Georgetown College’s Programs of Distinction are unique academic opportunities that combine rigorous academics with specialized and carefully- designed extracurricular experiences to enrich and focus your time at Georgetown College and prepare you for whatever may come next.
Honors Programs
The Georgetown College Academic Honors Program strives to encourage the intellectual growth of the College community by giving highly motivated students at all levels the opportunity to pursue challenging and stimulating coursework.
Students who wish to participate in the program must apply to and be admitted to the Program in one of three tracks: Oxford Honors, Science Honors or Independent Honors.
- Oxford Honors: This track provides an immersive experience in the Honors Program during the freshman and sophomore year. It is designed to prepare students to make a successful application to study at Oxford University through the College’s partnership with Regent’s Park College.
- Science Honors: The Science Honors track develops students’ ability to conduct scientific investigation and research at a high level. Eligible students will be matched with a summer research experience.
- Independent Honors: The Independent Honors track challenges students to develop their intellectual strengths and deepen their educational engagement by completing an Honors curriculum developed in consultation with an Honors adviser. During the junior year, students in this track propose and complete a section of HON440 (Honors Independent Study) suited to their individual goals and objectives.
Students generally enter the Honors Program as freshmen, but they may apply as late as the second semester of their sophomore year. If a qualified student applies to Oxford or Science Honors when no slots are available, they may be offered admission to the Independent Honors Program.
To graduate from the Honors program, students complete 21 hours of Honors credit, including:
- 3 sections of HON170 (3 hours total), or HON300 (3 hours)
- 15 hours of Honors classes, increments or contracts
- 2-3 hours of Honors thesis credit
The manner in which Honors students fulfill the program requirements varies by track. After being accepted into a particular track, students are issued a contract that specifies how and when they are expected to fulfill all requirements. With the permission of the Honors Program committee, students may elect to switch tracks. Any exception to the program requirements must be approved by the Honors Program Director.
All courses that earn Honors credit will be noted on the student’s transcript. Honors courses may also count toward a student’s minor, or Foundations and Core requirements, depending on the courses selected. In some circumstances, the Honors Seminar may also count toward a requirement. Up to six hours of Honors credit may be earned through tutorial classes at Regent’s Park College, Oxford.
Students who complete all of the Honors Program requirements will be designated as graduates of the Georgetown College Honors Program on their official transcript.
The Prototype Program
Students admitted to the Prototype Program will have access to personal studio space on Georgetown College Campus. They will be able to work with artists in the Visiting Artist and Future Emerging Artist in Residence Program. Program members will also have the opportunity to assist select faculty on special projects and exhibitions. This program is an opportunity for incoming Art students as well as current Art majors. The admission process to the Prototype Program will consist of a portfolio review and application letter. Applications are currently being taken to be reviewed before each semester by all Art faculty
Requirements for program admission and enrollment:
- Must be an Art major at Georgetown College
- Must be enrolled in an Art course each semester. If a student is unable to be in a class, and is not enrolled in an independent study developing a body of work or process, the student will relinquish their private studio.
- Program participants will participate in group critiques, an open house, and a group exhibition each year consisting of the Prototype Program members.
Maskrafters Academy
Theatre and Film majors at Georgetown can hone their craft in our dedicated black box theatre or create an original student film. Maskrafters Academy allows accepted students to use film equipment for individual projects, participate in every stage show, attend workshops at the Humana Festival each spring, and intern in a related field. All Academy students will also receive $500 during their senior year to allow them to direct a play or film a movie for their senior project. The Academy's focus on developing new work for stage and screen gives students the chance to explore their own ideas and the tools to become content creators.
Health Scholars
The Health Scholars Program is the perfect preparation for students interested in a health-related career. Along with providing a community of like-minded students, Health Scholars will give students important professional experiences, and the skills and preparation that they need to succeed in any form of post- graduate health program.
Allied Health Scholars
At Georgetown College we understand the ecological model of health -- that, although healthy lifestyles require self-responsibility, one’s environment strongly impacts what people do. The Allied Health Scholars program enables select students to gain experience in health promotion and leadership that will add further value to their exceptional Georgetown College liberal arts education
The Allied Health Scholars program is ideal for students pursuing allied health fields in which health promotion is a cornerstone. These fields include physical and occupational therapy, physician assistant, athletic training, nursing, worksite wellness, public health, personal training, and strength coaching. The Georgetown College Kinesiology and Health Studies (KHS) department is recognized for excellence by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
Allied Health Scholars are required to:
- Maintain active and ongoing membership in the Kinesiology and Health Studies (KHS) or Athletic Training (AT) Club, student-led organizations which provide leadership, experiential learning, and networking opportunities;
- Complete a preceptorship, internship, or clinical experience as part of the coursework required for the major. The KHS department has established sites for all careers so that AH scholars can earn college credit while building their professional resumes;
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Allied Health Scholars are able to:
- Enroll in a dedicated Freshman Seminar section for AH Scholars;
- Attend guest lectures by speakers in their field;
- Meet professionals in their area of interest to expand their professional network;
- Gain leadership experience.
- Receive an additional $1,000 scholarship, renewable for four years.
The Christian Scholars Program (CSP)
The Christian Scholars Program engages students in thoughtful reflection on the call to be Christ in the world as servant scholars. The following practices shape and guide CSP programs:
Learn - called to discover God’s world and our place in it, we pursue excellence in the classroom and thoughtful reflection beyond it.
Love - called to participate in God’s work, we strive to change our neighborhoods and our world with sacrificial, active love of God and neighbor.
Listen - called to lifelong transformation, once we have learned and loved, we seek to listen again: to God, to our own desires and talents, and to the voices of those that God has put in our lives.
CSP program, personnel, and resources help Georgetown College students to learn, both in and out of the classroom, to love through service, and to listen to God’s call. There are four requirements for CSP students:
- CSP Directions: The summer before their freshmen year, CSP students attend a four-day camp, where they will make new friends, meet faculty and staff mentors, worship, and talk about God’s calling.
- CSP Fall Break Retreat: CSP freshmen attend a fall break retreat, normally at Hilton Head, for some quality beach time, shared meals, worship, and reflection on vocation.
- A Vocations Course: Sometime during their college career, students take a three- credit Vocations course, where they will read Scripture and great Christian texts, reflect on vocation, and participate in a spring break mission trip.
- Chapel Service: Each semester, CSP students attend two chapel services, where they will worship and sing together and encounter God’s Word in a powerful way.
There are other opportunities as well, including spring break trips, service options, international service trips, and local trips, along with pizza lunches and other fun activities. Typically, students enter CSP as freshmen, but upper-class students are invited to participate in the program elements of CSP.
Equine Scholars Program
Students who apply to become Equine Scholars have expressed their interest in pursuing professions and/or extracurricular activities related to the equine industry. The program is designed to provide students with an opportunity to pursue those interests both inside and outside the classroom. At the core of the program is the expectation that all Equine Scholars will pursue a balanced, liberal arts education. A student who enters Georgetown College with an Equine Scholars scholarship remains in the program for their four-year tenure at Georgetown College. This program will encourage the student to approach their liberal arts education in a way that develops their interest in the equine industry. More information is available on the Equine Scholars website, which is accessible through the Georgetown College website.
Equine Scholars are expected to participate in a variety of planned activities that serve to educate them about the many careers, disciplines, and opportunities in or related to the horse industry and introduce them to key leaders in each field. Participation is based on a points system.
All Equine Scholars are expected to do the following:
- Attend designated Equine Scholars events, which could include lectures, field trips, and other activities specifically designed to explore issues of interest to those involved with the equine industry;
- Perform volunteer activities designated as give-back to the equine industry. Activities could include representing the program at college or equine events, creating publicity material or presentations, and performing other activities related to an individual’s interest;
- Complete at least one equine internship, either for academic credit (through a department that offers internships) or not for credit. These internships must be approved by the Equine Scholars Program leadership team and by the department chair for academic credit;
- Maintain at least a 2.65 semester GPA; and
- Complete three Equine Option projects that reflect on their interest in the equine industry. These projects require approval by faculty and the Equine Scholars leadership team.
Equine Option projects can take a variety of forms. For instance, a student could complete a paper assignment on a topic with an equine emphasis, create a work of art that is inspired by the horse, make a presentation in a speech class that focuses on some aspect of horses or horsemanship, complete a business class project on the horse business, etc. Students undertaking these projects must complete the Equine Option Approval Form. Note that faculty members are not asked to make any adjustments to their assignments in order to accommodate the Equine Option; this option should be something that fits within the normal structure of the class assignment.
Upon completion of all elements of the program, Equine Scholars will receive a certificate indicating that they have received the Equine Scholars Distinction.
Note that no specific major or minor is required, because of the diverse interests of Equine Scholars.