Description of the Program

To further academic excellence and to inspire intellectual curiosity, Ouachita Baptist University provides an Honors Program for selected students.  Students selected to participate in the Honors Program pursue 7 hours above their regular degree plan to explore subjects not offered through the regular curriculum.  These explorations take place through a one-on-one directed study between an honors student and his or her chosen professor and through two small group seminars team taught by two professors taking an interdisciplinary approach.

 

Outline of Honors Hours Taken Year-by-Year

Freshman Year

Students use their freshmen year to find their niche at OBU. Freshmen honors opportunities are mainly social, such as the Freshmen Gathering during Orientation, the Honors Fall Retreat (odd years we retreat to the great outdoors; even years we retreat to cultural events in the city), and the select invitations to breakfasts with visiting lecturers.

The best indicator for pursuing an honors degree is your enjoyment of Honors Sections of Core Classes.  Take as many Honors Core classes as you can to see if you wish to pursue independent research within the honors program as an upper classman.

Sophomore Year. 

Take a one-hour Honors Seminar. Attend annual retreat.

Junior Year

Study one-on-one with a professor in your Directed Study. Take another one-hour Honors Seminar.

Summer of Junior Year

Travel off campus to do research
(funded research has taken students to all seven continents).

Senior Year

Submit multiple drafts of your thesis to your 3-professor committee.
Present your research on Scholars Day.

How to Join the Honors Program

There are two ways to join the honors program. The first way occurs at the beginning of a student’s freshman year. All incoming freshmen with a 3.500 high school G.P.A. and a 28 or higher ACT are invited to join the Honors Program. The Honors Director will send these students a written invitation to join prior to their registering for classes. Then, those freshmen who choose to be a part of the Honors Program are able to sign up for CORE Honors courses during their first and second semesters. After a student’s freshman year, she usually knows if she wishes to embark on independent research through the Honors Program. If the student decides that her niche is elsewhere at Ouachita, she may exit the program at any time by notifying the director.

The second way to join the Honors Program is to qualify after one’s first semester on campus. After one semester in residence and the completion of 15 semester hours with a minimum G.P. A. of 3.500 other freshmen and sophomores will be sent a written invitation from the Honors Director to join the Honors Program. If those invited wish to join, they send the Honors Director an e-mail stating their response, accompanied by two letters of recommendation from faculty members. The Honors Council, a committee of faculty representing each school of the university, judges the applications. Finally, the Honors Director notifies the students of their acceptance and opportunities.

To express your intent to join the Honors Program, send an e-mail to Dr. Barbara Pemberton, Director, pembertonb@obu.edu.