Immerse yourself in challenging and rigorous material, independent inquiry, and curiosity as you create a community of research and creative work.

The Honors Program at Otterbein

The Honors Program at Otterbein University is a holistic and cohesive undergraduate experience, beginning with engaging, integrative, and stimulating seminars taught by specially selected faculty from across the university, and culminating in the junior or senior year with an interdisciplinary seminar or independent thesis project. The Honors Program is committed to the shared premise of Integrative Studies, that learning should serve and shape one’s chosen responsibilities in and to the world. Each course in the Honors program participates in a shared Integrated Studies conversation about the theme of Knowledge, Action, and the Public Good. Through our related program theme, “A Community of Scholars,” Honors courses recognize the varied and vexed impacts of knowledge and action, and they examine multiple, competing, and contradictory conceptions of the public good.

“My favorite part of the Honors program is being surrounded by a community of like-minded people. Every single student I’ve interacted with has had a goal of learning more.”

Nevaeh Ellis ’24, Art and Art History double major

Program Director: Michele Acker
Phone: 614-823-1365
Email: macker@otterbein.edu

Course Goals

The Honors Program is committed to practices of intellectual inquiry. Honors courses will:

Immerse students in challenging and rigorous material.

Engage discussion and sharpen presentation and participation skills.

Create a culture of research and foster community within the Honors Program.

Demand a sustained and attentive intellectual pace.

Inspire practices of independent inquiry and curiosity.

A Community of Scholars

The Honors theme, “A Community of Scholars,” offers Honors students cohesion in coursework through both the thesis or non-thesis tracks of the program. All Honors courses will highlight participation in the Honors Community of Scholars, including curricular and co-curricular activities. Students will be attentive to the diverse methods of research and writing across the disciplines. They will familiarize themselves with the potential of interdisciplinary research and develop a deeper understanding of the values of intellectual freedom and civic responsibility in research and creative work. They will consider what it means to belong to a community of critical inquiry, as well as the role of scholarly inquiry to the public good. Courses will foreground the Honors Community of Scholars via co-curricular activities and informal writing and reflective assignments.

“My advisor is amazing, and it’s been awesome to build a one-on-one relationship with her.”

Seth Stobart ’23, Literary Studies and Philosophy double major

We will consider these questions together:

What does it mean to be a student in your particular discipline?
How does your discipline relate to the larger university culture?

How does your work in your field relate to, intersect with, and/or challenge the work of other disciplines? 

Does your major or field of study intersect with other majors or disciplines?
Which majors commonly interact with yours? With which fields have you had less exposure? 

What specific questions, methods, and research strategies are unique or particular to your field? What makes your field crucial to the university and the world outside the academy? 

How can you be a responsive and responsible member of a community of inquiry?
How is knowledge production itself a public good? 

What are the research or creative aims and responsibilities of your field, and how do those aims respond to and benefit the broader community? 

Eligibility & Requirements

Honors Admissions & Eligibility

☑️ Admission to the Honors Program requires a 27 or higher on the ACT or a 1260 or higher on the SAT
☑️ Students must be in the top 10% of their graduating high school class (minimum GPA of 3.8 for schools that do not rank).
❗ Students who meet the above criteria are automatically enrolled in the Honors Program upon Otterbein enrollment.
❗ Students must retain a 3.5 GPA throughout their duration at Otterbein to maintain good standing in the Honors Program

Honors Program Petition Form for Prospective Students

Sometimes an academic record does not provide a complete picture of a student’s abilities or intellectual interests. If you have abilities or interests that you feel meet the program’s overall eligibility standards, you can complete our petition form to tell us more about yourself and request admission to the Honors Program.

“My favorite part of the Honors program is early registration. I’ve never had to worry about getting into my classes.”

Kathryn Snyder ’24, Biology and Zoo & Conservation Science double major

Honors Program Petition for Currently Enrolled Students

Current students interested in joining the Honors program may apply with a faculty letter of recommendation by
the end of their first year. Students should contact the Honors program director, Dr. Michele Acker, for more
details on how to apply.

Honors Program Credit Requirements

The Honors program parallels the FYS, Integrative Studies, and SYE curriculum. All Honors Program students must complete three HNRS 2xxx courses (which count for INST credit). Students complete the Honors program by choosing the thesis or non-thesis track and taking the corresponding classes which count for their INST 3000 and SYE requirements.

“It shows that you have the required skills, the determination, and the hard work. When I’ve been in grad school interviews, I can say, ‘I did my thesis project on XYZ,’ and you can see they get really impressed.”

Olivia Miller ’23, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Honors Program Requirements (Total: 21 credits)

Freshman Year

Credits

FYSH

Otterbein’s First Year Experience program has been designed to help all new students make a successful transition to Otterbein. Your transition will start with orientation and it will continue as you engage with academic and co-curricular experiences.

Freshman Year

Credits

HNRS 1500

Builds a critical intellectual foundation and community for subsequent honors requirements. Consideration of the interplay of individual and social identities, and studying the self as a catalyst of voice, action, and purpose

Sophomore & Junior Year

Credits

Any combination of

HNRS
2000, 2200, 2400,
2600, 2800

Junior Year

Credits

One of the following:

HNRS 3000

for students not completing a thesis, taken in junior or senior year.

HNRS 3500

for students pursuing a thesis, taken in fall of junior year.

Senior Year

Credits

Senior Year Experience (SYE), one of the following:

HNRS 4000

for students not completing a thesis, taken in senior year.

HNRS 4500

for thesis students, taken in spring of senior year.

Notes:

  • Transfer Credit for HNRS 1500: Students with transfer credit for INST 1500 may apply it toward HNRS 1500.
  • No Other Transfer Credits: Transfer credits cannot be applied to any other HNRS courses.
  • Study Abroad Credit: Students who participate in short- or long-term study abroad may receive credit toward the HNRS program up to a maximum of 3 credits. Students should contact the Program Director in advance to determine how the credit can be applied.
  • Honors Transcript Designation: All students who complete either the Seminar or Thesis track will have “Honors” designated on their transcript.