Bascom Honors Program

Little feels better than belonging to a community of individuals to whom you can relate, who help you grow as an intellectual and who appreciate the same kinds of things as you. Finding a community like this can be difficult in large state schools, but at Maryville, it’s well within reach.

The Bascom Honors Program (BHP) is a community of students and faculty who love learning, whether it’s about the architecture of downtown St. Louis, the history of 13th century Britain or advanced mathematical theories. Regardless of their focus, participants are constantly expanding their educational and personal goals, and succeeding.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Bascom Honors Program is to enrich the intellectual life of able and highly motivated undergraduate students, to create a community of students and faculty who love learning, to enhance the University’s intellectual climate, and to further the integration of liberal and professional learning.

Objectives

  1. Provide intellectual and social engagement that allows honors students to develop to their highest potential.
  2. Foster an appreciation of the liberal arts to enrich students’ academic lives and promote a commitment to lifelong learning.
  3. Help students discover how the various academic disciplines relate to one another, to the world beyond academia and to their own lives in both the professional and personal contexts.
  4. Help students acquire the skills necessary to take responsibility for their own learning and to achieve all of their life goals.
  5. Establish a learning environment that encourages independence of thought and use of academic experiences to develop a personal set of values.
  6. Foster an attitude of responsibility to self and community.

Program Eligibility

Freshmen entering Maryville with a minimum ACT score of 27 and a high school GPA of at least 3.5 are invited to apply to the Bascom Honors Program. Other Maryville students may apply internally if they have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Transfer students with at least 60 credits to complete and a GPA of 3.5 may also apply. Students in any major can participate in the program without adding to their overall course load.

Requirements

  • Complete at least seven honors seminars, with at least four in core subjects (humanities, history or government, social sciences, fine arts, science).
  • If all of your honors classes fall under the general education category, you can substitute the BHP for general education.
  • Complete additional general electives to total 50-52 credit hours.
  • Demonstrate communication skills that meet BHP standards.
  • Maintain at least a 3.3 GPA.
  • Complete at least two semesters of Honors Colloquia.

Contact Us

If you’re ready to join this group of supportive, inspiring and welcoming intellectuals, get in touch with Linda Pitelka, director of the program, at 314-529-9621 or lpitelka@maryville.edu for more information and application materials.


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