The Honors Program at Monmouth College is intended for a select group of well-qualified students and incorporates a variety of special courses germane to liberal education. The Program is designed to reinforce and extend the perspectives of the General Education curriculum, but it does not substitute for it.
Each of the courses is distinctive and may not be cross-listed for credit in other departments. The first course in the Program (Honors 100) serves as a one-credit introduction to intellectual enrichment opportunities through faculty and student presentations, and issue-based symposia. Honors 110 extends the conversation begun in ILA and Honors 100 with special attention to critical thinking and the perspectives provided by various branches of intellectual inquiry.
In the middle section of the Program students pursue in-depth examinations of the thought and work of figures and of events, movements, and ideas instrumental in shaping our world, through the selection of three Honors 210 courses. From there students enroll in a specially designed junior or senior-level, interdisciplinary, independent study course whose outcome is a project and public presentation (Honors 410). Finally, for one credit in the senior year (Honors 420) Honors students are invited to select an activity or project from a menu of service learning, campus leadership and research opportunities.
Acceptance into the Program is determined competitively, first by invitation and application at the time of admission, and then again at mid-semester of the fall semester of the freshman year. Sophomores, and sophomore transfer students may also seek admission. Their applications will be considered on an individual basis. To be recognized as an Honors Graduate, a student will normally have taken at least 17 semester hours in the program, including Honors 100, 110, 410, and 420, attain at least a B- in each course, and graduate with a 3.5 college-wide GPA. A participant in an officially sanctioned ACM-GLCA off-campus study program may be released from one Honors 210 course. Possible release from Honors 410 because of Off-Campus Program attendance will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis with the Honors Committee.
Courses are reserved initially for Honors students. If space is available, others may enroll with the consent of the instructor.