Baylor's Honors College Expands Academic Offerings with Bachelor of Philosophy Degree

The Honors College is excited to announce the launch of a Bachelor of Philosophy (B.Phil.) degree. Designed for students seeking rigorous honors-level study united with deep interdisciplinary learning and meaningful research, the B.Phil. offers a pathway for students to stand out academically while preparing for competitive post-graduate opportunities.

“Baylor University has a tremendous legacy of honors education stretching back to 1959,” said Honors College Dean Douglas Henry, Ph.D. “Enabled by the vision of those who came before, and guided by a mission that calls for our very best, the B.Phil. will further distinguish Baylor, support our recruitment of undergraduates of extraordinary ability, and prepare them for post-baccalaureate success of the first rank.”

The B.Phil. is a 124-hour degree that combines the best of what Baylor and the Honors College offer. Students complete an enhanced core curriculum with a strong foundation in the humanities, foreign language, math, and science. Each student majors in Great Texts of the Western Tradition, an interdisciplinary, humanities-focused program exploring foundational works of literature, philosophy, and thought, and pairs it with a secondary major from more than 40 options in the College of Arts and Sciences, Hankamer School of Business, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, or School of Music. The degree culminates in a senior thesis and defense, completed through the Honors Program.

The B.Phil. marks a strategic step forward for Baylor in a competitive higher education landscape. As honors colleges within the Big 12 and across the nation begin to offer their own degrees, Baylor’s Honors College is positioning itself to attract top-tier students seeking unique and rigorous academic experiences. The program is designed to elevate the university’s reputation and visibility both nationally and internationally, blending the best of honors education, interdisciplinary study, and research.

“The B.Phil. degree and related Great Texts major will provide an opportunity for Baylor’s Honors College to distinguish itself even further as the College competes with the very best universities in the country for students,” Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic Affairs J. Wesley Null, Ph.D., said. “I look forward to seeing the quality of students within Baylor’s Honors College grow even greater with this new offering.”

The B.Phil. prepares students for top graduate and professional programs, competitive scholarships, fellowships, and leadership roles. With its emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, advanced research, and critical thinking, the degree opens pathways to careers in law, medicine, business, public service, and beyond.

“The Honors College inspires gifted young men and women to make their way to Baylor, take their place alongside generations that have come before them, and receive an education that reflects utmost academic excellence and Christian commitment,” Henry said. “We’re eager to watch this new degree fulfill Baylor’s mission in a new way, even as it shines a bright light on students’ incredible learning opportunities across the whole University.”

Since its founding in 2002, Baylor’s Honors College has united the Honors Program, Great Texts of the Western Tradition, University Scholars, and the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core to create a community of scholars dedicated to exploring life’s big questions and pursuing rigorous learning. The launch of the B.Phil. represents the next chapter in that legacy, offering an innovative program that meets the aspirations of exceptional students.

 “The B.Phil. is designed to be an interdisciplinary research degree offered at the baccalaureate level,” said Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives Scott Moore, Ph.D. “All students pursuing the B.Phil. will be required to complete a secondary major in a traditional field from one of the other colleges and schools across the university. We are looking forward to seeing how the students’ innovative pairings of the study of great texts with other fields of inquiry will produce new and exciting research opportunities.”

The Honors College will begin recruiting this fall for its first cohort of B.Phil. students, who will join the university in 2026.