Mission
The mission of the Morgan State University Honors Program is to promote excellence in academic, personal, cultural, and professional endeavors among students having a demonstrated record of scholarly accomplishments, high motivation, and a desire to achieve at the highest levels. By developing and facilitating activities that create and maintain a superlative learning environment, the University Honors Program seeks to significantly increase the number of highly-trained students pursuing post-graduate education. We accomplish our mission by:
offering academic scholarships to prospective candidates in high schools, community colleges, and within the University;
coordinating with the University deans to encourage the continual enhancement of the academic curricula in the major fields of study and the development and maintenance of a rigorous liberal arts curriculum consisting of accelerated and intensified math, science, and humanities courses that are especially suited for high-ability students; advising four University-wide honor societies that provide opportunities for student-scholars to participate in community service based extracurricular activities; collecting and distributing information regarding elite educational and employment opportunities.
The curriculum-based Program serves a diverse student population from Baltimore City, the many counties of Maryland, and the remaining United States and American protectorates. International students also participate in the Program.
Honors students complete rigorous and comprehensive curricula in both the liberal arts and their major fields of study to obtain theoretical and practical knowledge and skills applicable to post-baccalaureate pursuits in academia and industry. The Honors General Education curriculum consists of accelerated and intensified courses.
Academic Affairs Resources and Opportunities
The University allocates significant financial resources to scholarships and grants that are awarded to students based on their achievements in academic, co-curricular and extracurricular activities, leadership potential, and service to the University and/or community. These scholarships are meant to help reduce the financial burden associated with funding a college education. Information regarding particular scholarships and grants, including specific requirements for their maintenance, can be found on the University Honors Program page on the Morgan State University website, in the University Honors Program Student Handbook, and in various printed materials available in the University Honors Program office.
The University Honors Program encourages students to pursue supplemental learning opportunities such as internships, work-study, service learning, and cooperative experiences sponsored by academic, business, industrial, and government agencies. In some cases, students may be granted academic credit for their work experiences. Students are also afforded other special opportunities for academic, cultural, and professional development.
Program Participants
Honors students are integral members of the University community. They are often leaders in University, college/school, and/or departmental organizations and activities.
As a result of the emphasis on a liberal arts education, the rigor of the major academic curricula, and the special opportunities granted to students, Morgan State University has the distinction of being among the top four universities in the country producing African-American undergraduates who eventually earn doctorates and other terminal degrees.
Admission to the University Honors Program
Incoming First-Time Freshmen
In the Spring Semester of each academic year, the Morgan State University Office of Admission and Recruitment apprises the University Honors Program of newly-admitted students with exceptionally high academic credentials. The Honors Program will then contact via letter students to whom it will offer a scholarship.
Transfer Students
The University Honors Program also awards an Honors scholarship to high-achieving students transferring from community colleges in the State of Maryland, and to students transferring from institutions with which Morgan State University has an approved articulation agreement. For specific information please refer to the University Honors Program page on the Morgan State University website, in the University Honors Program Student Handbook, and in various printed materials available in the University Honors Program office.
Current Students
In the Spring Semester of each academic year, currently-enrolled, full-time students who entered the University and did not receive an Honors scholarship at the time of their matriculation also have an opportunity to apply for admission into the University Honors Program. These students can qualify for an Honors scholarship by taking a minimum of thirty (30) non-developmental credit hours, earning Honors-level passing grades in these courses, and maintaining a minimum 3.00 grade point average. The application for admission to the University Honors Program will be made available online at www.morgan.edu/honorsprogram beginning on the first of January of each academic year the application deadlines March 31st of each academic year. There are a limited number of continuing students admitted into the program and the selection process is rigorous and highly competitive.
Please note that continuing students cannot apply for admission to the University Honors Program after having completed 56 credits.
Honors Scholarship Categories
First-time Freshman Scholarships
The Martin D. Jenkins Scholarship
Provides for full tuition and fees, room and board
$1000 a year for books
H.S. GPA of 3.50 or higher
SAT score 1300 or higher/ACT score of 27 or higher for Maryland residents (1400 SAT/29 ACT for non-residents)
The Frederick Douglass Scholarship
Provides for full tuition and fees
$500 a year for books
H.S. GPA of 3.30-3.49
SAT score 1200 or higher/ACT score of 24 or higher for Maryland residents (1300 SAT/27 ACT for non-residents)
The Harriet Tubman Honors Associate Award
Provides $2500 a semester for tuition and fees
H.S. GPA of 3.00-3.29
SAT score 1000 or higher/ACT score of 22 or higher for Maryland residents (1100 SAT/24 ACT for non-residents)
Associates who achieve a 3.30 cumulative GPA at the end of the first year can apply to become Douglas Scholars for the next academic year.
First-Time Freshman scholarships are automatically renewed for up to eight (8) semesters when recipient maintains the required GPA. Qualifications listed for each category are the minimum required. Meeting these minimum qualifications does not guarantee admissions into the Honors Program.
Honors Program scholarships are a part of the student’s total financial aid package. Therefore, the actual amount of funding received may vary from the initial amount awarded.
Institutional Transfer Scholarships
Student should have been admitted to Morgan State University by the May 1 “priority scholarship consideration date” in order to qualify for an academic scholarship.
Community College Transfer Scholarships
Student should have been admitted to Morgan State University by the April 1 “priority scholarship consideration date” in order to qualify for an academic scholarship. Student must apply directly from a Maryland community college and have at least 50% of her/his earned credits from a community college.
The Clayton Stansbury Scholarship
For students who have earned either an A.A. or A.S. degree
Entry GPA of 3.50
Provides $1500 per semester for tuition and fees, renewable for up to 2.5 years
Transfer of up to 60 credits
Must maintain cumulative GPA of 3.30
Transfer Scholarships are automatically renewed and available for up to five (5) semesters when recipient maintains the required GPA.
Honors Program scholarships are a part of the student’s total financial aid package. Therefore, the actual amount of funding received may vary from the initial amount awarded.
The Honors Curriculum
General Education Requirements
Bachelor’s degree programs at Morgan State University are structured for completion in four years (eight sequential semesters) and generally require 120 credit hours. All Morgan students receive a comprehensive liberal arts education. Students will undertake intensive study in the General Education and major requirements, attend special seminars, and qualify for admission into the Honors Program.
Honor Societies
Alpha Lambda Delta National Academic Honor Society for Freshmen
Founded in 1924, Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) is a national academic honor society for freshmen. ALD’s mission is to “encourage superior academic achievement, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning, and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their unique roles in society.”
In order to be eligible for membership in ALD, students must have earned a GPA of 3.50 grade point average or be in the top 20% of their class during their first semester at Morgan and have been enrolled on a full-time basis while pursuing a Bachelor’s degree.
Freshman transfer students from an institution without an ALD chapter must have earned the required ALD grade point average in courses taken during their first semester at Morgan. In addition, the average of the grades from the student’s transfer credits, combined with the grades earned from courses taken at Morgan, must equal the ALD academic GPA requirement.
Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Scholastic Honor Society
Phi Eta Sigma (PES) was established on March 22, 1923 and is the oldest and largest freshman honor society in the nation. PES’s goal is to encourage and reward academic excellence among freshmen in institutions of higher learning. At Morgan, the PES mission is to “promote academic excellence, enhance student life, and support the community at large.”
Dedicated to service and leadership, Morgan’s PES chapter activities include an annual New Member’s Luncheon, annual participation in the Homecoming Decorate-a-Building Contest, and the Give-a-Gift Drive for the Agape House in Baltimore.
Students invited for induction into PES must be full-time students with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and rank in the upper 20% of their class.
Grant-Brett Promethean Kappa Tau
The Promethean Kappa Tau Freshman Honor Society was founded at Morgan State University (then Morgan State College) in 1957 by the late Dr. George C. Grant, who served as Dean of the College. The Society was named by Dr. Sandye J. McIntyre, late Distinguished Professor of Foreign Languages. Dr. Ruth Brett Quarles, late Director of the Counseling Center, served as the advisor to the Society during its first twenty-three years of existence.
In recognition of the outstanding service and contributions of Dean Grant and Dr. Brett, Dr. Clayton Stansbury, emeritus Director of the University Honors Program, renamed the Society to include the names of Dean Grant and Dr. Brett: the Grant-Brett Promethean Kappa Tau Freshman Honor Society. However, it is better known to its members as PKT.
The purpose of PKT is to motivate new freshmen of above average ability to become scholars and to develop personal habits and qualities that will enable them to promote a campus climate that nourishes academic life at Morgan.
In order to be eligible for membership in PKT, students must have 1) earned at least 15 computable semester hours with a semester GPA of at least 3.40 or 2) earned between 12 and 14 computable semester hours with a semester GPA of at least 3.50.
Golden Key International Honour Society
The Golden Key International Honour Society (GK) is an internationally recognized, non-profit organization with over 375 chapters throughout the United States and across the globe. As the world’s leading and most active collegiate honor society, Golden Key distinguishes and rewards students by providing a lifetime of benefits through membership.
Each year nearly $600,000 is awarded in scholarships to GK members. In addition, GK offers career assistance through its Corporate Partners, leadership development and community service opportunities, and a chance to network with nearly 2 million members from over 190 countries.
Students qualify for membership if they are ranked in the top 15% of the combined junior and senior classes at Morgan, have earned at least 25 credits at Morgan, and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.40 while having NEVER earned more than two (2) grades less than “C”.
National Society of Collegiate Scholars
The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is a national nonprofit academic honor society founded in 1994 by Steve Loflin. It recognizes high student achievement and has chapters at over 300 institutions across the US, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia with nearly one million lifetime members who are deeply committed to scholarship, leadership, and community service. NSCS provides career and graduate school connections, leadership and service opportunities and offers nearly half a million dollars in scholarships annually. Morgan State University founded its Chapter in Spring 2012. Interested students can find information about this society at www.nscs.org.
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