The Honors College at Shoreline
Chart your path to a bachelor’s degree with a deeper academic experience
The Honors College at Shoreline offers unique curriculum, opportunities to work directly
with faculty on projects of interest to you, and a community of scholars where you
can share ideas. You will receive additional guidance to prepare for successful transfer
to your preferred four-year college or university. Shoreline honors alumni have gone
on to earn distinction at many universities and in their careers.
The Honors College at Shoreline consists of dedicated honors classes and an optional
ten-credit research track. You can graduate with Honors with just 30 credits of honors
classes (which could include the optional research credits) within the 90-credit Associates
degree.
The Honors College Classes
Honors classes are smaller for a deeper, more engaged, and academically rigorous experience in humanities, social sciences, math, and science courses. Current offerings include Statistics, Introduction to Geography, English 101 and 102, Public Speaking, Philosophy, and Political Science. As The Honors College grows, so too will the number and variety of class offerings.
Contact Us
Director, The Honors College
Academic and Support Services
The Honors College at Shoreline builds on 10 years of scholastic excellence with these academic and support services:
- Carefully designed honors courses in humanities, science, math, and social sciences (in smaller classes)
- A research track to pursue individualized capstone research projects, with an opportunity to present at the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium
- Dedicated advising and success coaching to prepare for transfer and enhance study skills
- Exceptional faculty dedicated to intellectual achievement and mentoring
- A supportive community of scholars who are passionate about their studies
- Hands-on learning with special seminars, faculty dinners, local college visits, and regional and national conferences
- Membership in the Shoreline Student Honors Council
- Access to the Honors Lounge to study and engage with students interested in their learning
- Networking tools to connect with fellow honors students
- Priority financial aid processing
- Special honors distinction on transcripts
- Membership in Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges, for those with qualifying GPAs
Research Track
Second-year students have the opportunity to work on in-depth projects of their choosing. The Honors College encourages students to work closely with a faculty mentor to develop a research agenda for this one-year course of study:
- Honors 100: Questions and Methods (5 credits, Fall)
This cornerstone course introduces students to the research track and exposes them to many intellectual traditions or ways of knowing. Students concentrate on exploring different academic disciplines through the readings and presentations of our guest lecturers. You will learn, practice and build a comprehensive skill set for pursuing intellectual inquiry. You will examine your own thoughts and ability to formulate solid questions. The Honors College asks you to formulate a Big Question to explore through research so that you can write a preliminary literature review. (Prerequisite: Completion or concurrent enrollment in English 102.)
- Honors 250: Honors Seminar (3 credits, Winter)
During the second quarter, students focus on their chosen areas of inquiry to create a literature review. Guided by a faculty mentor, students explore what is known about their topic and begin to identify the areas where questions still remain. In addition, honors students will gather weekly to discuss progress, share ideas, or attend local seminars and performances.
- Honors 296: Honors Capstone (2 credits, Spring)
In this capstone class, students learn how to present their research to the public. You will learn the differences between writing and talking about research and will present your findings at a campus-wide forum. Selected students also have the opportunity to participate in the University of Washington Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Cost
Additional resources, knowledge, and support – both inside and outside the classroom – are part of The Honors College experience.
Domestic students pay a quarterly program fee of up to $495, in addition to Shoreline tuition and fees. International students pay a quarterly program fee of up to $695.
Financial aid and scholarships are available.
Admission Criteria
The Honors College at Shoreline is a selective honors program. We consider a variety of factors in our admissions process, including:
- A high school or college GPA of 3.0 or higher (students who do not meet this criterion may supply a letter of recommendation from a faculty member or counselor)
- Application essay that outlines your accomplishments and goals
- Completion of fewer than 45 credits of college-level work prior to applying
- Test scores for relevant placement tests, Smarter Balanced, or ACT or SAT (optional)
Application Process
- Deadline: The Honors College has a rolling admissions schedule throughout the year. Please check with The Honors College Office for upcoming deadlines. Priority deadline for Fall 2017 is May 19; rolling admissions continue thereafter.
- Required materials: Application form, completed essay questions, transcripts, and any relevant test scores
- Fee: No cost to apply
The Honors College Office
Brooke Zimmers, Assistant Dean
Terry L. Taylor, Assistant Dean
Audrey Fischer, Academic Advisor
The Honors College at Shoreline is a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council and the Western Regional Honors Council.
