Honors College

Return to: Interdepartmental Programs

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.  In-coming 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 GPA or above throughout their college work may participate in the Honors College.  

A 3.25 cumulative GPA 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 GPA 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 with the letter (H) as honors sections or the course prefix, HNRS signifying an honors course, 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.  Contract forms are available at the Honors House or at http://www.harding.edu/honors/pdf/contract.pdf

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 forms are available at the Honors House or at http://www.harding.edu/honors/pdf/capstone.pdf

HONORS COLLEGE RECOGNITION LEVELS

There are three recognition levels from the Honors College:  Honors College Participant, Honors College Graduate, and Honors College Graduate with Distinction. 

Honors College Participants maintain a minimum 3.25 GPA and earn 10 or more hours of honors credit during their college career.  Courses may be selected from honors (H) classes and/or HNRS courses, or students may collaborate with a University professor to create an honors contract. 

Honors College Graduates must earn a minimum of 20 hours of honors credits, including at least four honors (H) classes or four HNRS courses and four honors contracts while maintaining a 3.25 overall GPA throughout their college career.  

Honors College Graduates with Distinction earn a minimum of 26 honors credits while maintaining a 3.50 GPA or above throughout their college work.  In addition they complete a minimum of four honors (H) classes or four HNRS courses, and a minimum of four honors contracts, and successfully present an Honors Senior Capstone Project. 

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 portions). 

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 strongly recommended to select at least 2 courses from HNRS 100, 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 course application.   

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.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Any Honors Student who completes a minimum of four honors (H) classes 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.   Contract guidelines are available at the Honors House or at http://www.harding.edu/honors/pdf/contract.pdf.  Honors Scholars are encouraged to work with any university professor to create an honors contract in courses of their own choosing. 

HNRS 203, 204 and 205 are opened 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.

For more information contact J. Warren Casey, dean of the Honors College, Box 10913, Harding University, Searcy, AR 72149, call (501) 279-4056, or e-mail honors@harding.edu.