Classical Christian Honors College

The CCHC is an undergraduate liberal arts college at the University of Northwestern. Its programs seek to honor Christ by cultivating wisdom and virtue by pursuing the true, the good, and the beautiful. Read more about our approach.

The CCHC offers a secondary major in Great Books & Ideas — a three-year, 40 credit program consisting of six credits of unique honors courses each semester and a four-credit international study experience course. The honors courses satisfy 36 credits of UNW’s 55 core (general education) requirements, including courses in Bible, Leadership & Professionalism, Global and Cultural Engagement, and Creative Expression categories. Students will complete other general and major-specific education courses as required for their program. 

Maturing as a disciple of Christ, cultivating the life of the mind, and growing in wisdom and excellence takes time. This program prioritizes deep intellectual and spiritual formation. Its seminar format trains you how to think, pushes you to articulate your views, develops your rhetorical skill, and presses you into the most important questions of life. Rather than a semester-length class with different classmates in each course, you and your classmates learn together in a building sequence of courses – discovering, reinforcing, adapting, and integrating what you read and discuss in a way that grows richer each semester.   

1. You will make friends. It makes sense: discussing important and urgent questions that often spill outside of seminar; reading works that challenge your assumptions, inspire change, and make you laugh; eating meals together; going on retreats and offsite trips; serving the needy – Honors students form deep bonds. 
2. You will grow in clarity of thought and hone the crafts of writing and speaking – the kinds of marketable skills that are in demand in every age.  
3. You will learn how to learn. The Honors program will equip you to survey, understand, and assimilate information to make wise decisions and to adapt to new challenges.  
4. You will value what is most important. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, and so it is critically important to get the first things first. By worshipping, reading, discussing, praying, and serving together, we are aiming at whole-person discipleship. This education shapes your life for good – and for the good of others. 

The Great Books & Ideas program is designed for incoming undergraduate students who are intellectually curious, eager to go deep in the faith, enjoy a discussion-oriented classroom environment, and who want to grow as thinkers and leaders. The program is a sequential, cohort-based, text-driven, discussion-oriented college experience grounded in historic Christian orthodoxy. Students will be challenged to advance the Christian intellectual tradition by putting the wisdom of the past into conversation with the most controversial issues of the present. Program enrollment is intentionally limited to cohorts of sixteen in order to provide students the opportunity to engage one another in robust discussion. Admitted students will work with their academic advisor to customize the program with their primary major. 

The Great Books & Ideas program satisfies 36 of the 53 core curriculum credits required for any degree at UNW. Your primary major’s degree program is not lengthened by participation in the Honors College. Because of block scheduling, the program also simplifies your weekly schedule.

Absolutely! This program is designed to enable students to participate in the fine arts, athletics, student government, and other activities.  

If you’re taking PSEO courses through another institution, we recommend planning your coursework with these general guidelines in mind:

• Leave room for Great Books courses. The Honors College includes a series of discussion-based courses that satisfy many of UNW’s core curriculum requirements. Try to avoid taking general education courses in literature, philosophy, or theology that may overlap with these credits.
• Focus on transferable general education. Courses in math, science, communication, and modern languages typically transfer well and will not duplicate Honors College content.
• Take a college-level writing course. Strong writing and critical reading skills are excellent preparation for the Honors College.
• Keep your syllabi and transcripts. These documents will be helpful when UNW reviews your transfer credits during the admissions process.

We consider your entire academic portfolio and encourage you to apply if you’re interested in the program. Historically, UNW honors students have had an average unweighted high school GPA of 3.84, an average ACT score of 27, or an average SAT score of 1280. 

The Honors College has a separate application process. You should begin your application to the University of Northwestern – St. Paul and then follow the instructions for the Classical Christian Honors College application. You may work on both applications at the same time.

The Great Books & Ideas program is designed to be transfer–friendly. Find out what courses you can apply to the remaining core (general education) requirements by contacting an admissions counselor or PSEO advisor.