The unique Honors Program at Drake University offers undergraduate and Pharmacy students discussion-based, reading- and writing-intensive courses on interdisciplinary and ever-changing topical issues. It is designed for motivated students who want to actively participate in challenging seminar courses.
Students at Drake University may use the Honors Track as a way to fulfill their general education requirements. Instead of taking Areas of Inquiry (AOI) coursework, students can take six Honors courses as an alternative to AOIs. The one-hour Honors Practicum, while not counting towards the Honors Track, is a good introduction to the Honors Program goals and vision.
Requirement |
Credits |
One Quantitative Literacy AOI course |
3 |
One Artistic Experience AOI course |
3 |
One Physical or Life Science AOI course |
4 |
HONR 100 - Paths to Knowledge |
4 |
15 additional HONR electives |
15 |
Total |
29 |
Students may earn the "University Honors" distinction on their Drake transcript and diploma by meeting the following requirements:
The cross-enrollment allows full-time students from one participating institution to enroll in one course from another participating institution without having to pay the host institution's tuition. Guidelines were originally adopted by the Des Moines Area Consortium for Higher Education (DMACHE) in 1975 and amended in 1992, 2003, and 2009 to reflect changes in the cross-enrollment program. The agreement has received approval of the presidents of the three DMACHE institutions: Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), Drake University, and Grand View University.
Offered through the Drake University Center for Global Citizenship (CGC), the Global Ambassador Program is a certificate program designed to complement a student’s central program of academic study. Students who complete the program will receive a certificate and a notation on their university transcript. Undergraduate students from any school or college are eligible to apply. The purposes of the Global Ambassador Program are to:
To qualify for a Global Ambassador certificate, a student must complete the following requirements:
Students must apply for the Global Ambassadors Program. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. The number of students accepted will vary depending on availability of staff and instructional resources. Applications may be downloaded from the Center for Global Citizenship website. Completed application forms should be submitted to the CGC director.
The Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship web site
12-15 credits
An intensive semester-long experience in Washington, D.C. with American University’s Washington Semester Program. All students participate in one of 12 unique topical seminars, complete a part-time internship, and engage in an academic experience (either a course at American University or an independent research paper). Some seminars include travel abroad for 2-3 weeks. To attend the Washington Semester, students must consult with Drake’s Faculty Representative, Rachel Paine Caufield, and must gain admittance to the program. Instructor permission required.
12 credits
An intensive semester-long experience in Washington, D.C. with the Washington Center ( www.twc.edu ). All students complete an internship (30-35 hours/week), take one chosen academic course (one night/week), and complete the program’s Leadership Seminar (4-5 hours/week). To attend the Washington Center, students must consult with Drake’s Faculty Representative and gain admittance to the program. Instructor permission required.
Air Force ROTC courses are taught on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, Iowa, 30 miles north of Des Moines. Students must arrange their own transport to Ames if required. Classes are held one day each week, during the first two years of the program and two days per week for the last two years of the program. Upon request, Air Force ROTC classes may be taught using standard distance-learning technology. In addition a two-hour leadership laboratory is required once a week. Students take the courses as Drake courses, and no additional tuition fees are assessed for full-time students.
The Air Force ROTC curriculum is divided into two basic phases: The General Military Course (GMC) and the Professional Officer Course (POC). The GMC is introductory and consists of four consecutive one-hour courses normally taken during the freshman and sophomore years. GMC completion is not a prerequisite to entry into the POC, although the department recommends it.
Prior to entry into the POC, all students must complete field training at an Air Force base. Students who have completed the GMC phase participate in a four-week program that provides a concentrated experience in the Air Force environment. The training program includes junior officer training, aircraft and aircrew orientation, survival training, base functions and physical training.
Selection for the professional officer course is on a competitive basis, and cadets enrolling in this course must meet certain academic, mental, physical and moral standards. Qualified cadets may compete for classification as flight candidates and receive flight instruction during their final years in the POC phase. Upon enrollment in the POC, all cadets are required to complete a contractual agreement with the Air Force, which obligates them to four years of active duty in the United States Air Force if in a nonflying category; 10 years of active duty in the United States Air Force if a pilot; or 6 years as a navigator. Uniforms and texts are supplied to the cadets, and those in the POC receive a subsistence allowance from $450 to $500 per month. Entry into the program is not dependent on departmental major or year in Drake University.
AFROTC offers a Graduate Law Program, which guarantees duty as a legal officer following successful completion of all law school, AFROTC and bar requirements. Interested students should contact the AFROTC department for more information. Air Force ROTC may be taken in conjunction with nursing programs leading to a bachelor's degree.
Additional information regarding Air Force Officer Education may be obtained from the Air Force Aerospace Studies Department at Iowa State University. Call 515-294-1716 or view the Web site at www.airforce.iastate.edu/.
The information in this catalog does not constitute a contract between the university and the student. The university reserves the right to make changes in curricula, admission policies and processes, tuition and financial aid, academic standards and guidelines, student services and any other regulations or policies set forth in this catalog without giving prior notice.