About the Honors College

CHOOSE YOUR PATH/S

MAJORS

UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS

GREAT TEXTS

PROGRAMS

BAYLOR INTERDISCIPLINARY CORE

HONORS PROGRAM

HOUSING

HONORS RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE

The Honors College at Baylor University is committed to helping undergraduates pursue questions that often fall between the cracks of the specialized disciplines. Unlike most honors colleges, Baylor’s Honors College offers four distinct opportunities for students: the University Scholars major, the Great Texts major, the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, and the Honors Program. Entrance into the Honors College is by way of one of these four programs and majors. Students often participate in more than one Honors College program or major. All Honors College students are eligible to apply to live in the Honors Residential College.

The Honors College welcomes all applicants, regardless of whether or not students submit SAT, ACT, and/or CLT test scores.

Due to the uniqueness of the Honors College, we ask you to watch our videos and review the details below to understand the program(s) to which you may apply. We look forward to reviewing your application materials!

University Scholars Major

The selective University Scholars (UNSC) major is designed for intellectually gifted, highly motivated students to create an individualized curriculum in close consultation with faculty advisers and mentors.

University Scholars Curriculum

All University Scholars are automatically admitted to the Honors Program upon acceptance.
Students develop concentrations in two or more academic disciplines that substitute for the Baylor University core and prepare them for their post-baccalaureate goals.
The remaining curriculum includes three Great Texts courses, Honors Colloquium, an independent reading list, and an Honors Thesis
Students receive a B.A. degree from the College of Arts & Sciences.

Admission to University Scholars

UNSC reviews each student’s application holistically, with an emphasis on the student’s responses to the essay questions on the Honors College application, class rank, GPA, and test scores (if available).
Students accepted into University Scholars are usually at the top of their class and on average score well on standardized tests (1450 SAT, 32 ACT, and 100 CLT).
Students admitted to University Scholars are automatically enrolled in the Honors Program.
Applicants should be prepared to identify areas of academic interest.

Learn more about University Scholars

Great Texts Major/Minor

The study of Great Texts (GTX) provides life-changing encounters with major works of human achievement — in literature, philosophy and theology, but also in the fine arts, business, and the philosophy of science.

Great Texts Curriculum

Study in small, seminar-style classes that allow students to ask the difficult questions that connect what we know, how we live and what we love.
GTX classes emphasize an apprenticeship in writing for practical wisdom.
The major features special concentrations for students interested in pre-law or pre-med, and a new Liberal Arts Tradition concentration for those interested in Classical education.

Admission to Great Texts

Great Texts is offered as a major/minor and does not have an application.
To major in Great Texts, select “Great Texts” as your major on your Baylor University application through your goBAYLOR account. There are no specific requirements for admission into the major.
If you already have submitted your Baylor application and selected “Undecided” or another major, but would like to switch to Great Texts, you may log into your goBAYLOR account and change your major. If you would like to add GTX as your minor, simply tell your adviser during your first advising session.
By declaring Great Texts as your major, you become part of the Honors College.

Learn More About Great Texts

Baylor Interdisciplinary Core Program

The Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC) is an alternative core curriculum in which students of all majors learn to bridge disciplines and understand our interconnected world through seminar-style classes with an integrated and global approach to learning. BIC is not a major. Students still receive credit hours for Baylor-recognized AP, IB, & dual credit courses completed in high school, but these do not affect the BIC curriculum.

BIC Curriculum:

The BIC program attracts students who enjoying reading and writing, are interested in studying world cultures, and want to cultivate a global perspective in their education.
BIC curriculum consists of courses in the areas of Rhetoric, World Cultures, Social World, and the Examined Life.
BIC is compatible with most degrees and majors at Baylor including professional programs like business, engineering, nursing, education, Pre-Med, and Pre-Law.

Admission to the BIC:

A student may enter the BIC only as an incoming Freshman. The BIC curriculum works with most undergraduate majors and degrees at Baylor.
The BIC uses a holistic review process and reviews all application materials.
Only 200 students are accepted each year.

Learn More about the BIC

Honors Program

Like all Honors College offerings, the Honors Program (HP) offers smaller, distinctive classes and encourages in-depth learning with close faculty contact. The Honors Program supplements a student’s major with a focus on classroom discussion, independent research and interdisciplinary approaches to learning. The hallmark of this program is a thesis completed in collaboration with a faculty member.

Honors Program Curriculum

The Honors curriculum begins with a First Year Seminar, where students engage in high-level reading and discussion
Two semesters of Great Texts courses, where students read some of the greatest works of the western intellectual tradition
Other Honors classes are offered within the major or to enhance the major. Examples of these classes include Honors Genetics, Honors Religion and Honors Music.

Admission to the Honors Program

The Honors Program works with all undergraduate majors.
Successful candidates are motivated and take challenging classes in high school while engaging in significant extracurricular activities.
Students accepted into the Honors Program are usually at the top of their class and on average score well on standardized tests (1430 SAT, 32 ACT, and 100 CLT).
Accepted students are often in the top 10-15% of their high school class with a GPA of 3.8 or better on a 4.0 scale.
University Scholars are automatically admitted to the Honors Program and complete the program’s requirements.

Learn More about the Honors Program

Honors Residential College (Housing)

The Honors Residential College (HRC) is a multi-year residential community for students in one of the four programs in the Honors College. The HRC, located in Alexander Hall and Memorial Hall, is home to 330 freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Taking as its motto Fides quaerens intellectum (faith seeking understanding), the HRC seeks to foster in its residents the love of God, the love of learning and the love of neighbor through friendship, integrated study, community service and spiritual engagement.

Learn more about the HRC