Southeastern University’s Honors Program is designed for students with a record of academic success who would like to be challenged in preparation for their careers or continued graduate studies. As part of this selective program, you will take two to three honors courses per year, each enhancing your major core or fulfilling your general education requirements. This means the Honors Program will not require you to extend your undergraduate experience. In all, you will complete 24–27 credit hours of advanced study in the program.
Cultivating within its scholars a passion for developing their personal faith and higher learning so that they may pursue truth and lead lives full of good work to serve as vibrant leaders in their professions, Christian communities, and through the world in the spirit of Christ.
The program not only challenges students and gives them a richer academic experience but it also comes with significant benefits.
Although Honors Program students already qualify for a Chancellor’s Scholarship at $9,000 per year, you will also receive $3,000 more as a member of the program, equaling to nearly $50,000 over a four-year period.
You qualify for early course registration — meaning you have first choice when it comes to choosing your class schedule.
Honors Program graduates participate in a special medallion ceremony and receive a “University Honors Scholar” designation at graduation and on their transcripts.
The honors students and their professors truly do become a family. The program offers you a place to call home and connect with other high-performing students. As part of a cohort, you will take classes with other honors students in your academic year. For example, as a freshman, you will take Christ, Culture and the University with your cohort.
The following are just a few of the social activities offered specifically for honors students:
The culmination of the Honors Program is a thesis project focusing on your specific interests and areas of study. Thinking of going on to grad school? The thesis involves researching, planning and writing and serves as excellent preparation for future graduate study. This project may even position you ahead of other graduate program applicants who haven’t had the same opportunities for such extensive research and writing. And since many graduate schools require lengthy, scholarly essays, your finished product can be used as a writing sample when applying for admission.
The following are sample thesis topics chosen by previous Honors Program students:
The Process of Bible Translation and the Importance of Contextualization
Ashley Haag, BA in English and Intercultural Studies
Ethnocentrism in Short-Term Missions: Time Spent Abroad and Its Effect on Cultural Attitudes
Rachel Hill, BA in English and Intercultural Studies and BS in Psychology
Qualitative Meta-Analysis on Three Aspects of the Federal Budget: The Process, Politics, and Policies
Morgan Hittinger, BS in Public Policy and Minor in Business
Taking Ownership: The Empowerment of Youth in Ministry Through Positions of Responsible Service and Leadership
Daniel Sinex, BS in Practical Theology and Minor in Youth Ministry
Creating Female Space: The Feminine Sublime in The Awakening and The House of Mirth
Emily Faison, BA in English
Allowing for Low-Cost Labor in Underdeveloped and Developing Countries as a Method for Initiating Economic Industrialization
Jordon Wolfram, BS in International Business
Confucianism and Its Influence on the Identity of Women in Korea: A Study of the Role of Women during the Choson Dynasty
Bogeum “Gospel” Kim, BA in English
Inhibition as it Pertains to the Elderly: A Study to Determine Whether or Not There is an Inhibition Deficit in the Elderly in a United Methodist Church Congregation
Molly Peterson, BA in English
An Exploration of the Reconciliation Model at the Max Rayne School in Jerusalem, Israel; The Cycle of Victimization, Structural Discrimination and Nationalistic Abuse, Familial Socialization and Psychological Trauma of Children in Relation to Israeli-Palestinian Context
Amelia Sampat, BA in English and Intercultural Studies and BS in Social Work
What are current and past students saying about the SEU Honors Program?
“This opportunity has meant the world to me, and everything this program has done has shaped my life forever.”
“Like everyone else, I wrestled with the thesis, honors classes and my regular workload. But completing the thesis and receiving the award as the Most Outstanding Accounting Major were both incredibly proud moments for me, and I’ll never regret working so hard to accomplish that much.”
Katherine’s thesis topic was “Effectiveness of Peer-Facilitated Workshops on Student Performance in Introductory Financial Accounting.” She now works as an audit associate for Clifton Allen Larson LLP in Washington, D.C.
“The Honors Program at SEU challenged me to take my college education to another level; without it I would not be the writer, speaker or leader I am today.”
Kristen’s thesis topic was “A Call to Love: Campus Climate Concerning Individuals with Same Sex Attraction.” She now works as the co-director of a family ministries camp in North Carolina.
“The Honors Program was the single most important part of my college experience. First, the academic experience is much more engaging and in-depth than that which I would have gotten without it. The honors courses and professors stretched me beyond what I thought were my limits and opened me up to a new level of achievement. The thesis was difficult, and like everyone, I considered not finishing it, but it was worth it. It strengthened my law school application and made a big impression on the alumnus that I interviewed with.”
Peter’s thesis topic was “Democracy in Postmodern America: Why the Postmodern Worldview is Incompatible with America’s System of Society and Government.” He was awarded a full scholarship to George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.
“The honors thesis highly influenced my graduate work. MSW [Master of Social Work] programs require research projects to graduate. The Honors Program leaders did an excellent job in guiding me to choose a thesis topic that directly related to my field. Dr. Albertini was an amazing thesis mentor and guided me to produce a thesis that later became the building block for my graduate work. I was able to start graduate school with a large fraction of my graduate research done for the initial phase of graduate thesis and research.”
Rachel’s thesis topic was “Inclusion Classrooms as it Relates to Self-Esteem, Behavior, and Social Skills.” She went on to complete a master’s degree in social work at Missouri State University.
For more information about the Southeastern University Honors Program, please contact Dr. Gordon Miller at honors@seu.edu.
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