Find It Fast Panel

Upcoming Events

Admissions FAQ's

Honors Program

Female writing

The Honors Program is an interdisciplinary learning community based in a common sequence of enriched and intensified core curriculum courses which honors students take in place of the regular core offerings. Honors courses emphasize discussion over lecture, use writing as an integrative feature of learning, are highly interdisciplinary, and provide a very interactive relationship between student and faculty. Honors courses are not intended to be more difficult, but do approach topics in different ways than traditional core courses.

The Honors Program consists of three academic components. The first is the alternative 36 credit core sequence in the humanities and social sciences. Students will take their natural science and math requirements in the regular core. Honors core courses are integrated along common principles across disciplinary lines. All Honors core courses are listed in each semester's offerings as "Section HR." The Honors core curriculum includes two semesters in each of the following fields: english, fine arts, history, philosophy, religious studies, and social science.

In addition to the core component, the Program's second academic component is the required, non-credit Explorations Seminar (HNR 300) which meets 3 times per semester. The gatherings involve exploration of topics chosen by the Honors faculty, in consultation with honors students, that relate to the issues being explored in honors courses. The seminar may be a lecture, debate, roundtable discussion, or other presentation by one or more honors faculty member(s) or student(s), or by guest presenters.

The final academic component of the Program is the Capstone Seminar (HNR 401) which is a senior year contract course in which students create professional quality projects that integrate their major disciplines and advance their research and presentation skills. The result might be one paper, a collection of papers, or some other high-quality presentation. Emphasis is on developing a project after a process of self-directed research and writing under faculty guidance, as well as using the integrative skills that students acquired in the core portion of the Honors Program. The projects are presented to the College community.

In addition to academics, the Honors Program sponsors activities for its students. These include trips to regional cultural events, class field trips, social functions, and participation in regional and/or national honors programming.

Admission to the program is by application of incoming students based on their academic record, extra-curricular activities, and evidence of intellectual curiosity. Current and transfer students can determine their eligibility for admission to the program by contacting the program director. To remain in the program, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their freshmen and sophomore years and a 3.25 cumulative GPA subsequently.

All honors core courses are open to non-honors students with a 3.4 GPA or higher if there is space available, and with the professor's approval.

News & Upcoming Events

Gideons Revolution

Dr. Brian Carso will be discussing his new book:  "Gideon's Revolution and the True Secret Plot to Capture Benedict Arnold"

Please join Dr. Carso on:
Thursday, October 26
7:00 pm
INS rooms 217-218-219

Learn More

Click here to download flyer

Director for the Honors Program

Co-Chair of the Honors Program