All-College Honors Program Mission Statement
The mission of Westminster’s All-College Honors Program is to cultivate a scholarly community in which high-achieving students can thrive, emerging as leaders within and beyond the campus community. In our program, scholars challenge one another to become their best selves as they pursue rigorous and innovative learning experiences; build an advanced foundation for interdisciplinary and global inquiry; and develop superior skills in speaking, writing, problem-solving, and research.
Learning Outcomes
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All-College Honors scholars will be able to
1. participate actively in creating a diverse community of honors scholars;
2. analyze global interconnectedness, reflecting critically on knowledge and issues within a broader societal, global, and human context;
3. demonstrate advanced critical reading, writing, speaking, and problem-solving skills;
4. synthesize the methodologies and perspectives of different disciplines in order to approach contemporary issues and problems; and
5. develop and sustain advanced research skills driven by questions that are meaningful and innovative.
Eligibility
High school seniors with a GPA of 3.75 are invited to apply to the All-College Honors Program after they have been accepted to Westminster College. All applicants must submit an application and essay to qualify for program entry. Students may also apply in the spring of their first year to enter the All-College Honors Program in the fall of their sophomore year. Sophomore-entry students will be selected according to following criteria: minimum Westminster College GPA of 3.7; support form signed by all Westminster College faculty with whom they have had courses; and an essay. Students who are interested in the All-College Honors Program can obtain more detailed information on the College website under Academics / Experiences and Opportunities.
The Honors Curriculum
The All-College Honors Program consists of a sequence of five interdisciplinary, global honors courses and 8 hours of honors research. These courses fulfill INQ 111 , SPE 111 , or WRI 111 , the college Cluster, several Intellectual Perspectives, and capstone in the major.
Incoming first-year students who are accepted into Honors take HON 201 in the first semester of the first year, followed by HON 202 in the spring semester of the first year. The HON 201 /HON 202 sequence fulfills INQ 111 , SPE 111 , or WRI 111 and the college Cluster requirement. Following the honors cluster, students are strongly encouraged to take HON 520 : Travel in May. Students are responsible for the additional fees associated with travel. Those who cannot travel may take HON 520S: Virtual Travel to satisfy the honors travel requirement. Students who withdraw from the Honors Program after the first semester (i.e., after having completed HON 201 only) will earn credit for INQ 111 and either SPE 111 or WRI 111 . Following HON 201 , HON 202 , and HON 520 , students choose two of the following courses: HON 203 , HON 204 , HON 209 , HON 210 , HON 211 , HON 212 , or HON 214.
Students who are accepted into the Honors Program for sophomore-entry are required to take four courses: HON 201 , HON 202 , HON 520 , and one course from HON 203 , HON 204 , HON 209 , HON 210 , HON 211 , HON 212 , or HON 214. They also must complete 8 hours of Honors Research.
Honors Thesis or Project: Honors Scholars propose and complete a thesis or project in their major(s) that replaces capstone in the junior and senior years of study. They are required to register for at least 8 credits of honors research. Honors Scholars must successfully present and defend their thesis or project before an Honors Board in a public defense. The course sequence for honors research is HON 660 - Honors Research , HON 670 - Honors Research , HON 680 - Honors Research , HON 690 - Honors Research (1-4 SH) for use by students who are pursuing the Honors Project in an interdisciplinary area. Students who are pursuing the Honors Project in a discipline should use the prefix of their discipline (for example ENG) and sequential numbers 660-690.
Honors scholars must maintain a 3.400 career grade point average to remain in good standing in the All-College Honors Program.
For further information about requirements, students should contact the program director, Dr. Jamie Chapman.
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