“Being part of the Honors Program has given me a chance to challenge myself academically, as well as feel a sense of recognition and accomplishment. Now that the time has come to start thinking about transferring, I am thrilled to be able to add this to my transcript.”
--Crystal Davison, class of 2003
The Honors Program at Dean College provides academically talented and motivated students from any major the opportunity to participate in rigorous courses and stimulating cultural and co-curricular activities with a dedicated and gifted faculty.
Participation in the Honors Program has opened up outstanding transfer and scholarship opportunities for Dean graduates, including acceptance into and scholarships from some of the best institutions in the country such as Cornell University, the University of Michigan, Simmons College, Middlebury College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and McGill University.
Academic offerings form the foundation of the Honors Program at Dean College. In classes kept intentionally small, faculty encourage critical thinking and support lively discussions to engage students in a more in-depth study and analysis of the discipline than occurs in non-honors classes. Honors scholars enroll in two honors academic offerings each semester, which fall into one of three categories:
- Honors sections of specific courses: in these sections, honors students pursue the particular course in greater breadth and depth than non-honors sections of the same course. Only honors students may enroll in these sections, allowing for rigorous discussion and a lively pace throughout the semester.
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Honors enrichment seminars: through these seminars, honors students transform a non-honors course into an honors course through additional readings and assignments, as well as an additional weekly seminar with the professor and other honors students in the course.
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Honors Colloquium: each semester, the honors program offers an interdisciplinary honors colloquium for sophomores, juniors and seniors, whereby a current issue is explored from the perspective of three different academic disciplines. Team-taught in a seminar format, recent honors colloquium topics include: Race as a Social Construct (English, history, and sociology); The Media: Social Critic or Social Manipulator (business, communications, and philosophy); Race, Class and Power: An Agenda for Social Action (criminal justice, political science, and sociology).
The cultural and co-curricular component of the Honors Program enrich the educational experience of the honors scholars by exposing them to a wide variety of cultural and co-curricular offerings, contributing to their well-rounded liberal arts education. All honors scholars attend at least two events each semester, which are fully funded by the Honors Program.
In the past three years, cultural and co-curriculum offerings have included: honors receptions with campus speakers, including The Color of Water author James McBride; trips to museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center near Mystic, Connecticut; assorted productions at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence; performing arts productions on campus; an honors book club; and lecture series involvement, including “Science Goes to the Movies”.
Students may be admitted to the Honors Program at one of two times – when they are initially applying to Dean College or after they have enrolled at Dean College.
To be admitted into the Honors Program during the initial application process, students must meet the following criteria:
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a minimum high school Grade Point Average (GPA) of a 3.3 and a combined SAT I of 900 or better; or a minimum high school GPA of a 3.0 and a combined SAT I of 1000 or better;
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a written recommendation from a faculty member.
Once enrolled at Dean College, students may also be admitted to the Honors Program provided they have a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher and a written recommendation from a faculty member.
To maintain enrollment in the Honors Program, students must earn a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher; receive a B or higher in any honors courses taken; participate in and complete a minimum of 2 honors academic offerings each semester; attend a minimum of two honors cultural and co-curricular activities each semester.
Contact Nailah Randall-Bellinger
Director of the Honors Program
508-541-1736 or nbellinger@dean.edu
