Honors College

Dean: J. Warren Casey, Ph.D.

Debbie Baird, B.A., Honors College Administrator

The Honors College provides educational opportunities to challenge and stimulate outstanding students to develop their intellectual and leadership abilities to the fullest. The University curriculum provides an offering of honors classes which will substitute for liberal arts courses and discipline specific courses.

Eligibility

Participation in the Honors College is by invitation. Incoming freshmen who score 27 or higher on the ACT (sum score of 1220 or higher on the SAT verbal and math sections) are automatically sent invitations to participate. However, any University student or transfer student who maintains a 3.25 grade point average or above throughout their college work may choose to be involved in the Honors College.

A 3.25 cumulative grade point average or above is required of all students to remain active in the Honors College.

All membership candidates must complete and return an enrollment form. The form is located at http://www.harding.edu/honors/Enroll.html.

Academic Opportunities

Students who maintain the minimum grade point average requirement and earn 10 or more honors credits will graduate from the Honors College. By including a variety of liberal arts courses and discipline-specific courses designated as honors sections with the letter (H) or the course prefix, HNRS, students create a unique academic experience tailored to their interests and needs.

Students may also choose to collaborate with a University professor to create an honors contract for many upper-level courses. Honors Contract information and the online proposal is posted at http://www.harding.edu/honors/HonorsContracts.html.

The Honors senior capstone project is a senior honors thesis or project suitable to the student’s major. Students present their project in a public forum and are evaluated by Honors College representatives. Senior Capstone Project information is available at http://www.harding.edu/honors/HonorsCapstone.html.

Honors College Recognition Levels

Students enrolled in the Honors College at the time of graduation will graduate with a degree in their selected major area of study. There are three recognition levels from the Honors College.

Honors College Participants earn 10 or more hours of honors credit during their college career, while maintaining a 3.25 overall grade point average. Courses may be selected from honors (H) sections and/or HNRS courses, or students may collaborate with a University professor to create an honors contract in a regular class.

Honors College participants will be recognized with a special notation in the commencement program.

Honors College Graduates earn a minimum of 20 hours of honors credits including at least three honors (H) sections and/or HNRS courses and four honors contracts while maintaining a 3.25 overall grade point average throughout their college career.

Honors College Graduates will be included in a separate listing in the commencement program. The official university transcript will indicate they have achieved this honor.

Honors College Graduates with Distinction earn a minimum of 26 honors credits while maintaining a 3.5 grade point average or higher throughout their college work. Students will complete a minimum of four honors (H) sections and/or four HNRS courses, and a minimum of four honors contracts. An approved Honors senior capstone project must be included in the plan.

Honors College Graduates with Distinction will be noted in a separate listing in the commencement program with the Honors capstone project title. The official university transcript will indicate they have achieved this honor. Students will be awarded an engraved bronze medallion at the Honors College Medallion Ceremony.

Honors Scholar Academic Opportunities

The Honors Scholars curriculum is open to incoming freshmen by invitation only. Students qualify by being named National Merit Finalists, Trustee Scholarship recipients, Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholars, or by being selected from the pool of applicants scoring 31 or higher on the ACT (sum score of 1360 or higher on the SAT verbal and math sections).

Honors Scholars have exclusive access to a special curriculum available to students at this level. All Honors Scholars are required to take HNRS 201  and HNRS 202  in their first semester, and are urged to select at least 2 courses from HNRS 203 , 204  and 205  in their academic plan. Credits earned in these courses apply to the liberal arts requirements as listed in the catalog. Consult the catalog for specific liberal arts courses application.

Please note: Some departments count HNRS courses toward the liberal arts requirements but do not allow them to meet prerequisites in the major. Students should consult their academic advisers in these matters.

General Information

Any Honors Student who completes a minimum of three (H) or HNRS courses may earn honors credits in regular upper-level courses by negotiating an honors contract with the course instructor that conforms to Honors College guidelines.

The Honors senior capstone project is a senior honors thesis or project suitable for the student’s major. Students present their project in a public forum and contract guidelines are available at the Honors House or at http://www.harding.edu/honors/HonorsCapstone.html.

HNRS 203 , 204  and 205  are open to all Honors College students on a space available basis.

The Honors College is a co-enrollment program, engaging students from every college across our University. Some departments have developed honors sections specifically designed for students who seek this level of academic challenge. More information is available at www.harding.edu/honors.