University Honors
Dr. Ellen J. Jenkins, Director
Witherspoon Hall, Room 239B
(479) 968-0456
ejenkins@atu.edu
Dr. Jamie Stacy, Assistant Director
Dean Hall, Room 107C
(479) 880-4046
jstacy4@atu.edu
The University Honors program at Arkansas Tech University provides an enriched intellectual experience for students of outstanding educational talents and leadership potential. At Arkansas Tech University, the honors student will benefit from opportunities to interact with other highly-motivated students and outstanding professors in the challenging atmosphere of small, innovative honors classes specially designed to foster rational enquiry, critical thinking, and analytical skills.
The high school student should apply to University Honors as early as possible during the senior year, since the deadline for applications is noon on the first day of December. Honors students are selected through a competitive process requiring admission to the university, a written essay, and a personal interview on our campus. To be eligible for University Honors, the high school student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher and either be in the top 10% of his high-school graduating class or have an ACT Composite of 27 or higher.
Students in University Honors take special General Education courses which are not designed to be more difficult but are tailored to the students' unique abilities. Sophomores participate in on-campus and community volunteer projects, followed by participation as peer mentors during the junior year. The senior year requires completion of the Senior Honors Project, as well as presentation of project results at an annual Senior Honors Symposium.
Students selected for the University Honors program receive generous stipends in addition to any academic scholarships Tech has designated for them.* They also have such privileges as preferred preregistration and housing selection, the chance to live in our Honors Living/Learning Community, opportunities for individual directed study with Tech professors, and special recognition at commencement. The prescribed curriculum for the University Honors program is provided below.
*University Honors stipends are not eligible for Academic Intervention or Summer Earn Back programs.
Honors Curriculum |
||
| Freshman Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester: | HONR 1003 Freshman Honors Seminar | 3 hours |
| HIST 1543 Honors World History to 1500 OR | 3 hours | |
| HIST 2043 Honors United States History to 1877 | ||
| Spring Semester: | ENGL 2183 Honors Introduction to Film | 3 hours |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall Semester: | ECON 2103 Honors Principles of Economics I | 3 hours |
| Campus Service Component | ||
| Spring Semester: | PHIL 2043 Honors Introduction to Philosophy OR | 3 hours |
| ENGL 2023 Honors World Literature | ||
| Campus Service Component | ||
| Junior Year | ||
| Fall Semester: | Mentor incoming Honors Freshmen | |
| Spring Semester: | Write proposal for the Seniors Honors Project | |
| ENGL 2023 Honors World Literature OR | 3 hours | |
| PHIL 2043 Honors Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall Semester: | HONR 4093 Senior Honors Project | 3 hours |
| Spring Semester: | Honor students will present their Senior Honors Projects at the Senior Honors Symposium. |
|
| Total Hours | 21 | |