Paul Prill, Director
The Honors College seeks to provide superior students with unique opportunities for intellectual challenge and growth. Classes are kept small in order that students and faculty members may exchange ideas in a format conducive to free discussion. Professors are chosen for their ability to inspire bright students to think and work independently and creatively, to develop intellectual curiosity, to express their ideas clearly and logically, and to respect the ideas of others. The college also encourages students to develop significant research interests and provides them with outlets on campus and at state and regional conferences to share their research with other students and faculty. In addition to the formal academic areas, the college seeks to help students develop by providing opportunities to attend musicals, plays, concerts, operas, lectures and art exhibits. The college is affiliated with the National Collegiate Honors Conference and is listed in Peterson’s Guide to Honors Colleges, 4th edition. For more information about Honors College visit the website at lipscomb.edu/honors. Students can also contact the director by email at paul.prill@lipscomb.edu.
Requirements for Admission
Freshmen
Admission to The Honors College is competitive. Those seeking admission to the college must complete an application process. Incoming students must have a minimum ACT composite of 27 (SAT of 1220).
Applications for The Honors College are available on the website noted above.
Other Students
Any student who has a 3.5 or higher GPA after the first semester may apply to be admitted to the college provided space is available. Transfer students who have participated in an Honors College or Honors Program at their previous institution may also apply to be admitted. Those entering the college after the first semester will need to meet with the director to determine how they will satisfy the requirements for graduation.
Honors Contracts
Students can obtain honors credit by doing honors-level work in regular 2000-, 3000-, and 4000-level courses in their major or minor by means of a contract arrangement with the course instructor. After the first semester, students can only obtain honors credit in 1000-level courses if the course involves travel abroad. The honors contract seeks to foster creativity and independence of scholarship as well as to develop a mentoring relationship with the faculty member. The contract project should add to the academic dimension of the course by introducing new material or by allowing the student to pursue in greater depth one of the topics on the syllabus. The project should be of sufficient scope for the student to present its results at a conference. The proposed contract must be approved by the Advisory Committee by the end of the sixth week of the semester. Students in The Honors College will receive instructions on contracts at the beginning of each semester.
Honors Caveat
If an honors student fails to maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA in all courses, the student will be notified of his or her provisional status in The Honors College. Students who fail to achieve a 3.5 GPA after two additional semesters will be suspended from the college. A student may reapply once he or she has achieved a 3.5 GPA. A student who fails to attend the minimum extracurricular activities or who fails to maintain the electronic portfolio will also be notified of his or her provisional status in The Honors College. Students will have one semester to rectify the extracurricular requirements before being suspended from The Honors College.
Honors Activities
Students in The Honors College are also expected to participate in one honors service activity and four extracurricular activities each semester.
Endorsement