Honors Program
Welcome to the Mitchell College Honors Program
Program Mission
The Honors Program is designed to empower highly motivated students to apply interdisciplinary perspectives to real-world contexts while pursuing an individualized research or creative project. The Honors Program contributes to undergraduate scholarly inquiry and strives to foster civic responsibility, global awareness, leadership, and life-long learning.
Program Values
The Mitchell College Honors Program values academic excellence, leadership, service, and inclusion.
Program Goals
The Honors Program elevates student scholars and engagement through:
- Critical and interdisciplinary inquiry into complex topics
- Undergraduate research through an independent thesis or creative project
- Leadership through community engagement and service initiatives
- Civic responsibility, global awareness, and empathic engagement with others
Curriculum Overview for Honors Students
The Honors Program is designed to develop and enhance your ability as an undergraduate scholar preparing you for graduate school and beyond. Your first- and second-year seminar experiences provide foundational knowledge and skills toward your Honors research project beginning your junior year and culminating in a thesis defense presentation your senior year.
The journey is as important as the destination…
First Year Experience for Honors Students (First-Year Seminars & College Writing/Research)
As a first-year Honors student you will be part of a learning community through your First-Year Seminar and College Writing & Research courses. These Honors classes will provide you with foundational and supportive tools for adapting to life as a college student, advancing your academic discourse and writing skills, and building a lasting and memorable cohort of Honors friends and scholars.
Sophomore Seminars (HR201/HR202)
During sophomore year, Honors students engage in theme-based seminars emphasizing diversity and global perspectives and critical and creative thinking. Sophomore seminars enhance your academic research skills while exploring current topics that may inform your Honors research project.
See a sample syllabus for the Honors sophomore seminar on disinformation and news media here.
Junior Seminars (HR301/HR302)
As juniors, Honors students are ready to select their Honors thesis topic and choose a faculty mentor (or team of mentors) with expertise to support your research or creative project. Junior year is a time for digging into the literature, deepening your knowledge about your topic, and formalizing a thesis writing plan.
Senior Seminars (HR401/HR402)
As an Honors senior, you will be busy writing and editing your Honors thesis; meeting regularly with your faculty mentor; and demonstrating advanced skills in critical and creative thinking and effective communication. Once you have successfully presented your project in the Spring of your senior year and have fulfilled all of your degree requirements you will earn Honors Scholar distinction at commencement.
Honors Program Student Leadership
The Honors Student Council provides student voice in governance of the program and serves to initiate and execute Honors student service and enrichment events/activities. The Honors Student Council reports to the Honors Faculty Advisory.
Applying to the Honors Program
The Mitchell College Honors Program employs a holistic admissions review process supporting diverse student populations and serving students from all majors and programs. Any prospective student can apply to the Honors Program. While traditional criteria like GPA are employed, a written essay and space for additional information about the applicant’s experience is included. Currently, the review of Incoming First Year Students’ transcripts focuses on junior and senior year due to the impacts of Covid-19 on student learning.
Incoming First-Year Students
Students who demonstrate an exceptional academic record in high school are considered for the Honors Program. At the time of admission to Mitchell College, accepted students who have a 3.3 cumulative GPA or higher with evidence of academic rigor on their high school transcript, including Advanced Placement and/or dual-enrollment courses, are encouraged to apply to the Honors Program.
Continuing and Transfer Students
Mitchell College students who have a 3.3 cumulative GPA and a minimum of 15-credits of college coursework are eligible to apply into the Honors Program up until spring of their sophomore year. Current Mitchell students who show exceptional academic performance are also encouraged to apply to the Honors Program.
The application for First-Year and Continuing/Transfer students is the same. The Honors Program admits students only for the fall semester each year.
Application Requirements:
Submit the Honors Program Application (link below), including a prompted essay and two letters of recommendation (at least one from a professor/teacher):
QUESTIONS
For questions about the Mitchell College Honors Program, please contact Dr. Nancy Parent, Honors Program Director, parent_n@mitchell.edu, Tel (860) 701-7703.
