The University System of Georgia officially approved the upgrade of Georgia Southern’s Honor’s program to a college in late November. 

Now, honors students will have more opportunities such as their honors thesis and undergraduate research. Additionally, the college will offer seminars and smaller class sizes.  

“The new Honors College will provide a rigorous curriculum for students that fosters intellectual and professional development, preparing them for top-tier graduate schools and meaningful careers,” said Carl Rieber, the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. 

Approximately 1,650 students have graduated from the Bell Honors program since it was established in 1982. Today, it enrolls about 800 students across all campuses and programs. Roughly a third of the students that graduated from the program last year did so in less than four years. 

“With three Goldwater Scholars in the last few years and a long list of other national and international accolades for our students, we already have an impressive track record of educating bright and motivated students. An Honors College will allow us to build on this success and focus even more on creating a distinctive and challenging undergraduate experience for some of the nation’s best students,” Dr. Kyle Marrero, Georgia Southern’s president said. 

“This new distinction will make Georgia Southern an even greater destination for high-performing students and raise the overall academic reputation of the institution,” Dr. Steven Engel, the Dean of the Honors College, said. 

The priority deadline for enrollment for the fall term is March 1 and the regular deadline is May 15. 

Current Georgia Southern students, who wish to be enrolled in the Honors College, must meet these requirements: 

• “Earned at least 15 Georgia Southern hours prior to the semester in which they are to be admitted
• A 3.3 or higher institutional GPA
• Enough remaining time to degree completion to allow for completion of departmental honors course requirements and the Honors Thesis
• Letter of recommendation from a Georgia Southern faculty member
• A complete application with answers to questions about academic goals, experiential learning, and the Honors Thesis.” 

To learn more about the new Honors College or how to apply, visit the honors college web page on the Georgia Southern website.