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Honors Options

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2014-2015 Undergraduate College Catalog

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Manhattanville seeks to challenge high achieving students and encourages them to explore new areas of interest beyond the normal intellectual parameters during their entire undergraduate career.

Castle Scholars Program

Manhattanville seeks to challenge high-achieving students and encourages them to explore new areas of interest beyond the normal intellectual parameters during their entire undergraduate career.

The Castle Scholars Honors Program

The Castle Scholars Honors Program offers students of exceptional ability a broader and more intensive program of study than the usual college curriculum. It provides motivated students in any major field with challenging, cross-disciplinary courses that encourage their academic and personal growth. Participation in the Castle Scholars Program encourages intellectual exchange among students and faculty and fosters independent initiative in academic and creative realms. Castle Scholars are well prepared for success in graduate and professional schools, as well as in the professional world.

Honors seminars are the core of our program. Manhattanville’s most engaging faculty offer innovative and often interdisciplinary seminars that are limited to 15 students, a format that ensures in-depth discussion and exploration of the subject matter. In addition, many of our seminars incorporate experiential learning through trips into New York City and other sites in the region. These classes provide high-achieving students with the opportunity to explore areas within and without their intended major, and all of them will fulfill some of Manhattanville College’s General Education Requirements.

Benefits

Castle Scholars in good standing are accorded the following privileges:

Priority registration privileges (early registration to ensure optimal course selection)
Permission to register for up to 21 credits per semester without financial penalty
Participation in on campus Castle Scholars social events, including regular dinners with the College President
Opportunities to apply for special Honors Internships through Manhattanville's Center for Career Development
Contribution to the intellectual and social life of the college through the organization of college-wide events, such as Human Rights Awareness Day and the Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Fair
Participation in Castle Scholars field trips to New York City and beyond
Mentoring by the Castle Scholars Director and Faculty Committee members
Recognition at college-wide awards ceremonies
Recognition of successful completion of the program on college transcripts and on all printed graduation materials.

Eligibility

Incoming first year students who have been granted the Chairman's Scholarship can indicate their interest in joining the program on the questionnaire that you fill out to choose your orientation date. Following a review of their application materials, the Castle Scholars Honors Program Committee will then invite selected students to join the program. Please note that your Chairman's Scholarship is merit-based and will remain the same whether you are accepted into the Castle Scholars Honors Program or not.

Continuing students who have earned at least a 3.6 cumulative GPA at Manhattanville by the end of their second semester are eligible to apply for admission to the program. Transfer students with up to 60 credits may also apply; students who have been enrolled in honors courses at other institutions should consult with the Director regarding approval of transfer courses towards completion of the Castle Scholars program.

Castle Scholars Program Requirements

Program requirements consist of five components in the following categories:

An Honors First Year Seminar (students who join the program after their first year will substitute a 3000-level CSCH seminar for this requirement.)
2 3000-level CSCH seminars (for sophomores, juniors and seniors)
1 Independent Research Project OR Internship, both subject to approval by the Castle Scholars Honors Committee
An approved, credit-bearing service project, which can be fulfilled in one of two ways (students may take both):
- CSCH 4500 - fall semester Castle Scholars service course organizing Human Rights Awareness Day (1.5 credits)
- CSCH 4501 - spring semester Castle Scholars service course organizing the Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Fair (1.5 credits)

CSCH 3080 Senior Capstone (1.5 credits): Coordinated by the Honors Program Faculty, students will participate in a formal program evaluation of a college-wide program and will share the results of their research at the Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Fair.

In addition, Castle Scholars must:

Earn a grade of B or better in Honors courses in order to receive Honors credit
Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.6 or higher
Participate actively in the Castle Scholars Program by attending at least two events per semester
Remain in good standing in their non-academic activities
Be positive role models for academic integrity

Departmental Honors

Several departments at the College offer an honors program within the major, to which qualified undergraduates are ordinarily admitted in their fourth semester, with a review for continuation in the program at the end of the sixth semester. Individual departments set the standards for acceptance into these programs. Departments that do not have a separate honors program may offer the award of "departmental honors", which is conferred upon qualified students at graduation and is based on a certain level of achievement in major courses and in the senior thesis.

Portfolio Honors

One of the special honors students may receive at the College is "Portfolio Honors". This involves an additional review of qualified portfolios by the Board on Academic Standards following the final Portfolio Review. Generally, the Board looks for exceptional breadth in the liberal arts, an excellent Program Evaluation Essay, significant engagement with the mission of the College, and advanced examples of academic achievement. Portfolio Honors are announced at Baccalaureate and students receive a notation to this effect on their transcripts.

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List honors full-time students who achieve at least a 3.6 average during a particular semester. To be eligible, students must complete at least fifteen semester hours, with a minimum of twelve hours taken for letter grades. This achievement is noted on students’ transcripts for each semester in which they fulfill these requirements.