Liberty University Honors Programs: GPA Requirements and Opportunities

Liberty University offers several honors programs designed to challenge and enrich the academic experience for high-achieving students. These programs, including the Honors Scholars Program and the Eagle Scholars Program, provide unique opportunities for intellectual growth, leadership development, and scholarly engagement. This article will focus on the GPA requirements and other qualifications for Liberty University's honors programs, with a particular emphasis on the Honors Scholars Program.

Honors Scholars Program: An Overview

The Honors Program is an academic program of distinction for motivated, high-achieving students and is designed to be highly engaging, innovative, and intellectually satisfying. Nationwide, students are joining honors colleges both for the enhancement their careers, and to have a more fulfilling and enjoyable college experience. As a community of engaged learners, we are serious about good grades and scholarship, but we are also serious about having fun!

The Honors Scholars Program provides motivated, high-achieving students with a challenging and rewarding academic experience. The program supplements a student’s major with interdisciplinary seminars and in-depth Honors sections that promote critical and creative thinking, effective communication, and independent thought. It does not require “extra busy work,” but rather offers unique academic experiences for motivated, advanced, and creative students.

GPA Requirements for Admission

To be eligible for the Honors Scholars Program, students must meet specific GPA requirements, alongside other qualifications. The GPA requirements vary based on whether a student is applying as an incoming freshman, a transfer student, or a current Liberty University student.

Incoming Freshmen: Like public and private school students, though, you still need to have a 1330 SAT or 28 ACT and a 3.50 GPA in high school.
Transfer or Current LU Students: Not everyone does extremely well on standardized testing, but if you work hard and make good grades your first semester of college (12 hours completed with grades), then you could qualify for Honors Scholars as a transfer or LU student if you have a cumulative GPA of 3.50. Honors Scholars welcomes many students from community colleges, state universities, sister Christian colleges, and current LU students, as long as you have a minimum of 12 hours of college credits (with grades) and at least four semesters of college remaining with a cumulative college GPA of 3.50. International students must have a 3.50 GPA, and they are encouraged but not required to take the SAT.

Maintaining Good Standing

Once admitted to the Honors Program, students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 to remain in good standing. The academic progress of all Honors students is consistently monitored by the Director of the Honors Program. Progress is evaluated in October, February and again in May. All Honors Program scholars must maintain a G.P.A. of 3.25. Any student falling below 3.25 will be notified in writing. Students remain active in the Honors Program by taking Honors courses, attending Honors meetings, and participating in Honors service projects and enrichment opportunities. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor as well as the Director of the Honors Program to monitor their progress.

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Honors for Graduation

Honors for graduation will be determined by the cumulative grade point average earned at Liberty University. Honors qualifications will be calculated on April 1st. The specific honor calculated at that time is what the student will wear for Commencement ceremonies. However, the final cumulative grade point average will be recorded when the degree is conferred and that final cumulative GPA will determine the specific honor that will be printed on the diploma and transcript. Students successfully completing all Honors Program requirements will graduate cum honore. Honors cords/medallions and military cords can be picked up at our Commencement Welcome Fair. The University offers these items to eligible graduates. They are not provided within your regalia order. Please read over the honors qualifications below.

Additional Requirements and Opportunities within the Honors Scholars Program

Beyond the GPA requirements, prospective Honors Scholars must also demonstrate strong academic abilities and a desire to engage in challenging coursework.

Application Materials

In addition to meeting the GPA requirements, applicants must submit the following materials:

You must have been admitted or concurrently in the process of applying to Liberty University in order to be accepted into Honors Scholars.
Describe how you would benefit from our Honors Scholars curriculum.
One-inch margins.
4-5 typed pages.
Submit two letters of recommendation from professors. The letters should be written on school letterhead (if available) with a signature. Recommendation letters must be in professional letter format and should address areas such as your intelligence, your critical thinking, your creative problem-solving abilities, and their estimation of your potential to succeed academically in an Honors Scholars curriculum. However, relatives (including parents) cannot write letters of recommendation.

National Merit Recognition

The designation of National Merit Finalist, Semifinalist, or Commended is based on high PSAT scores taken your junior year in high school. National Merit Finalists represent the top half of the top one percent of all high school seniors. Commended students represent the top three percent. A photocopy of a letter or certificate from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation must accompany the application to be eligible for consideration of this award.

Coursework and Curriculum

Honors Program students may have any major and must complete 21 Honors credit hours in order to complete Honors Program requirements. Most Honors coursework also fulfills General Studies requirements, and occasionally an Honors course may count toward a major.

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The Honors Program curriculum includes:

A Freshman Honors Seminar (HON 150 Honors Gateway) 3 cr
At least two advanced Honors Seminars (HON 378 Special Topics) 6 cr
Honors Senior Thesis Seminar (HON 498) 3 cr
A minimum of 9 more honors credit hours which can be earned in honors sections of classes, through honors option contracts, and in honors occasionally thru study abroad or certain internships

With the exception of the Senior Honors Thesis (HONR 495), Honors Scholars students do not need to take any additional courses. The Honors Scholars seminars (100-200 level) are classes that you would normally take anyway, but the Honors Scholars sections have a much smaller student-professor enrollment (15:1) and are discussion-driven rather than straight lecture. The classes do provide a moderate challenge, but most gifted students welcome the opportunity for growth and enrichment in their classes.

Once students complete their lower-division Honors Scholars seminars, they take three upper-division Honors Scholars petition courses in their major, beginning their junior year. A petition course is an opportunity for an Honors Scholars student to study more deeply via an independent-study, learning contract that is agreed upon between the student and the professor. Well-crafted petition projects should promote independence, freedom, and moderate challenge for the Honors Scholars student and involve an advanced level of creativity, problem-solving, and/or critical thinking.

Honors Option

An Honors Option is an agreement between an Honors Program scholar and a professor that the student will complete an additional or enhanced assignment(s) in a non-Honors course. The Option agreement turns a non-honors course into an honors course for purposes of meeting the Honors Program requirements. It also provides honors students the freedom to design a portion of their curriculum. Up to three classes may be taken as Honors Option classes. Students should schedule an appointment with the faculty member teaching the course in which they wish to do an Honors Option as soon as possible after the course start date. The professor has the discretion to allow the Honors Option to be done in that course. If approved by the professor, the student must develop an assignment that will be completed during the semester. The Honors Option form must be submitted to the Honors Program Director by the add/drop date each semester.

Senior Honors Thesis

The Senior Honors Scholars Thesis is the capstone project that seniors complete after two to three years of advanced study. Additionally, the experience of completing a Senior Honors Scholars 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. Senior Honors Research (SHR) allows students to complete in-depth research in an area of study enabling the practice of key research techniques. Each SHR student works closely with a professor in his/her field of study who serves as the research sponsor and guide throughout the research process. Students present their research results and final paper before a committee in the spring of their senior year.

Honors Seminars

Each semester interdisciplinary Honors Seminar courses will be offered in the Honors Program. Honors Seminars may substitute for general education courses or advanced electives. In order for an Honors Seminar to substitute for a general education course, the course content must be similar enough to the general education course content that the substitution is valid. Requests for substitutions must be made directly to the Director of the Honors Program. The Director of the Honors Program will contact the course professor and the Dean of the appropriate college to ensure the validity of the substitution.

Financial Aid and Housing

Scholarships

All 740 students accepted into the Honors Scholars 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.

Honors Housing

Honors Scholars 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.

The Eagle Scholars Program

Depending on your academic goals, you can pursue our Liberty’s Honors Scholars Program or our Eagle Scholars. The Eagle Scholars provides high-achieving freshmen and sophomores, regardless of major, with personal and professional development that cultivates leadership skills for college and beyond. Preferred Housing choice on the eighth floor of Commons 2. Students enjoy sharing this Hall with other Eagle Scholars.

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