Academics
Featured Area: The Honors College
Currently, Delta State offers a Honors Program which provides enhanced educational and cultural experiences for talented and academically committed students within an environment that fosters discovery and creativity. Students accepted into the program become Honors Fellows and enjoy benefits such as smaller class size, priority for early registration each semester, and recognition at the University commencement ceremonies. In addition, Honors Fellows will have access to opportunities for co- and extracurricular activities, including but not limited to cross-cultural experiences, civic engagement, and lectures.
HONORS PROGRAM COLLEGE DISTINCTION
The main distinction between an Honors Program and an Honors College is the expectation that an Honors College entails a comprehensive and immersive residential learning/living experience. The benefits from such an experience are manifold, and acknowledge that a university education does not end at the threshold of a classroom, but extends to the conversations and relationships students share with one another, Honors alumni, and Honors faculty. At the center of the Honors College Living and Learning Experience will be a residence hall with meeting rooms available for Honors students. This includes having common areas for core classes, study, discussions, forums, speaker programs, and communal meals. An Honors College designated space on campus is the cornerstone of building an Honors identity, thereby providing Honors students with a special sense of belonging, identity and community on campus, and a method of maintaining a cohesive Honors experience.
The Honors College will have a significantly higher level of student engagement and activities occurring throughout each semester. In addition to providing a substantive, high-level academic curriculum and co-curricular program, an Honors College is also a strong recruiting tool for high-performing students who are looking for their ideal university choice. It will help keep top academic students in the Mississippi Delta, and assist in the recruitment of high-caliber students who live outside the region.
This enhanced program effort will require a full-time dean and a coordinator for the operations of the College. An Honors College will provide funds for students to participate in or conduct research projects in their discipline, travel funds for students to attend professional meetings to present their research findings, and scholarship funds for study abroad experiences. Additionally, funds will be available for cultural experiences for Honors students to enjoy the benefits of plays, musical events, and museums, and to participate in discussions led by faculty regarding the educational and cultural components of the events.
