Overview of Honors Program Mission and Goals
We Are A Community of Learners, Doers and Emerging Professionals.
Mission
Arcadia University's Honors Program integrates the Honors Students' drive to succeed academically with their ability to create change through local, national and global leadership. Students in this integrative and dynamic program become a community of learners, doers and emerging professionals as they engage in a challenging, interdisciplinary curriculum that explores new avenues of inquiry and venues of learning while putting their talents to work in real world experiences both at Arcadia and on a more global campus.
Specialized opportunities for professional-level scholarship, co-curricular experiences, mentoring, academic service learning, and presentations are provided to ready these students for their professional careers and maximize their marketability.
We Develop Leadership
In the Honors Program we believe that everyone needs to learn how to maximize their own strengths and be able to articulate how they will do just that. Our foundation leadership class focuses on getting students consciously aware of why they believe what they believe and how they can use their skills and strengths to create successful team outcomes in line with those core values and missions.
The Honors Program focuses in and out of the classroom on students’ leadership potential. Leadership is seen as the ability to work to your strengths in a team environment where your influence can lead to positive changes. The formal study of leadership begins in HN201 Explorations in Leadership where students move through a curriculum focusing on empathy, storytelling, mission statements, shared vision, values, communication, motivation, teamwork, networking and innovation. These same areas of emphasis are explored more experientially in HN 390 L where Honors Students use those skills to design and innovate in order to problem solve in real world scenarios. Then students are encouraged to use their developing leadership skills intentionally outside of the class in the vast array of supported opportunities to mentor, create campus events, intern, present and publish their work.
Program Goals
- Establish a community of Honors Students that fosters scholarly pursuits and leadership.
- Provide Honors courses that are academically inviting and challenging while encouraging students’ talents and broadening their knowledge base.
- Provide specialized opportunities to be mentored and be a mentor.
- Provide a curriculum that requires deep introspection of individual talents, values, and means of contributing to a team to create positive change.
- Provide opportunities beyond normal campus activities to expand and encourage cultural, scientific and artistic appreciation.
- Encourage Honors Students to actively participate in campus activities, assume leadership roles, and create new campus programs and events.
- Involve Honors Students actively in the Honors Program through the Honors Council and by initiating Honors projects.
- Provide access to and mentorship through scholarship applications
Honors Program Benefits
Take advantage of the perks you gain just by being a part of the Honors Program at Arcadia.
Academic Privileges
- Priority registration for classes.
- Permission to take up to 20 credits per semester after your first semester at Arcadia.
- Discounted fee of $300 for Spring Preview (50% off the regular fee).
Specialized Leadership Programming and Mentorship Opportunities
- Apply to the Alumni Mentor Program which pairs an alum with an Honors Student for the duration of their college career.
- Present at local and national Honors conferences.
- Join the Honors Council, which organizes regular social, cultural, professional, and community service events.
- Receive mentorship as you apply for prestigious awards such as the Fulbright, Barry Goldwater, and Udall Scholarships.
- Network with community leaders.
The Honors Hive
Your home on campus. A place for Honors Students to gather, meet, celebrate, study, brainstorm, have access to the Director, and relax! Students who are not currently affiliated with the Honors program are welcome to use the space as well when accompanied by their Honors peers! Amenities include a quiet computer room, a refrigerator to store your lunch, a microwave, a coffee maker for important studying energy, comfy couches, an all-gender bathroom, games, a television for group movie nights, and more.
Community and Relationship Building
- Off-campus excursions to enriching venues, premier museums, and restaurants.
- Camaraderie through social get-togethers as you plan for future events, share overseas experiences, and celebrate special occasions.
Valuable Professional Experiences Outside of the Classroom
- Run Arcadia’s online scholarly journal.
- Mentor high school students through the College Access Mentoring Program.
- Organize campus and community service events.
- Network with leaders from the wider community.
- Act as campus leaders on the Honors Executive Board.
- Participate in service learning projects organized by Honors students.
- For example: creating political debates to increase student engagement, creating living legacy trees with neighboring nursing homes, developing college readiness with at-risk youth organizations, and creating libraries for local homeless shelters.
Honors Program Requirements
As a student in the program, you must maintain a grade point average of 3.35 to remain in good standing. You also may not go more than one academic year without fulfilling an Honors requirement.
For Students Who Begin as Freshmen or Sophomores
- Honors sections of the first-year writing course, EN 101 Thought and Expression I. The Honors section of this course includes an intensive, integrated, multi-disciplinary project. Students accepted after their first year who have satisfied the English requirement (EN 101) will not be required to take this course.
- HN 201 Exploration in Leadership, an interdisciplinary course focusing on leadership practice and reflection, with an emphasis on team potential. Must be completed by the end of your sophomore year.
- HN 202 Honors Project, an independent research project outside the student’s major area of study for 2 credits. All Honors Project students are given a mentor in the field of their desired project. See examples of projects.
- HN 390-level Colloquia, which are investigative, interdisciplinary seminars addressing open-ended topics. These seminars are unique to the Honors Program and explore topics not normally covered in the standard curriculum.
- Students may also adapt an upper level class in their major into an HN 390-level course by doing an additional project in that class.
- Occasionally HN 390-level courses are organized with a study abroad component which typically includes eight to 10 days spent studying abroad.
- Every Honors Student will take a HN 390 Leadership class that exposes students to problem solving, leadership theory and an opportunity to do a serious service learning project or similar quality experience. The "L" designated classes all focus on teamwork, problem solving, experiential learning outside the classroom and reflective practice.
- Typical 390-level courses: HN 390 Honors Colloquia, HN 391L Music, Art and Memory, and HN 392 Writing Nature in the 21st Century
Recommended Scheduling of Honors Classes
| Freshman Year |
Sophomore Year |
Junior/Senior Years |
|---|
| EN 101H Thought and Expression I (Honors) |
HN 201 Exploration in Leadership |
Three HN 390-level courses. One must have an "L" designation, i.e., HN390L. |
| |
HN 390 Honors Colloquia or HN 202 Honors Project |
You may adapt an upper-level course in your major into an HN 390-level course by doing an additional project in that class. |
For Students Enrolled in a Three-Year program
- HN 201 Exploration in Leadership
- Three additional (3) Honors classes prior to graduation.
For Students Who Enter the Program in Their Junior Year
- Four (4) Honors classes prior to graduation.
Honors Program Admission Policy
First-year students who score at least 1350 (new SAT) or 1900 (old SAT) or 29 or better on the ACT Composite and are ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class (if their school ranks students) will be considered for admission into the program.
Transfer students with a GPA of 3.50 or better will be reviewed. Also, current full-time Arcadia students can self-nominate for the program if they have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
Students who fall below these credentials, but would still like to be considered for Honors Program acceptance can apply online. These applications are rolling. Review of these applications will begin January 1st, so it is recommended that students get their applications in early as the program is competitive.
Credentials from all groups are reviewed for demonstrated excellence in academics, leadership, and service. Final decisions are based on the credentials of the candidates and the availability of space within the program.
