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Honors Program
Winthrop University's Honors Program is designed to enrich the college
experience for highly talented and motivated students. Through interactions
with outstanding faculty and peers, a vital community of scholars is created
that embraces the pursuit of knowledge for the enhancement of intellectual
and personal growth.
The Winthrop Honors Program has evolved into one of the university's most
exciting offerings. The program requires completion of at least 23 hours of
honors courses and a service learning course/project. To receive honors
credit for a course, the student must complete the course with a grade of B
or better. A cumulative GPA of 3.30 is required to enroll in honors courses.
Advantages of participating in
the Honors Program include small, intensive,
interactive honors courses, honors advising and
academic support. Honors Program students are also
provided honors
residence hall accommodations in
Wofford,
Richardson and
The Courtyard residence halls, priority registration and honors recognition
and regalia at commencement.
Application Process
Honors Program Application (MS Word) (pdf)
Freshman Applicants
Freshman admission into the Honors Program is based upon the applicant's
high school GPA, test scores and essay. All admitted freshmen with an ACT
score of 27 or SAT score of 1200 (excluding writing scores) and a cumulative
GPA of 3.5 will be invited to apply for Honors Program admission. Applicants
should submit a one-page essay on the topic below to the following address:
Winthrop University Honors Program
7A Bancroft Hall
Rock Hill SC 29733
Winthrop University recently hosted the
Southern Regional Honors Council
Conference "Curiosity: The Spirit of Honors Inquiry," the title for which
comes from the writings of Foucault. He suggests... "it (curiosity)
evokes 'concern;' it evokes the care one takes for what exists and could
exist; a readiness to find strange and singular what surrounds us... a
fervor to grasp what is happening and what passes..."(Foucault, 1980).
In
a one-page essay please reflect on the significance of curiosity and its
relevance to your participation in the Honors Program at Winthrop.
Invitations to apply to the Honors Program are extended beginning in
January.
Transfer and Upperclass Applicants
Transfer and upperclass applicants who are interested in participating in
the Honors Program should contact Dr. Kathy Lyon at the link on this website
or by telephone at 803-323-2320.
Requirements for the Honors Program Degree:
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General Education Component: HMXP102H, CRTW201H (6 credit hours).
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Coursework Component: Completion of 15 credit hours of honors coursework
with a minimum of 6 credit hours in the major and 3 credit hours outside the
major.
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Cultural Component: One honors symposium must be completed (1 credit hour).
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Independent Study Component: A senior thesis/project must be completed in
the student's major (may count as part of the 12 credit hours in the major
or as HONR450H - Honors Thesis for 3 credit hours) and completion of
HONR451H Thesis Symposium (1 credit hour) at the time the thesis is written.
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Service Learning Component: A service learning class/project must be
completed.
In addition to the Honors Program Degree, Winthrop encourages honors
students to participate in international study abroad opportunities by
offering an Honors Program Degree with International Experience.
Requirements for the Honors Program Degree with International Experience:
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Same Components as described above for the Honors Program Degree.
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International Experience: Completion of an extended experience outside the
U.S. in a learning environment. A semester of study abroad in an exchange
program, or other university program, is the best and most common way to
accomplish this. An equivalent total duration comprised of multiple short
experiences, each at least three weeks, can also meet this requirement.
Distinguishing features of Winthrop’s Honors Program courses include:
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Symposia which bring together talented students and exceptional teachers in
a small group setting.
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Interdisciplinary learning which often bridges seemingly disparate areas of
study.
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Instructional alternatives such as team-teaching, guest lectures, or visits
to sites or events associated with the subject of study.
Honors Courses -- Categories:
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Honors sections of regular courses are smaller, more selective versions of
standard courses. For example, instead of a lecture class with standardized
tests, honors sections may consist of 15 students graded on the basis of
in-depth essays and contributions to class discussions.
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Special topics courses are generally interdisciplinary in nature, sometimes
taught by two faculty from different disciplines. Food and Power: Politics,
Public Policy and Hunger, The Films of Orson Welles, and the Arthurian
Tradition are examples of recent special topics courses. Such courses make
it possible to cover subjects of particular interest to current honors
students.
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Contracted honors courses allow students to earn honors credit in subjects
for which no formal honors courses are available. Any course is eligible,
provided the student contracts with the professor to do work of sufficient
sophistication, either in place of, or in addition to, the regular
requirements of the course. A written agreement must be drawn up within the
first few days of the semester and approved by the Honors Committee.
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Independent study, in the form of research or creative work, is required for
an honors degree at Winthrop. Prior to the beginning of the semester in
which the work is to be undertaken, a prospectus must be approved by the
faculty project director, the appropriate department chair and dean, and the
Honors Committee. A creative project will result in a public exhibition or
recital. Student researchers are encouraged to submit their findings to the
National Collegiate Honors Council Conference, a meeting that brings
together scholars from honors programs throughout the United States, or to
the
Southern Regional Honors Council Conference, a meeting of honors
programs in the Southeast.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Kathy Lyon, Director
Honors Program
(803)323-2320
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