Honors Program

B.A. (Honors) Degree
B.S. (Honors) Degree
B.S.N. (Honors) Degree

In addition to meeting all other graduation and major requirements, students wishing to earn an honors degree from Graceland University must be formally admitted to the honors program by the Honors Council, graduate with a minimum grade point average of 3.50, both cumulative and in their honors work, and complete a minimum of 21 s.h. of honors credit, including:

Four 3 s.h. honors classes earned through specially designed individual study, honors contracts that convert regular class offerings to honors classes, or specially designed honors offerings (e.g. Honors English) 12 s.h.
INTD3800 Junior Honors Seminar 3 s.h.
INTD4800 Senior Honors Seminar 3 s.h.
ACCT-THTR4850 Honors Thesis/Senior Project (discipline number assigned to correspond to topic) 3 s.h.

Application for admission to the Honors Program may be made upon admission to the university or anytime during a student’s college career. Successful applicants are normally expected to meet both of the following criteria:

1. A composite Enhanced ACT score of 25 (SAT 1140) or above.
2. A minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average at the time of admission into the program.

The Honors Council is, however, free to admit other students who present alternative evidence of exceptional academic promise. Students interested in admission to the program but for whom ACT or SAT scores are low or not available are urged to consult with the program director.

Honors Courses

ENGL1440 English Honors 3 s.h.
Designed to help exceptional students improve their writing skills and increase their understanding of their linguistic environment by combining extensive writing practice with a study of language, the basic principles of logic, and the various form of written discourse (exposition, narration, argumentation, description). Admission by selection only. Goal 1b, 4ab, 4c1

ENGL3250 Advanced Composition: Honors 3 s.h.
Designed to increase the writing skill of upper-division Honors students. Emphasis on the interconnections of critical thinking, reading, writing and the sustained scholarly research process. Prerequisites: ENGL1410 or ENGL1440 and Junior standing. Admission for Honors students or by instructor consent. Goal 1b, 4c1, 4ab

HUMN2330 Honors Humanities: Ways of Seeing 3 s.h.
An interdisciplinary foundation course in the shared and unique approaches to human experience of the visual artist, musician, creative writer, and philosopher. Course content draws freely on major cultural landmarks from each discipline. Prerequisite: Honors Program or instructor consent. Goal 2b, 10

INTD4800 Senior Honors Seminar 3 s.h.
A series of weekly discussions of topics selected by seminar participants for a broad cross section of intellectual disciplines. Each participant is required to prepare specified readings in advance of weekly sessions and to share in planning and conducting discussions. Offered in the fall semester only. Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors Program and junior or senior standing.

ACCT-THTR4850 Honors Thesis/Senior Project 3 s.h.
A major scholarly paper or senior project planned by the honors student and executed in consultation with an approved faculty member. To count toward an honors degree, the student must receive a grade of A or B. The thesis/project will be evaluated on the basis of its originality, quality of research, and presentation. A prospectus must be approved by the Honors Council before significant work is begun. The subject of the thesis/project may be outside the student’s major and may be interdisciplinary in scope. Prerequisites: Senior standing and admission to the Honors Program.