About Honors Program
Mission Statement
The Liberty University Honors Program is designed to provide gifted and talented students with the opportunity to achieve their highest intellectual and creative potential in a nurturing, Christian atmosphere with caring and credentialed Honors faculty.
Qualifications
Eligibility for High School Students
- GPA of 3.50 or higher (unweighted)
- 1330 SAT (critical reading and math) or 28 ACT
Eligibility for Transfer or Liberty Students
- Fewer than 60 college credits
- GPA of 3.50 or higher
Benefits
Recognition at Graduation
Graduation marks the culmination of your achievements as an Honors student at Liberty University. In addition to the distinction earned, Honors students are recognized in the following ways upon graduation from Liberty University and the Honors Program.
Special Honors Notation on Transcripts
University transcripts identify all Honors coursework as Honors.
Graduation with Honors
Students who are in good standing at graduation, complete their minimum Honors requirements, and complete a Senior Honors Thesis/Project will have their graduation distinction noted on the diploma. In addition, students receive an Honors scholar certificate.
Commencement Program
The Liberty University commencement program at the graduation ceremony identifies all Honors Scholar graduates.
Honors Medallions
Honors Program graduates receive a special medallion to wear at Commencement.
Medallions are distributed at the Senior Honors Thesis party. Students who cannot attend the luncheon may pick up their medallions at the Honors Program office after the event.
Early Registration
An early class registration period, a generous Honors or National Merit scholarship, and a smaller class size (15:1) for general education Honors seminars are just a few of the benefits enjoyed by our Honors students.
Over 40 Honors seminars are offered across the curriculum: these courses are discussion-driven, emphasize higher-level critical thinking skills, and are taught by our senior faculty, over 90% of whom possess a doctorate in their teaching discipline.
Once Honors students reach junior status, they petition one Honors course per semester (3 total) in their desired major field of study: these petitioned courses provide additional academic enrichment enabling the student to complete an Honors project jointly agreed upon by the professor and the Honors student.
Additionally, the experience of completing a Senior Honors Thesis is especially beneficial for those who, upon graduation, choose to pursue graduate degrees at other institutions of higher learning that request a writing sample as part of their application process. All recent Honors theses are published electronically on the Digital Commons website.
Scholarships
- Standard Honors: $4,000 annually
- National Merit Finalist: Full Tuition, Room, and Board
- National Merit Semifinalist: Full Tuition
- National Merit Commended: Full Tuition
All 740 students accepted into the Honors Program receive the $4,000 annual scholarship for four years (8 semesters). In addition, National Merit Finalists receive full tuition as well as room and board. Semifinalists and Commended students receive full tuition. A certificate from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation is required. The National Merit scholarships are much more competitive than the Honors scholarships. For more information on National Merit scholarships, please visit our FAQs page.
Honors Housing
Honors Program students have the opportunity to live in Honors housing. The eighth floor of Commons One has been designated as an Honors floor with approximately 84 female and 70 male beds for a total of 154 beds. Living on the Honors floor is optional, and space is limited.
- Honors Program offices are nearby, housed on the third floor of Jerry Falwell Library, in the Scholars Commons area.
- The Scholars Commons provides an ideal location where Honors students can study as well as socialize.
Apply – Submission Deadline: March 1
Please peruse the qualifications for entrance into the Liberty University Honors Program. The number of Honors scholarships is limited, so students are encouraged to apply to the program early in the spring semester.
To apply, follow the guidelines listed below:
Review Dates
- November 1
- December 1
- February 1
- March 1
Dr. Nutter will accept approximately 50 students from each review. Applications will automatically be considered in the next review.
Honors Program Alumni
Honors Program alumni have been accepted into the nation’s (and the world’s) leading graduate schools:
- Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Pennsylvania, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Virginia, Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins, Duke, Vanderbilt, NYU, Emory, Georgetown, North Carolina, Michigan, Michigan State, Washington State, Indiana, Tennessee, Florida State, Florida, Syracuse, Pepperdine, Hawaii, Nebraska, Purdue, Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Arkansas, Baylor, and Virginia Tech.
Honors Program and Quiz Bowl alumna Catherine Hardee appeared on Jeopardy in
September 2014 and won $97,201 in four episodes.