Honors Program
Through participation in the Honors program, students with records of high academic achievement connect and collaborate with other high achieving students, and enrich their educational experience through independent artistic development, professional research, and/or community service, in order to better prepare for graduate school and professional careers in an increasingly competitive global economy. Active members of the Honors Program receive access to the Honors Study Lounge, and opportunities to participate in cultural trips and events. Upon successful completion of the Honors Program, students receive the designation “Honors Graduate” on their academic transcript and recognition at the annual University Honors Banquet and acknowledgement at commencement.
1. Eligibility
Incoming students with a GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) and a minimum score of 26 on the ACT composite or 1240 on the SAT are invited to participate in the Honors Program. Transfer students and currently enrolled students with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) may also join the Honors Program. Students use the online portal on the Honors Program website to indicate their interest and verify eligibility. Students who have earned more than 78 hours of credit toward graduation from Concord are not eligible for the Honors Program. The Honors Program Director, in consultation with the Honors Committee, may refuse participants deemed unsuitable, or may admit students who do not meet the usual requirements.
2. Curriculum and Academic Requirements
Completion of the Honors Program requires earning at least 16 hours of Honors course credit, with a minimum grade of a B in each Honors course, and a minimum GPA of 3.3 for all coursework at Concord. Required Honors courses are: (a) HONR 101, Freshman Honors Orientation, or HONR 201, Honors Orientation (1 hour); and (b) HONR 301, Honors Seminar (3 hours). To earn the remaining 12 hours of honors credit, students choose, in consultation with their academic advisor and the Honors Program Director, from among the following options: (a) additional sections of HONR 301 for up to 9 hours; (b) Honors Enhanced Courses (3-9 hours); and (c) Honors sections of General Education courses (3-9 hours).
HONR 101 , Freshman Honors Orientation (1 hour): An orientation to the Honors Program and the University. This course replaces UNIV 100 for incoming freshman.
HONR 201 , Honors Orientation (1 hour): An orientation to the Honors Program for students who join the Honors Program after the first semester of their freshman year, or as transfer students.
HONR 301 , Honors Seminar (3 hours): Multidisciplinary seminars on a variety of unique topics. At least 3 hours required; may be taken multiple times for up to 9 hours. Topics of recent Honors Seminars include: Current Issues in Higher Education, Crisis and Trauma Intervention; History and Culture of New York City; Quackery: A History of Bad Medicine; Understanding Opera; and Brain Disorders.
Honors Enhanced Courses (3-9 hours): A course in any academic discipline enhanced with an honors project (artistic, research or service) in addition to the regularly assigned coursework. In consultation with the instructor for the course, students design an honors project and submit a proposal to the Director of the Honors Program for approval. Once approved, students implement the honors project with the course instructor serving as mentor. The student must receive a grade of B or better on the project in order to receive honors credit for the course. The instructor adds an H to the final course grade, indicating honors credit for the course on the student’s transcript.
Honors Sections of General Education Courses (3-9 hours): Special sections of courses that count toward Concord University General Education requirements are offered when possible. These sections are open only to active members of the Honors Program. Instructors are encouraged to include innovative assignments or projects, and allow students more self-direction than in regular courses.
3. Enrichment Requirements
Honors students are required to participate in three University sponsored activities each semester, and are expected to participate in a majority of the activities sponsored by the Honors Program. To remain in good standing with the program, Honors students are required to submit an Enrichment Activity Report to the Honors Program Director on the last class day of each semester to provide a record of their participation.
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