Honors College

The Honors College at Belhaven offers a unique opportunity to enhance your educational experience. The Honors College gives academically advanced, highly motivated students a forum in which to deepen and expand their college education, both intellectually and spiritually.

The Honors Colloquium provides a forum for

• focused discussion of books and issues
• interaction with guest speakers
• discussion of students' own scholarly or creative work

In addition, Honors Fellows enjoy unique opportunities for

• cultural events
• field trips and excursions
• participation in conferences and colloquia
• mentoring relationships with faculty

Students successfully completing the Honors College at Belhaven receive special honors at graduation. 

Enrollment in the Honors College is limited to a select group of students who have demonstrated

• academic achievement
• seriousness about their calling
• enthusiasm for challenging dialogue with students and scholars from a variety of fields

Honors College requirements include:

• committed, active participation in Honors College activities
• Honors-level courses in both the core curriculum and the major
• continuing excellence in academic achievement and writing

The Honors College at Belhaven gives academically advanced, highly motivated students a forum in which to deepen and expand their college education, both intellectually and spiritually.  Enrollment in the Honors College is limited to students who demonstrate a past record of academic achievement, seriousness about their calling, and enthusiasm for challenging dialogue with students and scholars from a variety of fields.  For admission requirements, see “Admission to the Honors College” under “Admission Requirements and Procedures” in this catalogue.

In order to graduate as an Honors Fellow, members of the Honors College must fulfill the following requirements:

• Five hours of Honors Colloquium (HNS), one hour per semester, normally to include two hours during the freshmen year.
• 18 – 21 hours of Honors (H) courses with a minimum grade of B in all Honors courses.  The 18 – 21 hours must include six hours from the Worldview Curriculum (WVC), at least nine hours from the student’s major, and three hours outside the major.  Honors courses required for specific majors may vary; see the catalogue for departmental requirements.
• Honors courses are available by special arrangement with fulltime faculty who have approved the Honors designation for their course.  Honors courses with part-time faculty must be approved by the department chair.  To merit the Honors designation, students must fulfill higher and/or additional requirements in the course that demonstrate integration of the subject matter with a Christian worldview.  Professors will indicate, via the syllabus, changes in grade weights and standards for Honors students.
• Honors courses will be designated on the student’s transcript with an H after the course number.  The faculty member must notify the registrar’s office of this change no later than the official last day to enter a class or change enrollment status.
• Maintenance of an overall GPA of at least 3.4.
• Committed, active participation in required Honors College activities (lectures, events, excursions, etc.), even during semesters the students is not registered for HNS.  Absences are permitted only in case of prior permission or emergency.

ADMISSION TO THE HONORS COLLEGE
Admission to the Honors College is limited to freshmen and sophomore students who demonstrate a past record of academic achievement, seriousness about their calling, and enthusiasm for challenging dialogue with students and scholars from a variety of fields.  A grade point average of 3.5 and an ACT score of 27 (1220 on the SAT I) are generally required for admission, along with a written essay.  Admission to the Honors College is selective and solely at the discretion of the Honors College administration.

For more information, contact
Dr. Melissa Hause, Dean of the Honors College
mhause@belhaven.edu
or Belhaven University
Office of Admission
601-968-5940 or 1-800-960-5940
admission@belhaven.edu