UMW HONORS PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Honors Program at UMW is a unique interdisciplinary learning opportunity for students.
Students will be enrolled in challenging learning experiences but will also be part of a
community of learners. Through coursework, students will learn to analyze their own and
others’ assumptions and to apply critical reading, writing, speaking, problem solving, and
thinking skills that incorporate information literacy, and an appreciation of audience. In
addition, participation in co-curricular activities will create an academic community that is
dedicated in promoting good ethical behavior and citizenship.
Requirements of the Honors Program:
 Maintain a 3.2 GPA overall – a student who does not maintain a 3.2 overall GPA will not
be allowed to continue in the program
 Successfully complete a minimum of 6 Honors credits per year until all requirements
below are fulfilled:
o Honors First Year Seminar – HONR 100, FSEM100(HN), HIST201(HN) or HIST202(HN)
o Five additional HN designated courses
o Sponsored/mentored Service Project – HONR 201
o Project/Research Design Seminar
o Leadership requirement
o Mentoring requirement
o Capstone Honors Course OR Honors Project (Thesis or Performance) in a discipline
or an Interdisciplinary Project (minimum 3 credits)
 Participate in a minimum of one Honors co-curricular event per semester (a minimum of
8 events prior to graduation)
 Complete a portfolio of honors program work and activities
 Attend meetings of the honors program
Benefits for students enrolled in the program
 Priority registration for courses, including non-honors courses
 Access to a honors student lounge/computer pod
 Guaranteed support for undergraduate research project
 Flexibility for interdisciplinary learning
 Opportunities for social and academic enrichment
Points of Entry into Honors Program
Students are admitted to the UMW Honors Program upon acceptance to UMW. Space permitting, firstyear students will be invited to apply to the program at the conclusion of their first semester at UMW.
Applications will be screened by the Honors Program Committee and a limited number of students will
be admitted to the program. Beginning in November 2015, applications to the UMW Honors Program
are invited from first-year students who anticipate completing the fall semester with at least a 3.2 UMW
GPA and have enrolled in Honors First Year Seminar in fall 2015 semester.
Student Learning Outcomes for the University Honors Program
At graduation from the honors program, students will demonstrate competence in:
 Self –directed learning
o Students will make choices to be active agents in their own ongoing education
 Written and oral communication skills
o Students will employ an understanding of audience, purpose and context to
communicate effectively to various audiences
 Ethical maturity and good citizenship
o Students will articulate the potential ethical ramifications for given situations
and reflect on how ethics apply to themselves as local, national, and global
citizens
 Context-driven research skills
o Students will demonstrate the ability to perform applied research in various
contexts and use research conventions and technologies suitable to their
research question and purpose
 Inter-disciplinary synthesis
o Students will apply the benefits of a liberal arts education by demonstrating that
they are able to view topics through the lens of more than one discipline
 Active participation in the UMW community
o Students will actively participate in the extra-curricular life of UMW,
demonstrating service and creating community within both UMW and the larger
Fredericksburg area
 Active Meta-analysis of self and others
o Students will actively engage in self-reflection, using meta-analysis as a tool for
personal growth and general problem solving and reflection.
UMW HONORS PROGRAM APPLICATION
Students are admitted to the UMW Honors Program upon acceptance to UMW. Space
permitting, first-year students will be invited to apply to the program at the conclusion of their
first semester at UMW. Applications will be screened by the Honors Program Committee and a
limited number of students will be admitted to the program. Application should be submitted
to Dr. Kelli Slunt, Director of the Honors Program, electronically by December 11, 2015.
Name: ___________________________________________
Intended Graduation Date: ____________________________
Anticipated Fall 2015 UMW GPA: ____________________
Will you complete a FSEM100(HN), HIST201(HN) or HIST202(HN) course in fall 2015?
 Yes
 No.
Which HN designated course(s) do you plan to complete in spring 2016? _______________
NOTE – you are required to complete the HN FSEM100 requirement and at least one other HN
designated course in the 2015-2016 academic year. You will also be required to complete two
honors co-curricular events in Spring 2016. Under extenuating circumstances, qualified
students may complete two HN designated course (not including an HN FSEM100 course)
during the 2015-2016 academic year. If you did not complete an HN FSEM100 course, your
application should include a plan for completing the two required HN designated course during
the 2015-2016 academic year.
In two or three paragraphs, clearly articulate your interest in and reasons for wanting to
participate in the Honors Program at UMW. Review the lists of learning objectives for the
Honors Program. Identify three of the learning objectives and include in your reflective essay,
your confidence, familiarity, abilities in these areas. How do you think the Honors Program will
help you achieve these learning outcomes?
In addition, each applicant needs to arrange to have a letter of recommendation from a UMW
faculty member sent to Dr. Slunt by December 14, 2015. Note – student applications are due
on December 11, 2015 and the faculty letter of recommendation are due on December 14,
2015.