 4000: Global Perspectives - Families and Communities in Transition
  • The GSP international travel program is tied to the HNRS 4000 course, so must be taken in order to participate.
• Participate in Global Intensive Opportunity international travel program to Romania and Hungary in May 2027.

Summer 2027 Global Intensive Opportunity to Romania and Hungary

• Travel to Timișoara, one of the 2023 European Capitals of Culture and the city where the 1989 Romanian revolution started, to learn more about community organizations and systems that help individuals and families move through various transitions (ex., everyday life, historical events, unexpected changes).
• Across 10 days in Timișoara, participate in activities with students from Universitatea de Vest din Timișoara, visit numerous social service organizations that address community needs, and take part in tours such as a boat tour of the Bega River and a guided tour of the Memorial of the Revolution Museum.
• Enjoy the final few days of the trip in Budapest, Hungary, where we will participate in a walking tour of both Buda and Pest and have free time for other site visits such as the Hungarian Parliament, the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, or the House of Terror Museum.
• The program will last 12 days and begin the Monday after Spring graduation weekend.

Study Abroad Trip

We anticipate the trip will cost less than $4,000, including airfare, housing, food, site visits, and other related program costs. Flight costs may vary based on preference and length of time in Europe — the faculty leader will work with each student on options/choices for those interested in extending their travel independently at the end of the trip.

Apply for GSP Cohort 2

If you are interested in participating in the UNT Honors College Global Scholars Program for the Spring 2027 semester, please complete the application located through the link above by September 15, 2026.

After reviewing applications, students will be contacted to schedule interviews. Students will be notified of their application status by October 2, 2026.

Interest Sessions

The Global Scholars Program (GSP) combines interdisciplinary coursework, co-curricular programming, and a faculty-led study abroad trip into an integrated learning experience. In the GSP, we learn through cultural immersion, site visits, expert meetings, connections with the community, and guided reflection. Together, these experiences encourage students to examine complex global issues and deepen their understanding of themselves and the world around them.

Global Scholars pursue the following learning objectives:

• Develop Global and Intercultural Understanding
• Recognize the interconnectedness of global systems and local experiences.
• Engage meaningfully with people, practices, and institutions from other cultures.
• Demonstrate openness and respect when encountering perspectives different from their own.
• Apply Academic Learning in Global Contexts
• Examine complex social issues through a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives and methods of analysis.
• Apply course concepts to interpret international experiences and reflect on how engagement with diverse people, places, and institutions enhances understanding of complex social issues.
• Enhance Critical Reflection and Personal Development
• Reflect critically on their own assumptions, values, and experiences.
• Demonstrate increased self-awareness and adaptability when encountering unfamiliar situations.
• Reflect on their own role as engaged citizens and future leaders, considering how international experiences influence their understanding of society, community, and their responsibilities to others.
• Build Community and Collaborative Leadership
• Build meaningful relationships within a cohort learning community through shared coursework, co-curricular programming, and collaborative experiences that foster belonging, leadership, and personal growth.
• Collaborate effectively with peers, faculty, and community partners.
• Demonstrate responsibility, professionalism, and respect within a variety of communities.

Cohort 1 encourages students to critically examine what constitutes a "good society.” In Cohort 1, students pursue the following learning objectives:

• Examine competing conceptions of the "good society" by exploring how different societies address complex social, political, economic, and environmental challenges.
• Evaluate how societies balance individual rights and responsibilities with the common good, including differing approaches to public and private goods, social welfare, education, healthcare, and sustainability.
• Apply interdisciplinary perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields to analyze contemporary social issues.
• Connect classroom learning to firsthand experiences through site visits, cultural immersion, and engagement with Danish institutions, organizations, and communities.

Cohort 2 invites students to learn how individuals, families, and communities experience transition and change in local, regional, and global contexts. In Cohort 2, students pursue the following learning objectives:

• Examine how individuals, families, and communities in the United States and the Balkans address transition and change, including the historical and political context of Romania and its role in the broader Balkans region.
• Identify individual, family, and community risk and resilience factors that influence how societies experience and progress through change.
• Develop individual, family, and community-based approaches to meeting the needs of diverse populations during periods of transition.
• Examine the role of social and community organizations in supporting individuals, families, and communities through change and transition.