An Overview
The Honors Program at WAU strives to provide academically talented students the opportunity to engage with and explore subject material in great depth and breadth, inspiring them to excel as independent learners and investigators within a collaborative learning community.
This does not necessarily mean more work for honors students than for others…it means a different kind of work, with more individual attention from the professor than in a typical class. The honors classes are also different in design as each class explores the topic from an interdisciplinary perspective. Be ready to engage in courses such as Sociology of Religion, History of Western Thought, and Scripture as Literature.
The Details
Being an Honors student means:
- Attending honors designated interdisciplinary courses that fulfill your general education requirements, and are designed to be provocative, interesting, and stimulating
- Access and exposure to Washington Adventist University’s finest professors
- Participating in smaller classes – honors courses will consist of 20 or fewer people, allowing the opportunity to have thoughtful discussions and to make social connections with fellow honor students
- Learning through activities such as study tours, concerts, plays, and exhibits while fulfilling your general education requirements
- Conducting research and attending presentations at national institutions within the Washington, D.C., area
- Engaging in a learning environment surrounded by the most motivated and thoughtful students who want to be challenged to expand their minds
- Developing a honors project or thesis, thus enhancing professional opportunities or admission to graduate or professional schools
- Challenging yourself to grow as a person through leadership and service
Selection Criteria
Admission to the Honors Program is competitive and based on a limited number of openings each year. The criteria for eligibility is established and reviewed by the Honors Council.
For First Year Students
Most successful applicants will have:
- A minimum composite ACT score of 24 or an SAT composite score of 1680.
- 3.5 or higher cumulative high school GPA
- Superior writing skills as demonstrated on the Letter of Intent portion of the application process
- An academic writing sample, as requested on an individual basis
NOTE:Â Students who do not meet the minimum selection criteria may still be considered on an individual basis.
For Transfer and Continuing Students
Most successful applicants will have:
- 3.4 or higher cumulative college GPA
- Superior writing skills as demonstrated on theLetter of Intent portion of the application process
- One letter of recommendation from a college or university faculty member
- An academic writing sample, as requested on an individual basis
How to Apply
Students who meet the eligibility criteria and have been accepted for regular admission to Washington Adventist University are encouraged to submit an application to enter into the Honors Program.
An application will only be processed once a completed application packet, including the letters of recommendation, is received by the Honors director.
The Honors director will then supply the application to the Honors Admissions Committee to determine if membership is granted. Early application is highly recommended since membership in the Honors Program is competitive and limited.
For an application, please email your request to wauhonors@gmail.com.
Any Questions?
For more information, contact the program’s director Brad Haas at bhaas@wau.edu or send an email with your inquiries to wauhonors@gmail.com. You may also go to www.wauhonorsprogram.org for additional details.
