University Honors Program

Carmichael C. Peters, Ph.D., Director

The Chapman University Honors program is a broad interdisciplinary course of study based on great books and events from cultures around the world. Students and faculty concentrate on mutually critical exchanges between the classics of human cultures and the contemporary world. The goal of these dialogical exchanges is collaborative and intentional learning in which students and faculty together connect enduring and emerging ideas, drawing on shared texts, lectures, seminar discussions and cultural experiences.

Students in this university-wide program are required to complete a minimum of 24 credits. They select from a variety of courses in three main categories (human sciences, natural sciences and social sciences). During their first year in the program, honors students are required to enroll in the three-credit course, Honors Forum and complete the Honors program with the three-credit course, Honors Capstone.

Completion of the program satisfies the GE Inter/Multidisciplinary Cluster; select courses may also satisfy major and minor requirements or electives as well as GE requirements.

Applications are available online on the Chapman University Application Portal and University Honors Program homepage.

Admission to the Program

A successful candidate for the University Honors program will exhibit a strong motivation for interdisciplinary studies and an enthusiastic commitment to learning. The purpose of the Honors program is less to recognize past academic accomplishments than to encourage continued intellectual development, to nurture a lifelong love of learning and to prepare each student for a personally fulfilling and socially responsible life during their college years at Chapman and beyond.

Applicants typically have a first-rate GPA and highly competitive SAT and ACT scores. Other criteria may include outstanding leadership and/or creative achievement, community involvement and a range of interests and experiences. The program best serves students who approach their education in a mature and responsible manner.

Acceptance to the program is limited. Students must submit a separate application for admission to the Honors program, in addition to applying for admission to the University. Students already at Chapman may also apply for admission, prior to accumulating 60 credits.

Once accepted, students are expected to be active participants in Honors activities and are required to attend the annual University Honors Conference on the first Saturday each May. All students who wish to complete the University Honors program, which culminates with a capstone seminar, must fulfill the requirements listed in the degree.

Degrees

Minor

University Honors Program

Courses

Honors