The Honors Community at Union University is designed
to engage academically talented students in conversations
across disciplines that highlight the breadth and
unity of knowledge while also exposing them to the depth
of knowledge within a given discipline. Foundational to
this design is the University’s commitment to the unity
of knowledge within the Christian intellectual tradition.
Conversations across disciplines occur within the context
of an Honors Colloquia series; in-depth analyses occur
through strategies within Honors Curricula, primarily the
use of Honors Contracts.
Participation in the Honors Community is open to all
students. All members of the greater learning community,
as well as the public, would be invited to participate
in Honors Colloquia. Showcasing conversations across
disciplines, the Colloquia will spark interest in qualified
students who will be enticed to pursue more in-depth studies
through formal admission into an honors program.
Formal participation in the Honors Community will afford
students the benefits of Honors Student status, including
enrollment in honors-designated classes for credit, additional
scholarship support, grants for research and travel,
mentoring by a faculty member, and ultimately, designation
as an Honors graduate. However, students who have a particular
interest in a subject may take honors contracts in a
course without formal admission into the program.
Honors Curricula
Union University is currently expanding opportunities
for students to have honors level academic experiences.
Beginning in the Fall of 2008, students may pursue honors
level work in their major. Moreover, Union is currently
researching proposals to provide students the opportunity
to conduct honors level work in the core and hopes to
have a program operating shortly.
Discipline Specific Honors
To be eligible for admission in discipline specific honors,
students must have an overall cumulative 3.5 GPA after
completing or transferring at least 15 credit hours into Union
and meet any specific department requirements. Students
not meeting these requirements may petition the department
directly for admission into departmental honors.
To graduate with discipline specific honors, students
must attend at least four honors colloquia during their
junior year and four honors colloquia during their senior
year, complete 12 hours of honors courses in the
major, complete an honors project/thesis in their major,
maintain a 3.5 GPA, and fulfill any other requirements
established by the department.
