SMU Taos Honors & Scholars Program

Deadlines:

March 6 -

• Priority deadline for May, June, and Month-Long applications
• Priority deadline for Friends of Taos scholarships

April 3 

• Final Deadline for May, June, and Month Long applications
• Final Deadline for Friends of Taos scholarships  

April 10

• PRW Non-Refundable Course Fee Deadline

April 21

• Mandatory pre-departure orientation

Term Dates:

May Term 2026

May 15 -  PRW Student Arrival Day - arrive by 4 pm and check in to the Dining Hall
May 16 - First Day of PRW 
May 17 -  -Arrival of students-  arrive by 4 p.m. and check in the Dining Hall 
May 18 -  First day of academic classes - classes are typically from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
May 30 -  Last day of classes, including exams - you are permitted to leave AFTER your final 
May 31 -  Departure Day - check out by 9 a.m.  

June Term 2026

June 2: Arrival of students-  arrive by 4 p.m. and check in the Dining Hall 
June 3: First day of Class
June 17: Last Day of classes (exam day)
June 18: Departure day for all students - check out by 9 am 

July 31st: Honors Research Paper Due

May Term

• HIST 3379 - Cultural History of New Mexico (CC Tags: HC, HD, OC)
• ARHS 3305 - Arts of the American Southwest (CC Tags: CA, CIE, HD, OC, W)
• BIO 1310 - Aquatic Biology (CC Tag: ES)

June Term

• RELI 1301 - Religious Literacy (CC Tags: GPS, HD, PREI)
• WL 3311 - Food & Identity in the Southwest (CC Tags: GPS, HD, TAS)
• ANTH/HRTS 3348 - Health as a Human Right (CC Tags: CE, GPS, SBS)

Apply Now!

To see a full breakdown of costs for the SMU Taos Honors Experience and a list of applicable pro-rated SMU Scholarships - please visit our SMU Taos Cost Calculator.

Honors Richter Fellowship

Students who are in the University Honors Program (UHP) and apply to the Taos Honors & Scholars Program are eligible to apply for the Richter Fellowship. Applications for the Richter Fellowship are due January 31, 2025.  For more information, please reach out to Brandon Miller, Assistant Director, University Honors Program, at bgmiller@smu.edu

Friends of Taos Scholarship  

The Friends of Taos Scholarship is a need-based partial scholarship that can be applied towards the tuition of any SMU Taos course. They are available to full-time SMU undergraduate students. Assistance is limited and is awarded at the discretion of the Friends of Taos Scholarship Award Committee. The award is based primarily on financial need. Students receiving tuition assistance awards are responsible for all remaining fees, room and board and transportation expenses.

The Friends of Taos Scholarship application will become available once a student is accepted to attend SMU Taos.

Students receiving University Honors credit and recipients of the Honors Richter Fellowship must submit a research essay following the guidelines below.

The SMU Taos Honors research paper, due after the June A term, is an incredible opportunity for a self-directed scholarly project. It starts with a proposal phase during May and June, where you will work closely with faculty and staff mentors to articulate your research objectives, integrating course content with experiential learning. The proposal phase encourages deep reflection on how your classroom knowledge intersects with real-world experiences and hones your ability to communicate your ideas in writing and orally. The final paper, a substantial work of 2500-3750 words, captures the essence of your immersive Taos experience, aiming to expand your intellectual horizons and generate new insights.

Timeline and General Guidelines for Completion:

• Research proposal completed 5 days following completion of last class in Taos.
• Due July 31 following the SMU Taos term.
• 8 to 12 pages in length (double-spaced).

Expectations:

• Draw on the subject matter from the Honors courses taken in Taos.
• Draw on 3 to 4 field experiences where the site and its objects are directed used/these include the weekly field trips, sources available on the Fort Burgwin campus, or other materials available in Taos.
• Organized around a logical, thesis driven argument that uses specific and appropriate illustrations as backup.
• Presents an informed understanding of all the class content and other materials—in terms of their content, argument, parameters, structure, strengths, and weaknesses—using both necessary specificity and an awareness of the larger issues.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the histories, peoples, cultures, and/or environment of Taos and the U.S. Southwest.
• Is clear, well organized, and well written—and has minimal grammatical and typographical errors—even at the paragraph and sentence level

Besides earning Honors credit, your research could be published in prominent platforms like SMU Hilltopics or the Journal of Undergraduate Research, marking this as a uniquely rewarding academic endeavor.