Cumberland University announced today plans for its inaugural honors program. The honors program will launch in Fall 2022 with the mission of providing opportunities for high-achieving students to grow in their liberal arts education.

The honors program at Cumberland University will offer an opportunity for intellectually curious students to broaden their horizons beyond the traditional university classroom experience. The program will use an interdisciplinary approach to encourage critical thinking, cultivate ethical and social responsibility, and develop professional skills that students can carry with them into the future.

“This is an exciting day for Cumberland, and I am thrilled to be able to announce the inaugural honors program,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Bill McKee. “This program will give high-achieving students an opportunity to elevate their academic experience at Cumberland, and cultivate a scholarly community through both classroom and experiential learning.”

Students enrolled in the honors program will benefit from a variety of experiences including unique course topics, smaller class sizes, dedicated housing, priority registration and more. 

With the goal of providing an intellectually rigorous educational experience, elective courses are being developed exclusively for the Honors Program. Some of the courses being developed include Bright Minds and Great Scholars in Debate, Ethical Leadership, Never Forget: Examining 9/11, and Unclean! The Science and History of Pandemics. 

The honors program is open to incoming freshman students. To qualify, students must have an ACT score of a 27 or higher, or an SAT score of a 1280, and an incoming GPA of a 3.5. Students who are interested in becoming part of the honors program and do not meet the necessary requirements may submit a 750-word essay explaining how their background and experiences qualify them for entrance to the program.

For more information on the honors program, visit www.cumberland.edu/honors-program. For questions, please email honors@cumberland.edu.