Initiated in 1959 with support from the Ford Foundation, the Scholars Program at Brooklyn College was among the first honors programs established at an American college. It quickly became a model for similar programs elsewhere.
Interdisciplinary study is the program's guiding concept. Students explore relationships among fields of study that encompass the humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
In recent years, for example, students have studied the conflicts that occur between the native plants and trees of Staten Island woodlands and those imported from other continents; the sociopolitical issues raised by large demographic changes in a Brooklyn neighborhood; and the cultural significance of male and females characters as portrayed in Disney films.
Scholars Program students take an honors writing course, a sophomore seminar, a senior colloquium, and honors sections of five Core Studies courses: Core 1, The Classical Origins of Western Culture; Core 3, People, Power, and Politics; Core 4, The Shaping of the Modern World; Core 6, Landmarks of Literature; and Core 10, Knowledge, Existence, and Values.
Scholars Program students are encouraged to earn honors credit for regular courses by undertaking independent research. Students consult faculty mentors, but they select their own topics and take responsibility for the direction of their study. In the final year, each Scholars Program student must write a senior thesis based on a yearlong research project of the student's choosing.
Some students in the program broaden their educational experience by studying abroad or at another college during their junior year. Others elect to complete an off-campus internship.
Admission to the Scholars Program is competitive. It is based on an applicant's SAT scores, grade point average, personal essay, and letters of recommendation. Successful applicants have at least a 90 average in academic subjects and a minimum combined SAT score of 1200 that in most cases includes a verbal score of 660 or better.
Candidates for the Scholars Program are selected from students applying for full-time admission to Brooklyn College in the fall semester. Matriculated students and transfer students may also apply if they have accumulated no more than 48 credits. Scholars Program students may major in any academic discipline offered by the college.
The Scholars Program welcomes applications from students of diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds.
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