Honors Program FAQs
What is the Dominican Honors Program?
The Honors Program at Dominican University of California provides enhanced and alternative modes of education for excellent and highly motivated students throughout the university. It encourages the growth of intellectual independence and initiative, offers special opportunities for independent study and research under faculty mentors, and supports the pursuit of scholarly interests in a broad range of disciplines. It aims to bring together enthusiastic students and faculty in order to further the Dominican ideal of intellectual excellence. The program is for students who seek to be co-responsible for the pace, organization, and development of their academic experience by electing to take special honors seminars and/or various forms of independent honors work.
How do students enter the Honors Program?
Students are invited into the Honors Program on the basis of a high level of past academic performance (minimum 3.50 cumulative index including transfer coursework) and, in the case of incoming first year students, combined SAT entrance exam scores of 1100 and GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students may be accepted into the Honors Program at any point in their academic careers. Although late admission may mean that a student will not be able to complete the requirements to graduate as an Honors Program Scholar, the student can take advantage of the program offerings. Any student who feels she/he can succeed at and benefit from the Honors work is welcome to speak to the Honors Program Director about participating.
My major is very demanding, can I still be involved in the Honors Program?
Absolutely. All majors at Dominican University of California have been and are represented in the Honors Program.
What are the requirements for becoming an Honors Program Scholar (Honors Program Graduate)?
To become an Honors Program Scholar, a student must have maintained a 3.50 cumulative index while completing a combination of Honors seminars and Honors contracts that total 7 courses/projects for those who entered the Honors program as first year students. Transfer students will be expected to complete a portion of this requirement depending on the academic standing upon entrance to the Honors program at Dominican University of California. (For example, a sophomore transfer student would be expected to complete 5 courses/projects). The minimum requirement for graduation from the Honors Program by a transfer student is four semesters of residence and four Honors projects while maintaining the 3.50 cumulative index. All students have to complete an Honors Thesis. On the official transcript, both the award (Honors Program Scholar) and the title of the Honors Thesis are recorded.
May I participate in the Honors Program if I do not want to become an Honors Program Scholar?
Yes. Students determine their own level of involvement in the Honors Program. Honors work is currently of two kinds at Dominican: Honors Seminars and Honors Contracts.
What are Honors Seminars?
Taught by faculty across the University, Honors Seminars are small, interdisciplinary, discussion-oriented courses. The seminars' rigor and depth stimulate, conceptually challenge, and intellectually stretch highly capable students, encouraging them to perform at the highest level of excellence. Honors Seminars are open to students outside the program on a space-available basis. The course offerings for Honors Seminars vary from semester to semester and are listed in the academic schedule of classes. There is also a yearly Honors travel program, "City as Text." (2003: Greece; 2004: Italy; 2005: India)
What are Honors Contracts?
The Honors Contract documents the projects which students propose and construct in lieu of a course or within a course. The student projects are guided by faculty mentors. The four kinds of Honors Projects, each of which requires the completion of an Honors Contract and approval by the Honors Board are:
- Independent Study;
- Course Expansion (taking a course offered in the regular curriculum but working with the instructor/mentor to develop a Honors project that would expand the unit total of the course);
- Course-Conversion (taking a course offered in the regular curriculum, electing not to expand the unit total, but working with the instructor to transform the course requirements into an Honors project(s) that furthers the student's initiative, creativity and knowledge;
- Enrolment in a Graduate Course.
What are some benefits of participating in the Honors Program?
Some of the short-term benefits include: use of the Honors Center, in Library 209; priority enrolling in Honors Seminars; participating in the Honors trip Abroad; participating and taking leadership role in Honors student association, L.I.F.E. (Learners Interested in Fascinating Experiences); and other Honors Program extracurricular activities. One long-term benefit can be enhanced preference at graduate schools. Admission committees are impressed by those who choose to follow the more challenging path of an Honors Program. Current research indicates that employers are also looking for graduates who have excelled in programs that stress independent, analytical thinking. Many students have attended and presented their research at national meetings such as National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Two of the greatest rewards of being involved in the Honors Program are the intellectual excitement one has experienced on the way and the sense of personal satisfaction received from a job well done. A student who successfully completes the Honors Program as an Honors Program Scholar has this sense of recognition.
How does the Honors Program relate to the University's other honors categories (i.e. Gamma Sigma, Dean's List and the "Cum Laude" designation at graduation)?
The current grade-point related HONORS designations (Alpha Chi, Gamma Sigma, Cum Laude, etc.) remain available to all students at the University. Graduation from the Honors Program as an Honors Program Scholar depends not only on grade-point average, 3.5 or above, but on the completion of the required number of Honors Projects (determined in conjunction with the Honors Director), and the Honors thesis.
For more information contact:
Dr. Jayati Ghosh
Professor, School of Business and Leadership
Director of Honors Program
Phone: 415-485-3238
Email: jghosh@dominican.edu
