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Honors Program
Get even more out of your undergraduate experience as an honors student!
Unlocking Your Full Potential with the SWAU Honors Program
Welcome to the Honors Program at Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU), where we blend knowledge, faith, and service to create an unparalleled university experience. Whether you're a new student embarking on your academic journey or a transfer student seeking new horizons, the SWAU Honors Program is your gateway to excellence.
Why Choose Honors at SWAU?
- Elevate Your Mental Skills: Our Honors Program is designed to challenge and empower you. We're here to sharpen your critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership abilities, preparing you for a future of success and impact.
- Integrate Faith with Academics: At SWAU, faith is more than a belief; it's a cornerstone of education. In Honors, you will explore the intersections of knowledge and spirituality, enriching your academic experience.
- Expand Your Service Horizons: We believe in giving back to the community. Join us in making a real difference through service opportunities that go beyond the classroom, building a lasting connection with the local community.
Our Mission: Your Holistic Development
Our mission is simple yet profound: to nurture your academic, cultural, and spiritual growth, equipping you to embody Christ-like service to the community.
What Honors Can Offer You
In the SWAU Honors Program, you will:
- Join a Cohort of High-Achievers: Surround yourself with like-minded, high-achieving students who share your passion for learning and growth.
- Embark on Inspiring Study Tours: Explore the world as part of our annual study tours, broadening your horizons and gaining unique cultural insights.
- Engage in Innovative Interdisciplinary Courses: Challenge yourself with courses that break the mold, encouraging creative thinking and interdisciplinary exploration.
- Earn Tuition Scholarships: We're invested in your success. As you progress through the program, you will be rewarded with tuition scholarships: $500 in your sophomore year, $1,000 in your junior year, and a generous $2,000 in your senior year.
- Collaborate with Faculty Mentors: Partner with experienced faculty mentors to develop your own original honors thesis project, a capstone experience that showcases your expertise and passion.
The SWAU Honors Program is more than an academic path; it's an opportunity for enrichment, cultural appreciation, and spiritual growth. Join us to explore your potential and contribute meaningfully to your community.
Are you ready to embark on a journey that will shape not only your education but also your character? Join the SWAU Honors Program and become part of a community dedicated to achieving excellence and making a positive impact.
Elevate your academic experience with SWAU Honors Program.
The Honors Study Tour
Summer tours, with academic credit available
- Summer of ‘24 - Greece
- Study Homer, Sophocles, Plato, as well as Greek art, music, culture, and history.
- Summer of ‘25 - American South (Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans)
- Study the musical genres of gospel, blues, jazz, and traditional, as well as civil rights history and southern culture.
- Summer of ‘26 - Ireland
- Study James Joyce, W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, Seamus Heaney, as well as Irish music, dance, history, and culture.
Read the official press release from the 2022 Ireland Study Tour.
Upcoming trips
The Honors Study Tour
Summer tours, with academic credit available
- Summer of ‘24 - Greece
- Study Homer, Sophocles, Plato, as well as Greek art, music, culture, and history.
- Summer of ‘25 - American South (Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans)
- Study the musical genres of gospel, blues, jazz, and traditional, as well as civil rights history and southern culture.
- Summer of ‘26 - Ireland
- Study James Joyce, W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, Seamus Heaney, as well as Irish music, dance, history, and culture.
Read the official press release from the 2022 Ireland Study Tour.
Honors Program Qualifications and Requirements
To be eligible to join the Honors Program, you must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- High school GPA of 3.5 or 3.4 college transfer GPA
- Composite ACT score of 24
- SAT composite score of 1130 in critical reading and math
Honors students must maintain a minimum university GPA of 3.4 to remain eligible for the Honors Program.
The following courses are required for all Honors students:
- HNRS 200 Honors Perspective (taken fall semester of freshman or sophomore year)
- HNRS 301 Thesis Proposal Seminar (taken spring semester of junior year)
- HNRS 400 Senior Seminar (taken fall semester of senior year)
- HNRS 401 Senior Thesis (taken spring semester of senior year)
Additionally, Honors students will take at least three of the following Honors General Education courses:
- HNRS 104 Human Communication (fulfills communication competency requirement)
- HNRS 204 Advanced American History 1866- Present (partially fulfills history requirement)
- HNRS 208 Advanced World Civilizations, early times to the 16th Century (partially fulfills history requirement)
- HNRS 315 Political Thought
- HNRS 325 World Religions
- HNRS 345 Environmental Studies (fulfills life science requirement)
- HNRS 355 Survey of Christian Worship
- HNRS 375 Honors Study Tour (varies from year to year, previous options have fulfilled requirements for literature, religion, history, or fine arts)
- HNRS 404 Science & Belief (partially fulfills religion general education requirement, alternatively can be taken in place of BIOL 419 for Biological Sciences majors only)
Thea Plosceanu
Biochemistry Major
What does Honors mean to me? I see it as an opportunity to learn more about what education really is, to build closer connections with a variety of people, and to learn more about the world through real-life integration. I’ve been in the program since my freshman year, and it has been an absolute blessing. I’ve been put in situations that encouraged my critical thinking and promoted my having an inquisitive mind. I’ve been able to gain real-world experience through travel and immersion into diverse cultures. It has been an amazing journey where I have met some of the most intelligent and fascinating people. I am thoroughly grateful for this experience, as I have seen myself grow into a more well-rounded person because of it.
Isaak Tamez
Exercise Science Major
Hi, my name Isaak Tamez. I am a senior Pre-PT kinesiology major. I have been in honors since my sophomore year of college and have loved it since the beginning. The first honors class I took taught me that school is more than just regurgitating information; it was the beginning of the expansion of my views of not only education but of life. Not only did honors bring me a different perspective on school, but it allowed me to make new friends and travel to awesome places with these friends. Never did I think I would be able to learn about Irish culture or visit Ireland, but thanks to the honors program, I did and cannot wait to go to Greece this coming summer.
Emily Weaver
History/Business Double Major
“The Honors Program not only helped me get involved with other service activities but also helped me better understand the purpose and meaning of service. We read and discussed the importance of service, and then we put that into practice with afternoon service opportunities at places like the Adventist Disaster Services Depot and a large service project at an organization of our choosing. I was able to do my service project at the Keene Church Bible School where I connected with the volunteers and assisted them in their prison ministry Bible studies. Overall, it was a great experience that I wouldn't have had without the Honors Program.”
Esteban Deku
Biochemistry Major
Hi, my name is Esteban Deku, and I am currently a senior biochemistry premed student. I have been in honors in all my four years at SWAU. I love how this program creates a sense of family within students and faculty. We have been able to grow and learn together throughout my time in college. Having the opportunity to create a thesis in our final year gives us a way to stretch our minds to become world changers. Sure, the program can be overwhelming at times, but the chance to go deeper into the curriculum is worth it. Plus, as honors students, we have been able to visit local plays, museums, and even take international trips. This year, I am excited to go to Greece and travel with my friends around the places we learned about in the Honors Study Tour.
Thea Plosceanu
Biochemistry Major
What does Honors mean to me? I see it as an opportunity to learn more about what education really is, to build closer connections with a variety of people, and to learn more about the world through real-life integration. I’ve been in the program since my freshman year, and it has been an absolute blessing. I’ve been put in situations that encouraged my critical thinking and promoted my having an inquisitive mind. I’ve been able to gain real-world experience through travel and immersion into diverse cultures. It has been an amazing journey where I have met some of the most intelligent and fascinating people. I am thoroughly grateful for this experience, as I have seen myself grow into a more well-rounded person because of it.
Isaak Tamez
Exercise Science Major
Hi, my name Isaak Tamez. I am a senior Pre-PT kinesiology major. I have been in honors since my sophomore year of college and have loved it since the beginning. The first honors class I took taught me that school is more than just regurgitating information; it was the beginning of the expansion of my views of not only education but of life. Not only did honors bring me a different perspective on school, but it allowed me to make new friends and travel to awesome places with these friends. Never did I think I would be able to learn about Irish culture or visit Ireland, but thanks to the honors program, I did and cannot wait to go to Greece this coming summer.
Emily Weaver
History/Business Double Major
“The Honors Program not only helped me get involved with other service activities but also helped me better understand the purpose and meaning of service. We read and discussed the importance of service, and then we put that into practice with afternoon service opportunities at places like the Adventist Disaster Services Depot and a large service project at an organization of our choosing. I was able to do my service project at the Keene Church Bible School where I connected with the volunteers and assisted them in their prison ministry Bible studies. Overall, it was a great experience that I wouldn't have had without the Honors Program.”
Esteban Deku
Biochemistry Major
Hi, my name is Esteban Deku, and I am currently a senior biochemistry premed student. I have been in honors in all my four years at SWAU. I love how this program creates a sense of family within students and faculty. We have been able to grow and learn together throughout my time in college. Having the opportunity to create a thesis in our final year gives us a way to stretch our minds to become world changers. Sure, the program can be overwhelming at times, but the chance to go deeper into the curriculum is worth it. Plus, as honors students, we have been able to visit local plays, museums, and even take international trips. This year, I am excited to go to Greece and travel with my friends around the places we learned about in the Honors Study Tour.