Office of the Dean
103
McClellan Hall
Box 41017
Lubbock, TX 79409-1017
(806) 742-1828
Fax (806) 742-1805
honors@ttu.edu
www.honr.ttu.edu
|
Gary
M. Bell, Ph.D.
Dean |
exas Tech University offers special programs for highly motivated and academically talented students who want to maximize their college education. The Honors College combines the personal attention and challenging instruction of a small liberal arts college with the diversity of course offerings, extra-curricular activities, and intellectual opportunities of a major research university. Honors courses are small, student-centered, and discussion-oriented. Honors seminar classes are interdisciplinary and often examine connections among related areas of study. Honors courses provide a learning experience that complements and expands on any academic major or career path. The goal is for students to see relationships among different areas of study, develop critical thinking ability, obtain research experience, learn a foreign language, gain international exposure, and obtain communication skills that will allow them to become informed and independent thinkers and successful practitioners in whatever career path they choose.
With the exception of students who enroll in one of the two Honors majors, students accepted into the Honors College are also enrolled concurrently in the college that houses their major area of study. Enrollment in the Honors College provides a number of benefits for students. It allows them to meet and interact with other highly motivated students and offers special benefits such as early registration, housing in an Honors residence hall (on a first-come, first-served basis), extended library privileges, opportunities to expand their intellectual awareness (e.g., a weekly current events forum), and formal and informal contact with Honors College faculty members. The college also schedules a variety of special events such as speakers, recreational activities, and cultural performances. The Honors College is able to award a small number of scholarships for high achieving students as well as those qualifying on a need basis. Partial funding is available to support study abroad and undergraduate research.
Honors students are encouraged to engage in the greatest possible range of educational experiences during their time in the university, including: (1) the Honors Undergraduate Research program, which enables students to take part in undergraduate research with faculty in many disciplines and prepares them for more advanced work at the graduate level; (2) international study, which enhances marketability and fosters personal growth and acquisition of cultural knowledge and language skills; and (3) personalized academic advisement.
Honors students who complete at least 24 hours of Honors credit (including two Honors seminars) graduate “In Honors Studies,” a distinction that is noted on transcripts and diplomas and receives special recognition in the graduation program. Those who also complete a senior thesis consisting of 6 additional hours graduate with “Highest Honors.”
Students must make special application to be considered for admission to the Honors College either as an entering freshman or as a continuing Texas Tech or transfer student. In general, threshold application requirements for incoming freshmen are a composite SAT score (reading and math only) of 1200 or above, a composite ACT score of 26 or better, or graduation in the top 10 percent of the high school class. However, the Honors College applies a portfolio approach to student admission by considering in the admission process such factors as application and entrance exam essays; student activities; and special skills, abilities, or experiences. Therefore, students whose SAT, ACT, or class standing do not meet the threshold requirement may still gain admission, just as students who surpass those requirements may not be admitted.
For continuing Texas Tech or transfer students, eligibility to apply is based on a college GPA of 3.4 or better. The college also will consider admitting students who do not meet the above criteria but offer a compelling reason why they should be part of the program. Admission is competitive and contingent upon the pool of applicants for any given year. Admission deadlines and information are posted online at www.honr.ttu.edu.
To continue participation after being accepted into the Honors College, a student must maintain a minimum 3.25 GPA while at Texas Tech and demonstrate adequate progress toward completion of the Honors degree requirements. For more details, see the Honors Student Handbook online at www.honr.ttu.edu.
The Honors College encourages interdisciplinary work and presents a range of courses and programs that offer such opportunities. At the heart of the Honors College experience is a series of departmental classes taught by some of the university’s most talented professors. These courses include those fulfilling both Core Curriculum and specific major or minor requirements. They are generally limited to 25 students and are faster paced, more interactive, more writing intensive, and more personalized than their regular-section counterparts. The Honors program also offers a variety of seminars on special topics that explore specific subject areas in-depth.
Texas Tech School of Medicine
Early Acceptance Program (Back
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The joint Texas Tech University–Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Early Acceptance Program offers an exciting opportunity to select Honors College students by allowing them to waive the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and apply early (typically the junior year) to the School of Medicine (SOM) at the Health Sciences Center. Successful applicants to the Early Admission Program are notified of their acceptance to the medical school in late January and must complete their baccalaureate degree prior to admission to the SOM.
The primary goal of this special program is to encourage Honors students to broaden their educational experiences before they enroll in their professional studies. The waiver of the MCAT allows students to include coursework or other experiences in areas such as languages, the humanities, mathematics, and business, thus enabling them to become more well-rounded professionals.
General Requirements for Application. Early acceptance is available to Honors students within any major, so long as the requirements for entry to the School of Medicine are met and the students are judged to be exceptional candidates by the SOM Admissions Committee in the circumstances under which they apply. Students who are eligible to apply must meet the following criteria:
- Enroll officially in the Honors College.
- Enter Texas Tech as freshmen (students classified as transfer students upon entering Texas Tech are ineligible).
- Be legal residents of the state of Texas.
- Have earned a composite score of at least 1300 on the SAT (verbal and math portions only) or at least 29 on the ACT upon matriculation at Texas Tech (the composite score must be earned in one test administration).
- Submit a “checklist” form to the Honors College during their semester of application to the SOM.
For further information about this program, see www.honr.ttu.edu.
Honors College/School of Law
Early Decision, Admission Plans
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Early Decision Plan. The Honors College and the School of Law cooperate in an Early Decision Plan that allows exceptional Law School applicants who are Honors College students in good standing to receive notification of their acceptance during their third year at Texas Tech. Enrollment in the School of Law does not occur until after the student receives a baccalaureate degree.
To be eligible to apply for Early Decision, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5.
- Have a LSAT score that places them in the top half nationwide.
- Have a SAT score of at least 1300 or an ACT of at least 29.
- Be enrolled in the Honors College and be making satisfactory progress toward a baccalaureate degree with a diploma designation in Honors studies.
Students must apply during the fall semester of their third year and must take the LSAT by December of that year. Students who receive and accept an Early Decision offer must commit to enroll at the Texas Tech School of Law and may not apply to other law schools. The School of Law Admissions Committee applies the same standards and procedures for Early Decision applicants and applicants reviewed under the traditional admission process.
“3+3” Early Admission Program. Honors students in good standing who are working toward the B.A., B.S., B.F.A., B.M., or B.G.S. degree in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the College of Arts and Sciences, or the Honors College may gain early admission to the Texas Tech University School of Law by completing coursework totaling a minimum of 100 semester hours in their undergraduate college and then completing the first year of coursework at the Texas Tech School of Law. To be eligible to participate in this program, students must meet all of the following criteria:
- Have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5.
- Have a LSAT score that places them in the top half nationwide.
- Have a SAT score of at least 1300 or an ACT of at least 29.
- Be enrolled in the Honors College and making satisfactory progress toward a Visual and Performing Arts, Arts and Sciences, or Honors College degree (B.A., B.S., B.F.A., B.M., or B.G.S.) consistent with the regulations established by the colleges.
Students must apply for the “3+3” program during the fall semester of their third year and take the LSAT by December of that year. Students who accept Early Admission must commit to enroll at the Texas Tech School of Law and may not apply to other law schools. The School of Law Admission Committee applies the same standards and procedures for “3+3” applicants and applicants reviewed under the traditional admission process.
For more information on the Early Decision Plan and the Early Admission Program, see www.honr.ttu.edu.
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Arts and Letters (Back
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The Honors College emphasis on breadth of education extends to a multidisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Natural History and Humanities. This degree is founded upon a broadly based, multidisciplinary curriculum designed to enable students to gain a working knowledge of the natural sciences, philosophy, and the humanities. It is distinctive in that it emphasizes the application of science knowledge to a creative endeavor.
The knowledge and skills obtained through this degree will enable students to pursue a number of post-graduate options, including graduate school, science journalism, nature writing, nature photography, museum science, documentary filmmaking, and other careers that require a merging of science and humanities disciplines.
The natural history and humanities curriculum is a true interdisciplinary degree designed ultimately to direct each student toward an individual course of study. In the first two years of the degree plan, all students have common coursework that will allow them to experience a sampling of several different creative paths and to obtain a broad understanding of the sciences (chemistry, physics, biology, geosciences) and how they integrate.
The foundation of the freshman and sophomore years is three semesters of science and three semesters of special natural history and humanities seminars designed to verse students in the philosophy, history, and theories and practices of natural history and the humanities. At the start of the junior year, students will work under the guidance of the program director to customize a course of study that reflects a specific career direction. This ensures that a sound working knowledge of a particular field can be obtained prior to graduation. In addition, students also will be guided toward producing a senior portfolio. This will include spending two semesters working on the portfolio under the guidance of the director and a faculty mentor in the field of the student’s choice. Under special circumstances, permission may be granted for student portfolio projects to be supervised by a qualified mentor who is not affiliated with Texas Tech University. Students also will be encouraged to seek out summer internships in the field of their choice beginning in the summer of their junior year.
Contact information: Dr. Gary S. Elbow, 211 McClellan Hall, gary.elbow@ttu.edu,
(806) 742-1828.
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Natural History
and Humanities (Back
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The Honors College emphasis on breadth of education extends to a multidisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Natural History and Humanities. This degree is founded upon a broadly based, multidis-ciplinary curriculum designed to enable students to gain a working knowledge of the natural sciences, philosophy, and the humanities. It is unique in that it emphasizes the application of science knowledge to a creative endeavor.
The knowledge and skills obtained through this degree will enable students to pursue a number of post-graduate options, including graduate school, science journalism, nature writing, nature photography, museum science, documentaries, and other careers that require a merging of science and humanities disciplines.
The natural history and humanities curriculum is a true interdisciplinary degree designed ultimately to direct each student toward an individual course of study. In the first two years of the degree plan, all students have common coursework that will allow them to experience a sampling of several different creative paths and to obtain a broad understanding of the sciences (chemistry, physics, biology, geosciences) and how they integrate.
The foundation of the freshman and sophomore years is three semesters of science and three semesters of special natural history and humanities seminars designed to verse students in the philosophy, history, and theories and practices of natural history and the humanities. At the start of the junior year, students will work under the guidance of the program director to customize a course of study that reflects a specific career direction. This ensures that a sound working knowledge of a particular field can be obtained prior to graduation. In addition, students also will be guided toward producing a senior portfolio. This will include spending two semesters working on the portfolio under the guidance of the director and a faculty mentor in the field of the student’s choice. Under special circumstances, permission may be granted for student portfolio projects to be supervised by a qualified mentor who is not affiliated with Texas Tech University. Students also will be encouraged to seek out summer internships in the field of their choice beginning in the summer of their junior year.
Natural History and Humanities Minor (Back
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Students may complete an 18-hour minor in natural history and humanities by completing NHH 1301, NHH 1302, NHH 2301, NHH 3300, NHH 3350, and 3 additional NHH-specific hours of their choosing or 3 hours of portfolio work.
Contact information: Dr. Susan Tomlinson, 201B McClellan Hall, (806) 742-1828, susan.tomlinson@ttu.edu
The purpose of the humanities minor is to provide the inquiring and curious student a flexible and interdisciplinary program to explore the creative works of human beings—literary, musical, philosophical, religious, theatrical, and artistic. The minor encourages a broad-based and overarching approach to the investigation of human accomplishment that expresses visions of life and values for living which offer both delight and wisdom.
For students majoring in the sciences or professions, the interdisciplinary humanities minor offers an enriching educational experience. For students already majoring in a single discipline among the humanities, this minor provides a broader awareness of the background of ideas and arts that shape our world. The introductory humanities courses also fulfill Core Curriculum requirements or provide elective credit.
In the humanities 19-hour minor, the student takes two 3-hour foundation courses, HUM 2301 and 2302. Under the director’s guidance, the student chooses to focus on one of three tracks: Ancient, Medieval/Renaissance, or Modern. The student then selects one course from each of three categories within each track (Art and Architecture, Language and Culture, and History and Philosophy) as well as an additional course from a category of the student’s choice. The student’s experience culminates with completion of a one-hour capstone course (HUM 4100), which requires an essay that summarizes the ways in which the courses within the selected track relate. The final course of study must be approved by the director.
Contact information: Dr. Gary S. Elbow, 211 McClellan Hall, gary.elbow@ttu.edu,
(806) 742-1828.
Click here to view alphabetical listing of all TTU faculty and their academic credentials.
Although Honors courses are taught by professors in departments and colleges throughout the university, the following faculty have appointments exclusively with the Honors College or have joint appointments that include the Honors College.
Professors: Bell, Elbow, Haragan, Maqusi (Visiting), Purinton
Associate Professors: Brink, McGinley, Wilhelm,
Assistant Professors: Ashby-Martin, Bradatan, Calkins (Visiting), Caswell, Leslie, Tomlinson
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