Benedictine College Honors Program
Each year, Benedictine College admits 24 exceptional students to enroll in the Honors Program. These Honors Scholars participate in a challenging curriculum that academically distinguishes them from their peers.
HIGHLIGHTS | BENEFITS | CURRICULUM | ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Benedictine College Honors Program Highlights
Honors Curriculum
Honors Scholars are educated from a distinct curriculum that builds upon Benedictine College’s general education requirements and draws from its liberal arts heritage. The curriculum is divided into an honors core, special foundations classes, an honors track within each academic discipline, and a capstone course.
Honors Portfolio
Students will assemble a required portfolio of their Honors program work in an ongoing manner, including responses to Great Works List items, personal reflections on progress and growth, and other program-related content. This portfolio will be reviewed annually by the Honors Committee.
Experiential Component
Honors students are expected to become active participants in the life that should follow from a liberal arts education. The experiential component of the Honors Program provides Honors Scholars the opportunity to apply themes discussed in the classroom to experiences in the life and culture around them, enriching both the campus and broader community.
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Benedictine College Honors Program Benefits
The Benedictine College Honors Program draws upon the four pillars of Benedictine College to offer a unique education to exceptionally talented and motivated students. The Honors Program will provide an academically enriched experience through intensive seminar classes as part of its core experience. The main outcome of the Honors Program its Scholars should expect is personal development: greater knowledge, a greater love for learning, and a set of skills that will serve them well in graduate school and in further career development.
Students accepted into the Honors Program receive a challenging and rigorous education that academically distinguishes them from their peers. Honors Scholars are given specific recognition during the commencement ceremonies. Scholars who are accepted are eligible for a $2,000 stipend for an approved project if they maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA.
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Benedictine College Honors Program Curriculum
Great Works List
Honors Scholars are provided a master list of seminal works significant to all disciplines of study. This list includes books, works of art, films, and other means of conveying ideas. The Scholars are responsible for responding to two works each semester as part of their portfolio.
Core
Honors Scholars take part in distinctive courses that fulfill specific components of Benedictine College’s core requirements.
Scholars Retreat
Honors Scholars will fulfill the Benedictine College Experience requirement through a week-long academic retreat prior to the beginning of classes.
Honors English
Honors Scholars are required to complete Honors English, an advanced expository writing course with emphasis on research writing. This will fulfill the English Composition requirement.
Christian Moral Life
Honors Scholars will take an honors-specific section of Christian Moral Life.
Philosophy of Nature
Honors Scholars will take Philosophy of Nature in lieu of Logic and Nature.
Donations
Honors Scholars fulfill at least three general education foundation requirements through unique Honors Foundation courses.
Honors Track within Majors
Honors Scholars will take part in a major-specific track consisting of 9 hours of course work beyond the general requirements for the major.
- Apply and be accepted for undergraduate admission at Benedictine College.
- Demonstrate a minimum high school GPA of a 3.75 and minimum ACT score of a 29.
- Submit the Honors Program application for priority consideration by November 15, 2012. For regular consideration, students must submit the application by March 1, 2013.
Early Admission and Scholarship
- Priority consideration is given to students that submit applications by November 15, 2012. An early admission decision will be made by December 15, 2012.
- Fellows selected for early admission will receive a renewable $1,000 scholarship for their participation in the program in addition to the $2,000 stipend.
Application Requirements
- Write and submit an essay on each of the following questions:
- Please tell the committee why you are interested in being in the Honors Program. What is it that you hope to gain from this choice? How will your intellectual growth be shaped and enhanced by being an honors student? What will being in the Honors Program allow you to do upon graduation? (approximately 750 words)
- What book have you read recently that you thought was excellent, and why did you think it so? (approximately 750 words)
Capstone Course
Honors Scholars complete their undergraduate studies with the capstone course. Drawing from discussion on themes and topics previously studied from the master list, this course focuses on integrating and synthesizing the four-year honors experience.
