Dean: Kevin Kehl, Ed.D.
Assistant Dean: James Miller, Ph.D.
James Huff, Ph.D., Honors College Senior Faculty Fellow
Amy Qualls, Ph.D., Honors College Faculty Fellow
Debbie Baird, B.A., Honors College Administrator
The mission of the Honors College is to cultivate opportunities for highly motivated students to grow in leadership, service and academic excellence through shared experiences that are informed by faith and focus on the development of the whole person. The college is committed to building a stimulating undergraduate experience that enhances the academic profile of students as they pursue opportunities after Harding.
ELIGIBILITY
Honors Students
Enrollment in the Honors College is by invitation. Students will be invited to enroll if they meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
- Incoming first-year students who score 27 or higher on the ACT (sum score of 1260 or higher on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, plus Math sections, or a score of 84 on the CLT)
- Any university student who maintains a 3.25 GPA
All candidates must complete and return an enrollment form. The form is located at www.harding.edu/honors.
Transfer Students
Transfer students who maintain a 3.25 GPA may participate in the Honors College. Students who transfer from an institution within the United States accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation may be eligible to apply honors credits to Harding. Students who inquire will have honors credits evaluated on a course-by-course basis.
Honors Scholars
The Honors Scholars curriculum provides exclusive access to the courses HNRS 2010 and HNRS 2020 and is open to a limited number of incoming freshmen by invitation only. Students qualify by being named National Merit Finalists, Trustee Scholarship recipients, or by being selected from the pool of applicants scoring 31 or higher on the ACT (sum score of 1390 or higher on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, plus Math sections, or a score of 94 on the CLT).
CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY
All Honors College members must maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA to remain active in the Honors College. In addition, all honors students are required to remain engaged in the Honors College during their time as undergraduate students. To demonstrate engagement, students must earn at least one unit from either the Academic or Leadership and Service areas in the list of required engagement options each semester. Students who do not meet the expectation in a given semester will be placed on probation in the Honors College during the following semester. If the expectations are unmet a second time, the student will be unenrolled from the Honors College and will need to re-apply in the following semester.
ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES
Honors Sections
An honors section of any course is designated by an (H) in the course title and offered for all honors students.
Honors Courses
Honors courses are designated by the course prefix HNRS and are offered for Honors Scholars first and then to all honors students if space is available. HNRS 2010 and HNRS 2020 are offered only for Honors Scholars. Credit earned in HNRS courses apply to the liberal arts requirements as listed in the catalog. Please note: Some departments count HNRS courses toward the liberal arts requirements but do not allow them to meet prerequisites in their majors. Students should consult their academic advisers in these matters.
Honors Contracts
Students may earn honors credit in upper-level courses (3000 or above) in their major through honors contracts. An honors contract is a mechanism for adding an honors dimension to a non-honors course. The contract will add to the academic depth of the course by (1.) allowing the student to pursue some element of original work that is related to the course and (2.) providing the opportunity to communicate the work orally and in writing with the course instructor. Contract guidelines are available at www.harding.edu/honors. It is recommended that students complete lower-level H or HNRS courses prior to undertaking honors contract courses.
Honors Capstone
Students who plan to be an Honors College Graduate with Distinction are required to pursue an honors capstone, either a project or a thesis, in their senior year. Students will complete the capstone with guidance from faculty in the Honors College and the student’s major area of study.
Exclusive Curriculum for Honors Scholars
All Honors Scholars are required to take HNRS 2010 and HNRS 2020 as part of a learning cohort in their first semester. Honors Scholars are eligible for priority registration each semester and are urged to pursue graduating from the Honors College with distinction.
LEVELS OF HONORS COLLEGE RECOGNITION AT GRADUATION
Honors College Graduates
These students must meet the following requirements:
- Earn a minimum of 20 hours of honors credits, including at least four upper-level honors contracts
- Maintain a 3.25 overall grade point average
- Complete at least four Academic units and at least four Leadership and Service units from the list of required engagement options to be an Honors College Graduate.
Honors College Graduates will be included in a separate listing in the commencement program. The official university transcript and diploma will indicate they have achieved this honor.
Honors College Graduates with Distinction
These students must meet the following requirements:
- Earn a minimum of 26 honors credits
- Complete a minimum of four honors sections or courses, and a minimum of four honors contracts
- Maintain a 3.50 overall grade point average
- Complete an Honors capstone project or thesis
- Complete at least 10 Academic units and at least six Leadership and Service units from the list of required engagement options
Honors College Graduates with Distinction will be noted in a separate listing in the commencement program with the Honors capstone project or thesis title. The official university transcript and diploma will indicate they have achieved this honor. Students will be awarded an engraved medallion at the Honors College Medallion Ceremony.
Honors courses completed prior to the first semester of full-time enrollment do not apply toward honors graduation recognition requirements.
For more information contact Honors College, Box 10782, Harding University, Searcy, AR 72149, call 501-279-4056, or email honors@harding.edu.
