Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is eligible for
the Dutile Honors Program?
A: Eligibility
criteria for first-time freshmen include an ACT score of
28 or higher or an SAT score of 1240 or higher (combined verbal and quantitative scores) and a high school GPA
of 3.5 or higher. Applicants must complete an application for
admission to SBU, an application for admission to the Honors
Program, an essay, and an interview.
Q: How do I apply for
the Honors Program?
A: The Honors Program application is available on the SBU Honors Program website by October 15. Applications
will be considered as soon as they are received by the Director. In
addition, Honors Program applicants must apply for admission to SBU.
Q: When is the deadline
to apply?
A: The deadline to
apply for the Honors Program is December 31.
Q: Are there scholarships connected to the Honors Program?
A: By applying for the Honors Program, students are automatically considered for two academic scholarships: the Dutile Scholars Award and the J.R. Maupin Founders Award. The Dutile Scholars award is a full-cost scholarship (tuition, room, board, and required fees) and will be offered to one student who is accepted to the Honors Program. The J.R. Maupin Founders Award is a full-tuition scholarship and will be offered to a minimum of five students who are accepted to the Honors Program. Recipients of these awards must maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA and participate in the Honors Program in order to maintain the scholarships. All Honors Program applicants will be considered for these awards.
Q: Are Honors courses
more difficult?
A: Honors courses
are not designed to be more difficult; however, they are designed
with an Honors Scholar in mind. The format of the class and the
teaching style of the professor stimulates discussion and challenges
students to apply higher lever thinking skills.
Q: What are the benefits
of the Honors Program?
A: Honors Program
students have the opportunity to take nine honors-specific courses,
participate in special cultural opportunities, take advantage of
early enrollment for classes, enjoy centralized academic advising
with the Honors Program Director and faculty members in their major,
and receive recognition on the transcript and at graduation.
Q: What do I have to do
to stay in the Honors Program?
A: Honors Students
must complete the four components of the program and maintain an 3.25 cumulative GPA. The components
are: academic, spiritual, servant leadership, and an intercultural
experience. See Program Requirements for more information.
Q: Are the Program
requirements the same for transfer students?
A: Transfer students will be considered on an individual basis. Transfer students
are required to complete two Colloquia, Capstone Experience, and two honors electives. If a student transfers courses equivalent
to FAR 1003, UNI 1111, or UNI 1121, then the student is not required
to take the honors version of these courses. Transfer students are required to fulfill the other
three components of the Honors Program (spiritual, servant
leadership, and intercultural experience).
Q: Do Honors students
have to take a lot of extra courses?
A: The Honors
versions of University Seminar, Critical Thinking, and Introduction
to Fine Arts are required for all Honors students and fulfill
General Education requirements. Honors students must complete at least two of the following: Honors Composition, Honors LIFE Economics, Honors Fundamentals of Speech, and Honors US History I. Each of these courses also fulfill
General Education requirements. The Honors Colloquia (2 semesters
of a 1-hour course) and the Honors Capstone Experience (1-3 hours)
are requirements for the Honors Program and are not requirements for
General Education or a major. These courses (a total of 3-5 hours)
are the only "extra" course requirements in the Program. See Program Requirements for more information.
Q: Do the students in
the Honors Program do anything special together?
A: Several events
are planned each semester for Honors students. From a Dessert Party
to attending STOMP at Juanita K. Hammons Hall in Springfield, the
Honors Program students have many opportunities for fun and
culture. See Honor Events for more information.
Q: Is there housing
specifically for Honors students?
A: Honors students
are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Honors housing. Female
Honors students are housed in Leslie Hall and male Honors students
live in Landen Hall.
Q: What is the Honors
Colloquium?
A: A "colloquium" is
an exchange of ideas and thought. The Honors Colloquium will
include guest-lecturers, instructor-led discussion, student-led
panel discussion, student presentations, and other formats for the
exchange of ideas on a particular theme. Students will be able to
apply higher level critical thinking skills to discern truth from
the variety of world views presented during the course and
synthesize information into a coherent framework. The Colloquium is
a 1-hour course. Students will complete two Colloquia.
Q: What is the Honors
Capstone Experience?
A: The Honors
Capstone Experience is a senior-level course that allows the Honors
Scholar to complete research or a project in the student's area of
study. The Capstone Experience is 1-3 hours of credit depending on
the depth of the research. A faculty member in the student's major
area will supervise the student's work. The course allows the
student to synthesize and evaluate information acquired during
independent research in order to create an original work.
Q: May I talk to someone
about the Honors Program?
A: The Honors
Program Director, Allison Langford, would love to talk with you
about being an Honors Scholar. You may contact her by email at alangford@sbuniv.edu or call her directly at 417-328-2093. If
you would like to schedule a campus visit or talk to an Admissions
Representative, contact the Office of Admissions at 417-328-1810.
We can arrange an Honors class or a class in your major for you to
visit while on campus. We can also arrange a meeting with the
Honors Director or a faculty member in your major area.