Honors College membership is comprised
of students with outstanding
achievement in scholarship, community service, the arts, and/or
leadership. Membership in Honors is competitive with a maximum
of 40 seats open each fall. Current membership includes students
from 44 different academic majors.
Incoming first year and transfer
students normally are invited to apply to the Honors College
program if they demonstrate a minimum SAT score (a
combination of the math and verbal scores) of 1200 and at least two of the following:
1. Minimum high school GPA of 3.5
2. Top 20 percent of graduating class
3. Record of achievement in high school Honors/AP
courses
Review of candidates begins in late November and
candidates may only be reviewed once they have been
accepted to the university. Given competitive
enrollments in recent years, interested students should
apply to the university for acceptance by the end of
January to receive full consideration. A committee
reviews the Honors application forms (consisting of
essays describing involvement in co-curricular
activities, commitment to leadership development, and
fit with the Honor College's philosophy). Letters
of acceptance are sent out on a revolving basis,
generally beginning in mid-January, as applications are
reviewed. No seats may be guaranteed/held until a
deposit is paid to the university. Seats have
generally filled by late March at which time a waiting
list is generated.
Honors Seminar Certification Program
Students not entering Honors as incoming freshmen,
who have earned a minimum of 30 credits, and have a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA,
may apply for the Honors Seminar Certification Program, which affords all
benefits of full Honors College membership.
There is no SAT requirement for the Seminar
Certification Program or the UCP-LCE. They are both based on earned college
GPA.
To receive certification,
students need to complete a minimum of 12 hours of Honors course work at the
351/452 level and demonstrate active contributions and service to co-curricular
elements of the campus community.
Honors generally offers a minimum of three 351-level courses and higher each semester.
These are small group (15-24 students) seminar offerings that are interdisciplinary with writing
emphasis and have no prerequisites. Students may petition, on special
circumstances, to substitute an HON400-level independent study for three hours
of credit.
Undergraduate Certificate Program inLeadership
and Civic Engagement (UCP-LCE)
An intentionally designed cross-disciplinary
program, The Honors College challenges students from
multiple disciplines to develop their academic gifts for
leadership and apply them within the larger community.
Through the Undergraduate Certificate Program in Leadership
and Civic Engagement (UCP-LCE), our hope is to
reach out to academically motivated students beyond The
Honors College program and engage them in study of leadership issues
related to civic need and social action. Completion of
this certificate compliments The Honors College motto "To be
honorable is to serve" and will provide recognition for
students who take this challenge and build a record of
academic accomplishment for focused work in leadership and
community outreach.
Upon
application, applicants must have a minimum 3.0 grade point
average and must retain that minimum at time of final certification. Students
may apply for membership to the UCP-LCE following the completion of 12 semester
hours at the university or through transfer credit. Admission will also require
students to demonstrate a record of commitment to community service and
leadership and to have initiated a WCU co-curricular portfolio. The portfolio
must be updated and submitted to The Honors College Director at the time of
final certification. A minimum grade of C+ must be earned in all
UCP-LCE classes that are applied toward certification.
For more information or to
receive an application, contact:
Ms. Donna Carney, Honors College Phone: 610-436-2996
E-mail: honors@wcupa.edu
