Executive Director G. Baxter
Assistant Professors W. Winstead, T. Michael, R. Shepherd, G. Van Cleemput University Honors Advisory Committee H. Agnew, B. Berman, F. DuVinage, R. Heller, L. Jacobson, G. Jostova, D. Khoury, K. Larsen, L. Maddox, H. Nau, M. Pardavi-Horvath, J. Sibert, G. Stephens, B. Wood The University Honors Program offers exceptional entering students the opportunity to engage in a distinctive, participatory program of study and conversation designed to prepare them—whatever their gifts and interests might be—to meet the complex challenges of the 21st century. The program invites students to become active global citizens and to develop a humane perspective on the world. It sustains a community where students and faculty learn from each other inspired by academic challenge, hard questions, and a desire to make a difference. The program serves approximately 500 selected students, or five percent of GW's undergraduate student body. Incoming students may apply to the Honors Program at the time they apply to the University. The program is characterized by small, seminar-style classes with enrollments capped at 15 students; faculty who serve as mentors, models, and guides in the learning process; problem-, question-, or case-based classroom approaches that call upon students to initiate inquiry, work collaboratively, and drive the exploration and learning process; interdisciplinary tools and modes of inquiry; and global or cross-cultural perspectives and course content. Honors Program students enroll in the proseminar sequence, Honr 15–16, 33–34 in the first year and Honr 47–48, 53–54 in the second. In the third and fourth years, they pursue course work in their majors, including special or departmental honors and/or independent or mentored research. All Honors students participate in the capstone course, Honr 199, Honors Global Issues Project, and complete a departmental or Honors senior thesis or project. Honr 23, Honors Quantitative Reasoning, is an elective that students may choose to take at any time. The Honors proseminars meet certain general curriculum and elective requirements of the respective undergraduate schools. Honr 15 is the required University Writing course for Honors students. In order to remain in good standing, Honors Program students must enroll in at least 15 credit hours each semester and, except for the first year, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher. First-year students must achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Successful participation in the program is recognized and recorded on a student's official transcript.