The University Honors Program gives special attention and recognition to superior students by providing them with opportunities to develop their abilities and interests in an individualized manner, within the framework of a high quality liberal education. All aspects of Honors Education should be judged on the basis of their facility in promoting this purpose.

The University Honors Program is a specially chartered University program which endeavors to provide academically enriched and intellectually stimulating experiences for a small group of select students. At Stetson the overall goals for undergraduate general education are set by the faculties of the respective colleges. The University Honors Program addresses these goals through a uniquely integrated curriculum consisting of a combination of specially designed seminars and special educational opportunities and experiences. In addition to the Honors Core curriculum (designated in the catalogue with the prefix HONORS), Honors students take regular courses from the undergraduate curriculum to fulfill the requirements in their majors.

The Honors Seminars offer a distinctive and challenging learning environment in which the student is asked to take an active role in the educational process. In particular, these seminars are designed to be interdisciplinary, team-taught, discussion-intensive and to have restricted enrollments, so that students might actively confront primary works. During these discussions, students are asked to analyze, critique, and react to the primary authors’ viewpoint, as well as to fellow students and the discussion leaders interpretations.

In addition to their general education within the Program, students elect a major field for concentrated study. A number of them pursue a minor and in some cases a second major as well. The skills and attitudes developed in the active learning environment of the Honors Core Courses serve as important tools as the student pursues the in-depth study of a particular discipline.

In the junior year, if not before, students participate in two significant experiences. One is a study abroad experience, which can be obtained in any of a variety of ways, depending on the students major and other circumstances. The other is a service learning experience, in which students will go out into the community to address its needs, either through an existing social service program or through a specially designed project. The service learning course will include an academic component that will address the history and/or practice of social activism and community-based programs.

In the senior year, students will participate in a senior colloquium, whose theme will vary from year to year. Students will explore a range of responses to contemporary conflicts, practices, and policies, bringing to bear the skills and knowledge they have obtained both through the University Honors Program and through their respective major(s) and minor(s).

As this suggests, Honors education does not consist only of certain classes and assignments. Honors education is a commitment of interested professors and select students united by their common interest in intellectual adventure. It entails also extracurricular conversations, gatherings, outings, and friendships of both a planned and spontaneous nature. It includes special advising and counseling opportunities intended to help Honors students derive the greatest benefit possible from their education.

II. Admission Requirements and Procedures

Admission to the University Honors Program requires special application to the University Honors Program Executive Committee. The Executive Committee desires to locate those select students of the undergraduate body who have the talents and interests actively to participate in the community of Honors here at Stetson. The Executive Committee tries to identify students who contribute to the Honors experience as well as benefit from it. To this end, the Committee will gladly receive the application of any student so inclined. In general, Honors students will have graduated within the top 10% of their secondary school classes and have combined SAT scores exceeding 1300.

A. Graduation Requirements

Five Honors classes:

1. Foundations of Knowledge and Understanding I (1 semester, 5 hrs)

2. Foundations of Knowledge and Understanding II (1 semester, 5 hrs)

3. Self and Society (1 semester, 5 hrs)

4. Justice and Ethics in Global Perspective (1 semester, 5 hrs)

5. Senior Colloquium (2 semesters, 2 hrs ea.)

B. Two specified Honors experiences:

1. Study Abroad (1 semester or other specified time, non-credit requirement)

2. Service Learning (1 semester, 3 hrs, pass/fail)

C. Additional proficiencies and/or courses:

1. Additional proficiencies and/or courses from the regular undergraduate curriculum as required by the students respective college for the degree being sought, as determined by the Honors Council and stated in the current University Bulletin.

2. Final overall GPA of 3.0 or better

3. Final HONORS GPA of 3.0 or better

NOTE: Some of the specific class requirements may be waived by the Honors Executive Committee if the student has a convincing argument stating why an exception should be made in his or her case.

III. Honors Course Equivalencies

To graduate, a student is required to fulfill the specific course requirements for his or her college and major.

For students who do not complete the program, Honors courses and experiences will substitute for the following non-Honors requirements:

For the College of Arts and Sciences:

HONORS COURSES	CR	GEN ED EQUIVALENTS	CR
Honors 1: Foundations of Knowledge and Understanding I	5	HY 101 (Civilizations) Religious Heritage	3 2
Honors 2: Foundations of Knowledge and Understanding II	5	Natural Science w/Lab Fine Arts	4 1
Honors 3: Self and Society	5	Social Science Fine Arts	3 2
Honors 4: Ethics and Justice in Global Perspective	5	Ethical Decision Making Social Science	2 3
Honors 5: Study Abroad	0	Contemporary Culture	0
Honors 6: Community Service	3	Elective	3
Honors 7: Senior Colloquium	2	Elective	2
Honors 8: Senior Colloquium	2	Oral Communications	2
8 courses	27		27

All students waive EH 121 and 131 if first full year is completed. The second Natural Science is not included in this sequence, as science is so distributed that those who fail to complete full sequence should not have credit. Those who complete the full sequence will not need additional sciences.

For the School of Business:

HONORS COURSES	CR	GEN ED EQUIVALENTS	CR
Honors 1: Foundations of Knowledge and Understanding I	5	Religious Heritage Option Communications Option	3 2
Honors 2: Foundations of Knowledge and Understanding II	5	Science Option w/Lab Non-Business elective	4 1
Honors 3: Self and Society	5	Behavioral Science Option Communications Option	3 2
Honors 4: Ethics and Justice in Global Perspective	5	Non – Business Elective Economics 101	2 3
Honors 5: Study Abroad
Honors 6: Community Service	3	Non – Business Elective	3
Honors 7: Senior Colloquium	2	Communications Option	2
Honors 8: Senior Colloquium	2	Non Business Elective	2
8 courses	27		27

*EH121 is waived if first semester is complete. EH 121 and 131 are waived if first full year is complete.

For the School of Music: (BM in all areas; see Arts and Sciences for BA)

HONORS COURSES

GEN ED EQUIVALENTS

Honors 1: Foundations of Knowledge and Understanding I

HY101

Religious Studies