Honors program

The honors program at Bluffton is a four-year program designed to challenge intellectually ambitious, highly motivated students in all disciplines. In keeping with the mission of Bluffton University, the honors program has a special emphasis on integrating academics, spiritual growth, individual growth and service. Finally, in addition to coursework, the program sponsors special cultural events and social events for honors students and individualized help with advising and applications to graduate and professional schools.
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While pursuing their major field of study, students enroll in honors sections of five of the liberal arts and sciences courses.

ENG 120 Advanced College English
COM 185 Public Speaking and Persuasion
HUM 221 Humanities 1

One of:  REL 252 Introduction to New Testament
              REL 273 Christian Theology
              REL 274 Christian Ethics

LAS 400 Christian Values in a Global Community

In addition, these students complete a special, three credit hour honors seminar in the junior year:
HON 310 Junior Honors: Community Transformed

Students may enter this program having met these criteria: 1) acceptance into Bluffton University, 2) submission of a separate honors program application and two letters of recommendation from teachers, 3) a minimum 3.5 GPA; and 4) minimum ACT and SAT scores, respectively, of 26 and 1140. Students may also enter the program during their first year of study at Bluffton University. These students must 1) submit a separate honors program application demonstrating commitment to all aspects of the program, 2) submit two letters of recommendation from Bluffton professors, and 3) have a minimum 3.3 GPA.

Continuation in the program requires a 3.3 GPA and collecting 5 Civic Engagement Units per year. Civic Engagement Units can be collected by participating in a combination of social, service and academic events.

Honors program students receive an education full of challenge, opportunity, service-learning, relationships with faculty and peers and serious consideration of cross-boundary living in a complex world. In turn they render important service, leadership and academic standards that are consonant with Bluffton s mission.

More on academic honors.

Courses

HON 310 Junior Honors: Community Transformed (3)
This seminar allows students to develop individual or collaborative service-learning research proposals in their own majors or other areas under the supervision of a faculty facilitator. In some cases the scope of the proposal may allow it to be implemented during the course term. The proposal may develop from service-learning that students have done with other honors program participants or present a new avenue for service-learning and research. Through sharing their experiences and discoveries, students will participate in guided discussions that address such questions as: What does it mean to have original ideas? , What is the vocation of an academic? , How/where do advanced academics, service and faith intersect? , What are distinctive characteristics of various disciplines? and Why/how should one approach graduate school and/or a professional career? Another portion of this seminar will address strategies for graduate school opportunities, finance and pre-entrance preparation. Guest speakers from across the college campus and beyond will be invited to complement discussions in this seminar.

^{August 2012}