Schedler Honors College

[1] Purposes

The Norbert O. Schedler Honors College recognizes that highly motivated and able students have special educational needs. In order to help meet their needs, the college gives these students the opportunity

1. To take a series of specially designed courses.
2. To participate in a peer community of students with similar abilities.
3. To participate in a variety of co-curricular academic experiences.
4. To produce a Capstone Project and present it before faculty and students.

[2] General Information

Students entering the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College are admitted into one of two programs, each with a unique curriculum – the Schedler Honors College or the Schedler Honors Program.

The Schedler Honors College:

The Honors Core. The Honors Core consists of a multi-course sequence called The Human Search. These courses are for freshmen and sophomores and fulfill UCA Core requirements. Honors core courses are broad in scope, transcend disciplinary boundaries, and can be taught by a team of professors from different academic disciplines. Students who complete the Schedler Honors College core, but do not choose to complete the Honors Interdisciplinary Studies Minor may transfer into the Schedler Honors Program to complete their honors capstone project.

The Honors Interdisciplinary Studies Minor. The Honors Interdisciplinary Studies minor is a fifteen hour minor comprised of five upper division courses. At the center of the curriculum is undergraduate scholarship: the Oxford Tutorial, in which a student works one-on-one with a professor on a proposal for a capstone project, and the Honors Capstone, in which the student completes a capstone project of his or her own design.

The Schedler Honors Program:

Students admitted to the Schedler Honors Program complete a four course honors core consisting of HONP 1300, Leading with Expertise, and three lower-division courses chosen from a variety of disciplines depending on individual students’ course needs, and are delivered as an honors-section of a traditional core course, a contract course, or leadership colloquium.  In the spring of the sophomore or junior year, students take HONP 3320 Multidisciplinary Research Methods, to develop their honors capstone project, which must be rooted in their major field of study thereby advancing the program learning objective of disciplinary expertise. During one semester of the senior year, students take HONP 4320, Honors Capstone, to complete their capstone project.

Transfer students are accepted into the Schedler Honors Program according to the following criteria:

1. 1. Schedler Honors College students who completed the Schedler Honors College core may transfer into the Schedler Honors Program and complete HONP 3320 and HONP 4320.
   2. Schedler Honors College students who have not completed the Schedler Honors College core must take HONP 1300 and, if needed, one or more additional Schedler Honors Program courses to complete the required 4 core honors courses, plus HONP 3320 and HONP 4320.
   3. Transfer students from other honors programs at universities with whom an articulation agreement is in place may transfer in a maximum of 3 honors courses, take HONP 1300, HONP 3320, and HONP 4320.

Follow this link for Schedler Honors Program (HONP) course descriptions: course link

The Honors Center. The Schedler Honors College is much more than a sequence of courses. In order for the educational process to be at the center of the student’s life, a physical place is needed where faculty and students gather for good conversation. The Honors Center has seminar rooms, the Forum, study rooms with computers, a specially designed presentation room, and faculty and staff offices. Students and faculty come to the Honors Center to study, meet with each other, work on group projects, socialize, and engage in discussion. In addition, speakers, seminars, workshops, High Tables (regular discussion accompanied by good food), films and videos all provide the occasion to keep the conversation going. The Honors Center is a focal point for the social and intellectual activity of the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College.

Special Events. Each year the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College sponsors a series of lecture and performance events such as Challenge Week for the entire campus and central Arkansas community. Nationally prominent figures are invited to speak and spend time interacting with students and faculty. In addition, weekend retreats and special banquets are held for members of the Honors community.

[3] Grants Programs

Funds are available for study abroad (Travel Abroad Grants) and research internships (Undergraduate Research Grants for Education). Eligible Norbert O. Schedler Honors College students prepare grant proposals, and monies are awarded on a competitive basis.

4] Honors Residence Hall

In addition to special instruction, Norbert O. Schedler Honors College students occupy a specially designated residence hall, Farris Honors Hall. The atmosphere reinforces the learning and friendships developed through the program, and selected Honors students act as live-in mentors and residential advisers. Application to the honors residence hall is through the Housing Department. Those students who have been accepted into the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College at the time of housing assignments will be placed in the honors residence hall based on space availability.

[5] Admission Requirements

The Norbert O. Schedler Honors College limits enrollment. For admission requirements and more information, contact

[6] Honors Program Courses (HONC)

[6.1] Honors Core: The Human Search

HONC 1310 Honors Core I
HONC 1320 Honors Core II
HONC 2310 Honors Core III
HONC 2320 Honors Core IV

Follow this link for HONC – Honors Core course descriptions: course link.

[6.2] Fifteen-Hour Minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies

HONC 3310 Honors Seminar (should be repeated for a total of 6 hours)
HONC 3320 Honors Oxford Tutorial [ UD UCA Core: C, I ]
HONC 4310 Honors Senior Seminar [ UD UCA Core: D, R ]
HONC 4320 Honors Capstone [ UD UCA Core: Z ]

Follow this link for HONC – Minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies course descriptions: course link.

[7] Schedler Honors College Graduation Requirements

To complete the minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies, a student must take 9 hours of Honors seminars and the Oxford Tutorial and complete a Capstone Project with an oral presentation. (See section 6.2)