Honors Program

Shawnee State University has designed its Honors Program for students with exceptional academic ability and curiosity. The courses designated as fulfilling the Honors Program give these students unique opportunities for reflection, discussion, and investigation while also fulfilling certain standard graduation requirements. The program brings these students together in a challenging but supportive environment which nourishes their intellectual, social, and creative growth.

• Honors Classes. Honors classes are specially designated sections of the General Education Program (GEP). Honors classes emphasize writing as well as critical and analytical thinking, and other skills relevant to the course. In addition, students are encouraged to think independently and creatively. Honors students graduating with a four-year degree are required to take six specially designated GEP classes (18 semester hours) for Honors. One of these must be Senior Seminar for Honors. Honors students graduating with a two-year degree must take three (9 semester hours) specially designated GEP courses for Honors.

Any SSU student with a minimum GPA of 3.3 or higher may register for an Honors course without officially joining the Honors Program, at the discretion of the instructor, provided there are sufficient places in the course for Honors students.

• Honors Activities. The Honors Program offers several events, specifically designed for Honors students, each academic year. These events may focus on a theme or topic of interest or special significance or may be designed to provide an opportunity for enhancing the community of Honors students. Honors students are expected to participate in one Honors activity per year.

Honors Program Admission Requirements

• Admission as a Freshman. Admission into the Honors Program is selective and attempts to build a community that has the characteristics of a selective admission college or university within the larger population of Shawnee State. Incoming freshmen who have taken advanced placement courses or courses for college credit as a high school student may be eligible to have credit of up to nine semester hours approved toward Honors graduation requirements at the discretion of the Honors Program director or the provost. At least nine semester hours of Honors courses must be completed at Shawnee State University. Incoming freshmen students who have applied for or accepted admission at SSU may be offered admission in the Honors Program under the following criteria:
  • Evidence of significant scholarly achievement in high school (generally in the upper 10 percent of their graduating class or a high school GPA above 3.5);
  • Or a score above 27 on the ACT or combined 1,100 on the SAT;
  • Or other demonstrated potential for academic success (e.g. significant leadership abilities, extracurricular activities, student awards)
• Transfer Admission. Transfer students may qualify for admission into the Honors Program based on their high school record or prior academic achievement. Students who have maintained a minimum GPA of 3.3 at another institution of higher education may be offered admission into the Honors Program. Transfer students who have taken relevant courses at other institutions may request that up to nine semester hours of appropriate classes be applied to the Honors Program at the discretion of the program director or the provost. At least nine hours of Honors coursework must be completed at Shawnee State.
• Admission of Current SSU Students. Any Shawnee State student with a minimum GPA of 3.3 may be admitted into the Honors Program.

Honors Graduation Requirements

• Honors Program Certificate for Bachelor’s Degrees. Students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.3 and satisfactorily complete 18 credit hours of specially designated Honors sections of the GEP. Nine hours, which include Honors Senior Seminar, must be completed at Shawnee State University.
• Honors Program Certificate for Associate Degrees. Students are required to satisfactorily complete any nine semester hours of specially designated Honors sections of the GEP and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.3 at Shawnee State.
  
  For further information about the Honors Program, contact Rhoni Maxwell-Rader, director, Honors Program, Administration Building, room 132, phone 740.351.3094, or email rmaxwellrader@shawnee.edu or Susan Montavon, secretary, Massie Hall, room 124, phone 740.351.3177.