History

The Honors College of Research & Interdisciplinary Studies was established after eight years of successful implementation of an Honors Program at the University of Liberia (UL). The Honors Program began as a vision of Dr. Emmet A. Dennis, 13^th President of the UL and it continues to be the vision of the immediate past President, Dr. Ophelia I. Weeks and that of the current President, Rev. Dr. Julius S. Nelson, Jr. The primary goal of the Honors Program was to develop the writing and research skills of students at the UL, starting with a cohort of Honors Students. Dr. Dennis requested that a feasibility study be conducted to explore the possibility of starting an Honors Program at the University. Mr. Ken Nobellet, a USAID Research Consultant, answered the call and worked along with the Dean and few instructors from the T. J. R. Faulkner College of Science & Technology in 2010. The result of the collaboration was a report outlining the structure of a university honors program. The Director of the Honors Program was appointed in 2011 and the process of establishing an Honors Program began. Policies and procedures for admitting students were put in place and the curriculum for teaching the honors students was designed to teach fundamental research skills. In addition to the research classes, six short certificate courses were developed to strengthen the Honors Students academic abilities, character and leadership skills. Community service skills were also part of the training provided. The short courses included Effective Study Skills; Career Development; Character Development; Technical Writing; STEM Education; Gender Studies and Critical Thinking Skills. Honors Faculty members from five undergraduate colleges were contracted to assist the Director to teach the short certificate courses.  With a curriculum in place, the first cohort of 28 honors students were vetted and admitted into the LUX-In-Tenebris Honors Scholars Program on December 10, 2011. Extracurricular activities also form part of the student experience in the Honors Program. These included Debate Competitions; Internship opportunities, Field Trips and Interdisciplinary Seminars. In 2016, the Honors Program held Fundraising events to provide Dormitory Scholarships for students enrolled in the colleges on Fendall Campus. As a result of the successful fund raising, approximately 30 Honors Students were granted scholarships to reside on the Fendall Campus Dormitories. Since November 2016, The Honors Program has provided scholarships for honors students to experience campus life, have a conducive learning environment to study and achieve academic excellence.  These learning experiences motivated more students to enroll in the Honors Program. Thus, the enrollment grew from 28 students in the first year to a current enrollment of 156 students from the undergraduate colleges of the UL. After seven years of existence as an academic program of excellence. the Honors Program wrote a proposal to transition from an Honors Program to an Honors College. The proposal was approved by the Academic Coordination Committee in August, 2018; by the Faculty Senate of the University on Tuesday, September 18, 2018; and by the Board of Trustees in July, 2019. The Honors College will offer two academic programs including a Three-Year Certificate Program in Interdisciplinary Research and a Bachelor’s Degree in Gender Studies. With the support of the UL Administration and partners, the Honors College will begin these programs in the first semester of 2019-2020.

Vision

The vision of the Honors College is to create a platform for excellent academic education in Interdisciplinary Research and Gender Studies with the goal to empower students with sustainable research knowledge and skills needed to solve critical national issues including gender equality and advocacy.

Mission

The mission of the Honors College is to train the University’s brightest students in using effective research skills to identify and offer solutions to solve critical national problems.

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSIONS

The requirements for admitting honors students into the Lux-In-Tenebris Scholars Program are as follow:

1. Sophomore student with a GPA of 3.500, and the completion of an application form and the submission of a 500 word essay, a letter of recommendation from the college dean/department head and a face-to-face interview with the Director and Honors Faculty. Upon successful completion of the above, a student is admitted and officially inducted as a member of the LUX-In-Tenebris Scholars Program.

BENEFITS OF THE LUX-IN-TENEBRIS SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The Honors Scholars receive tuition, fees and stipend from the University of Liberia depending on their GPAs.

Dean’s Scholarship: Honors Scholars with GPA of 3.500 – 3.749 – Tuition and fees paid through the University of Liberia

President’s Scholars: Honors Scholars with GPA of 3.750-4.000 – Tuition, fees, and $100 Stipend at the end of each semester.

Scholarship, internship and travel opportunities through the Honors Program recommendations to the University of Liberia

About the Director

Assist. Prof. Mamawa M. Freeman-Moore
Email: mo*****@ul.lr
Cell#: 0778494428/0880350590

Dean, Mamawa Freeman-Moore, is an educator with more than thirty years of teaching experience at the elementary, high school and college levels.

Dean Freeman-Moore obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the William V. S. Tubman Teachers College, at the University of Liberia. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue her Master’s Degree at Columbia University in New York, which she completed and earned an M.Ed. in Education. While in the USA, Dean Freeman-Moore taught for ten years at the junior high and high school levels.

While teaching in the U.S.A., Dean Freeman-Moore received several awards including the Excellence in Education Award; Representative to the Teacher of Excellence Conference at the University of Notre Dame; Certificate of Outstanding Teacher Award by State Representative, Harold V. Dutton Jr., State Representative District 142, State of Texas; among others.

Assist. Prof. Freeman-Moore served as Director of the LUX-In-Tenebris Honors Scholars and thought Honors English at the William V. S. Tubman Teachers College at the University of Liberia from October 2010 – September 2019.

Most significantly, Dean Freeman-Moore directed the Honors Program successfully and after eight years, she wrote a proposal to transition the Honors Program to an Honors College of Research and Gender Studies. In July, 2019, the Board of Trustees of the University of Liberia approved the Honors Program proposal to become a four year degree granting college at the University of Liberia.

In her capacity as Director of the Honors Program, Dean Moore wrote a book entitled, A Comprehensive Study Guide for University Freshman Students: Developing Effective Study Skills. Dean Freeman-Moore also developed a curriculum guide to accompany the book for teaching purposes at the UL. This was a seminar course for freshman students but after its effective implementation, the UL Administration asked for the course to be offered to all incoming freshman students at the UL.

Dean Freeman-Moore currently serves as the Founding Dean, of the Honors College of Research & Gender Studies at the University of Liberia.

Department of Interdisciplinary Research

This program is taken by sophomore students who already have a major in one of the six undergraduate colleges. The college content will be taken in student’s college. The Certificate Program may serve as a minor or an additional certificate the student wishes to achieve in addition to his/her major discipline.

In addition, students who are not currently enrolled at the UL, but have an interest in the Three-Year Certificate Program in Interdisciplinary Research, may enroll into the department by completing an undergraduate degree in any discipline and fulfilling the UL Admissions Requirements.

Department of Gender Studies

The total number of credits required to obtain a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Gender Studies is 140 credit hours. This includes 36 credits of general education courses, 34 credits of seminar courses and 70 credits in the major content area of Gender Studies. Students will be required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.333, in order to graduate with honors. To obtain a Certificate in Interdisciplinary Research Studies, a sophomore honors student is required to complete 38 credit hours in Research Studies.

Tanya Ansahta Garnett                      Professor                                                     PhD

Luopu G. Blackie                                  Chairman, Gender Studies                               B.Sc., MA

Bernice J. Sharpe                                   Instructor, Gender Studies                              BA, MSc

Admissions Criteria

The requirements for admissions into the Honors College of Research & Interdisciplinary Studies are as follow:

Program I:  Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies – Four years

• Freshman student with Division I in WAEC/ or passed with credits on the WASSEC including English and Mathematics;
• Freshman student with regular pass in UL Entrance Exam;
• Transfer students with a minimum GPA of 3.000; and
• Complete Honors College admissions requirements.

Program II: Three-Year Certificate Program in Interdisciplinary Research

• First year sophomore honors student( acquired at least 30 credit hours) with a minimum GPA of 3.333 and completion of the following Honors College requirements:
• Complete an application form for admissions and attach two letters of recommendation from department chair/instructor and from your church/community;
• Write a 500 Word Essay explaining why you should be admitted into the Honors College
• Sit an interview with a panel including the Dean and four Honors Faculty
• Admissions will be contingent upon successful completion of all of the above requirements

Honors College Policies – Academic 2019-2020

1. Admissions and Completion of Programs

• Only Sophomore students will be admitted into the Three-Year Certificate Program;
• This means, sophomore students, with a minimum of 30 credit hours will be eligible to enroll in the Certificate Program.
• Students in this program are required to take the courses according to the scope and sequence outlined in the guide. For example, a sophomore student must take Research Methodology I ( IHON 213) before registering for Research Methodology II ( IHON 214);
• Sophomore students will not be allowed to register for a junior level seminar course until student completes all sophomore courses in the sophomore year;
• If you enroll in the  Three – Year Certificate Program, you must complete all the courses( 35 credits) to be awarded the Certificate;
• If you enroll in the four year Bachelor of Arts Degree Program in Gender Studies, you are required to complete all the courses (140 credit hours) to be awarded a BA degree.
• All students enrolled in the Honors College are required to maintain an honors GPA of at least 3.2500.
• Only students who maintain an average GPA 3.333 or above will graduate with Honors Distinctions.

2. Policies on Behavior

• All students enrolled in the Honors College must exhibit “Scholarly Deportment at ALL Times”;
• Honors College students must live out the Motto: “Lighting the Darkness with Excellence, Character & Service”. This means excellence in everything you do as an Honors Scholar. Always abide by all UL Handbook Rules & Regulations;
• Absolutely no Honors Scholar should participate in rioting, violence, or any form of misbehavior stipulated in the Student Handbook of the University of Liberia;
• Exemplify integrity, respect, honor, hard work, and good behavior at all times and

3. Policies for Dormitory Scholarship

• All Scholars desirous of being on the Fendall Campus Dormitory should have at least a GPA of 3.333 or above, and at least a sophomore student enrolled in the Honors College;
• Eligible students must bring photocopies of their last two semesters grade sheets
• Bring a copy of a recent Health Certificate from a recognized hospital; and
• Be in good academic and exhibit scholarly deportment at all times

Graduation Requirements

 Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies

 The total number of credits required to obtain a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Gender Studies is 140 credit hours. This is a four year degree program which includes 36 credits of general education courses, 34 credits of seminar courses and 70 credits in the major content area of Gender Studies. Students will be required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.333, in order to graduate with honors.

 Three-Year Certificate Program in Interdisciplinary Research Studies

 This program is taken by sophomore students who already have a major in one of the six undergraduate colleges at the University of Liberia. The college content will be taken in student’s college. The Certificate Program may serve as a minor or an additional certificate the student wishes to achieve in addition to his/her major discipline.

In addition, students who are not currently enrolled at the UL but have an interest in the Three-Year Certificate Program in Interdisciplinary Research can enroll into the department by completing an undergraduate degree in any discipline and fulfilling the UL Admissions Requirements.

Curriculum

 Three – Year Interdisciplinary Research Studies Certificate Program:

Scope and Sequence – Sophomore Year: Seminar courses                                           14 Credits                   

 Scope and Sequence:  Junior Year:                                                                     12 Credits

 Scope and Sequence 

Senior Year:                                                                            12 Honors Credits

Curriculum:

 Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies:

Scope & Sequence

 Freshman Year                                              32 Credits

Scope & Sequence

Sophomore Year                       38 Credits

 
Scope and Sequence

Junior Year                                  36 Credits                                                                          

                              Senior Year                                       31 Credits