Burnett Honors College
Encyclopedia
The Burnett Honors College is an academic college
of the University of Central Florida
located in Orlando
, Florida
, USA. The dean
of the college is Alvin Y. Wang, Ph.D.
The mission of the college is to provide a challenging academic program and a foundation for future achievement to UCF's most academically talented undergraduate students. With only 1700 students in the college, the Burnett Honors College combines the intimacy of a small liberal arts
college with the advantages of a large metropolitan
research university. The college does not have any departments or offer any degrees by itself; all of its students are also students of one of the other colleges at the university. Honors students benefit from being able to take smaller honors-versions of both lower-division and upper-division university courses (most of which are limited to a 20-student capacity), being able to enroll in Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar
s, usage of a private Honors Computer Lab and an Honors Reading Room, extended library privileges, scholarship
opportunities, and other advantages. The latest Honors College incoming class had an average SAT score of 1373 and a 4.16 grade-point average, while boasting of 27 National Merit Scholars, 115 AP Scholars and eight National Hispanic Scholars.
In 2007 the University partnered with the Department of Housing and Residence Life to create a living-learning community, composed mostly of honors students, in Tower III at Knights Plaza
.
. The college also offers a path through which a student can graduate with an honors Associate in Arts Degree from one of several partnering local community colleges.
The two programs are not mutually exclusive, and in fact share many common elements. If a student completes one of these programs, an Honors distinction corresponding to the program that was completed will appear on the student's diploma and official transcript
. The college also offers many events and programs, such as the Student-Mentor Academic Research Teams (SMART) Program, which are open to UCF students regardless of whether or not they are honors students. In addition, the honors college heralds the Office of Student Scholarship and Fellowship Advisement, which provides information and preparation services for all UCF students interested in applying for prestigious scholarships and fellowships.
The Honors college also fosters the largest service-learning partnership in the nation, linking an honors college, public schools and the nonprofit Junior Achievement, in a program in which students regularly visit students in the Orange County Public Schools
.
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
of the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
located in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA. The dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the college is Alvin Y. Wang, Ph.D.
History
In 1998, the UCF Honors Program was granted college status. Al and Nancy Burnett donated almost $1.5 million towards the completion of a building to house the new honors college, and it was subsequently named in their honor. The Burnett Honors College building was completed in May 2002, and formally dedicated on October 23, 2002.The mission of the college is to provide a challenging academic program and a foundation for future achievement to UCF's most academically talented undergraduate students. With only 1700 students in the college, the Burnett Honors College combines the intimacy of a small liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
college with the advantages of a large metropolitan
Metropolis
A metropolis is a very large city or urban area which is a significant economic, political and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections and communications...
research university. The college does not have any departments or offer any degrees by itself; all of its students are also students of one of the other colleges at the university. Honors students benefit from being able to take smaller honors-versions of both lower-division and upper-division university courses (most of which are limited to a 20-student capacity), being able to enroll in Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
s, usage of a private Honors Computer Lab and an Honors Reading Room, extended library privileges, scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
opportunities, and other advantages. The latest Honors College incoming class had an average SAT score of 1373 and a 4.16 grade-point average, while boasting of 27 National Merit Scholars, 115 AP Scholars and eight National Hispanic Scholars.
In 2007 the University partnered with the Department of Housing and Residence Life to create a living-learning community, composed mostly of honors students, in Tower III at Knights Plaza
Knights Plaza
Knights Plaza at University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as Knights Plaza, is an athletic village and shopping center on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. The plaza consists of housing for 2,000 students in four Towers, of commercial space,...
.
Programs
The Burnett Honors College offers two distinct Honors programs for students: University Honors, which is a 4-year program in which students must apply as high school seniors, and Honors in the Major, which allows juniors and seniors to conduct original research within their major and write an Honors Undergraduate ThesisThesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
. The college also offers a path through which a student can graduate with an honors Associate in Arts Degree from one of several partnering local community colleges.
The two programs are not mutually exclusive, and in fact share many common elements. If a student completes one of these programs, an Honors distinction corresponding to the program that was completed will appear on the student's diploma and official transcript
Transcript
Transcript may refer to:* Transcript , a copy of a student's permanent academic record* Transcription , the process of creating an equivalent RNA copy of a sequence of DNA* Transcript , a record of all court proceedings...
. The college also offers many events and programs, such as the Student-Mentor Academic Research Teams (SMART) Program, which are open to UCF students regardless of whether or not they are honors students. In addition, the honors college heralds the Office of Student Scholarship and Fellowship Advisement, which provides information and preparation services for all UCF students interested in applying for prestigious scholarships and fellowships.
The Honors college also fosters the largest service-learning partnership in the nation, linking an honors college, public schools and the nonprofit Junior Achievement, in a program in which students regularly visit students in the Orange County Public Schools
Orange County Public Schools
Orange County Public Schools is the public school district for Orange County, Florida. It is based out of the Educational Leadership Center, a seven-story building adjacent to the Amway Arena in Downtown Orlando. As of October 2009, OCPS has an enrollment of over 175,000 students, making it the...
.