To graduate with honors in the religious studies major, students must have a UI cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.33, a minimum requirement set by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students also must maintain a UI religious studies g.p.a. of at least 3.50. In addition to the major requirements, students also take an additional 3 s.h. of advanced coursework. Students often choose to take RELS:4960 Individual Study: Undergraduates or RELS:4970 Honors Tutorial for their extra course. Students also must take RELS:4975 Honors Essay under the supervision of a faculty advisor to complete their honors thesis. Copies of the approved and completed thesis are submitted to the Department of Religious Studies and may be published through Iowa Research Online.

Students do not have to be members of the University of Iowa Honors Program to graduate with honors in the religious studies major.