The McAllaster Scholars Program
In addition to qualifying for individual academic honors, students, regardless of their major, who meet the eligibility criteria,1 may apply for admission to The Greenville University McAllaster Scholars Honors Program. This academic program was established in 1995 to provide a “value-added” dimension to the excellent, Christ-centered education students regularly receive at Greenville University. The honors program consists of a blend of enriched sections of several general education classes2, special honors seminars (see HONR in the course listing that follows), and experiential learning opportunities offered in an enhanced educational environment that strive for small class sizes to encourage total student participation, facilitate spirited discussion, and promote greater student-faculty interaction. Outside the classroom, the honors programs offers a co-curricular program consisting of diversified cultural, social, and educationally-oriented activities and events developed especially for program members. The honors program encourages its members to be persons with multi-dimensional interests who participate in a wide range of College sponsored events, activities, and organizations.
Students admitted to The McAllaster Scholars Honors Program automatically become members of The Honors Society, the student organization within the program which elects officers who assist with the planning and implementation of the aforementioned activities and other community building opportunities.
The Greenville University McAllaster Scholars Honors Program strives to emulate the guidelines, “Basic Characteristics of a Fully-Developed Honors Program,” developed by the National Collegiate Honors Council. It, also, cooperates with member institutions of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities by encouraging GU students to participate in one of the nearly twenty semester-long academic programs coordinated and promoted by CCCU that are offered at off-campus sites, both domestic and abroad. Locally, The McAllaster Scholars Honors Program is administered by a director who is assisted by an Honors Council composed of faculty and students.
To graduate with The McAllaster Scholars Honors Program recognition, students must fulfill the requirements of their academic major, earn a minimum of 25 credit hours of honors work, maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 and complete a Departmental Honors Thesis under the supervision of a three-person faculty thesis committee. Graduates of the Honors Program are awarded a special medallion and receive recognition at commencement and on their transcript.
1The eligibility criteria for membership are based on the ACT/SAT score, high school grade point average, class rank and a writing sample. Check with the Director of The McAllaster Scholars Program for the current requirements and an application.
2 Honors sections of general education courses presently include: COMM 101H Honors Speech Communication, CORE 102H Honors Christian Thought and Life, ENGL 243H Honors Global Literature, HONR 105 McAllaster Scholars Foundations Seminar, HIST 101H Honors Western Civilization, PHIL 250H Honors History of Philosophy I, PHIL 251H Honors History of philosophy II, PSYC 101H Honors General Psychology, SOCI 101H Honors Principles of Sociology. Plans are in process to expand the number of Honors sections to other general education courses. Also, members may earn “honors credit” in a regular course by means of an Honors Option which is a contractual agreement with the instructor to engage in learning activities that qualitatively enrich the content and/or the experiences beyond those expected of other members of the class.