Description and Requirements
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Honors Program |
Overview
Purpose: The Bentley University Undergraduate Honors Program allows our most talented and intellectually curious undergraduate scholars to pursue a portion of their Bentley University studies in specially designed Honors courses or sections. These courses emphasize readings from original works (rather than textbooks), and classes are small and conducted seminar-style, with an emphasis on students’ own oral and written contributions. The program aims:
- To provide greater challenge and satisfaction to our best students, both in curricular and co-curricular activities;
- To nurture appreciation for academic excellence and
intellectual depth and breadth; - To satisfy the intellectual curiosity of those motivated to
excel without isolating these students from the larger
university community.
Admission to the program: Approximately the top ten percent of each entering class is invited to participate in the Honors Program. The program attracts upwards of 100 students from each class. A letter inviting students to participate in the program requires a reply by May 1. Thus, participants will be identified prior to their arrival for orientation in mid-June. The Undergraduate Admission staff may become aware of other students who express a keen interest in an Honors Program but do not meet the above criteria. The consideration of these individuals will be at the discretion of the program directors and will depend in part on whether the maximum number of students is already enrolled.
Conditions for Continuation in the Program: To participate in the program, students must be enrolled full time. Full-time enrollment is defined as a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester, but certain academic circumstances, such as internships, may warrant exceptions to the full-time requirement. Students must, from the time they are admitted, meet all of the curricular and co-curricular requirements as defined by the director and the Honors Council. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 and must earn at least a 3.3 in the senior-year Capstone Project. The director with the advice and consent of the Honors Council, certifies students successfully completing the Honors Program.
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Requirements
Honors Courses: Student scholars are expected to enroll in one or two honors courses each semester during the freshman year and two courses each year following. The honors courses offered each year are selected from those which first-year students normally take, and they satisfy existing graduation requirements. The senior year is devoted to completing the Capstone Honors Project (ID 440).
Capstone Honors Project: The senior Capstone Project will be based upon two criteria:
- The project will be research based, where research can
mean discovery, analysis, synthesis, exploring implications,
or application. - Topics may be in any field, but the project must explore relevance to contemporary society.
Three credits (senior year) are devoted to research and writing,
either in a seminar setting or in a directed study with the project adviser. The completed project will be reviewed by the adviser
and other appropriate readers. At the end of senior year, students will present their work to interested students and faculty at the Honors Conference.
Honors Requirements for Juniors and Seniors
In their last two years at Bentley, honors students are expected to enroll in a minimum of three honors experiences, including honors courses in their majors, the capstone project course, plus one other honors course or directed study.
Upper Level Honors Courses for Arts and Sciences Majors
Honors students pursuing a BA degree in EN, HI, INT, LA, PH, follow the usual DRS for their majors, plus the capstone project (ID 44X), which may count as a major-related course. In doing so they take upper level courses (or honors directed studies, XX 401H) as decided in consultation with the chair of their major departments. The student and the chair should communicate to the Director the agreed-upon selection of advanced courses (in addition to those carrying the "honors" designation) for that student. For example, for some students Calculus III counts as an honors course, even though there are not enough honors MA majors to create an actual honors section.
Questions or concerns? Consult with the chair of your major department or the Director of the Honors Program.
Co-curricular Activities: Special speakers, cultural programs, films, lectures, field trips to exhibits and performances in the greater Boston area will be sponsored throughout the academic year. Honors recognition events will be sponsored each spring.
Advising: To facilitate a strong advising relationship and mentoring, faculty teaching in the Honors Program will serve as advisers to student scholars.
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