On the basis of elementary/middle school achievement, teacher recommendations, personal interview, and entrance exam score, a select number of first-year applicants will be invited to pursue their four-year high school education as Notre Dame Distinguished Scholars. This High Honors Program is grounded in a challenging and diverse curriculum, featuring interdisciplinary inquiry, independent initiative, and a commitment to academic excellence. Studying and learning together in this small group, a community of scholarship and intellectual curiosity will be prepared, on a more advanced level, for future studies and opportunities in higher education. Distinguished Scholars are also eligible to participate in a two-week International Study Program in Oxford, UK in the summer following either their sophomore or junior years.
The Distinguished Scholars Curriculum follows this general outline (all High Honors courses):
| First Year |
Second Year |
Third Year |
Fourth Year |
THEOLOGY:
Introduction to Catholicism and the Old Testament |
THEOLOGY:
Jesus Christ: Our Salvation; Jesus and the Church
|
THEOLOGY:
Meeting Jesus in the Sacraments and Our Life in Christ
|
THEOLOGY:
Church History and World Religions or IB World Religions
|
ENGLISH:
Introduction to Literature and Genres
|
ENGLISH:
American Literature
|
ENGLISH:
AP Literature & Language or IB Literature 1
|
ENGLISH:
Humanities, English 4 ECE (UConn), or IB Literature 2
|
MATHEMATICS*:
Algebra 1 or Geometry
|
MATHEMATICS:
Geometry or Algebra 2/Trig
|
MATHEMATICS:
Algebra 2/Trig/Analysis, Pre-Calculus or IB Math 1
|
MATHEMATICS:
Analysis, AP Calculus, or
IB Math 2
|
HISTORY:
Introduction to World Civilization
|
HISTORY:
AP American History
|
HISTORY:
IB History of the Americas 1 or AP Psychology
|
HISTORY:
AP American Government or IB
History of the Americas 2
|
MODERN LANGUAGE:
Spanish 1 or French 1 |
MODERN LANGUAGE:
Spanish 2 or French 2 |
MODERN LANGUAGE:
IB Spanish 1 or IB French 1 |
MODERN LANGUAGE:
IB Spanish 2 or IB French 2
|
LAB SCIENCE:
Biology
|
LAB SCIENCE:
Chemistry
|
LAB SCIENCE:
Physics or IB Environmental Systems 1
|
SCIENCE:
AP Biology or IB Environmental Systems 2
|
TECHNOLOGY:
Introduction to Graphic Design or Arts Elective
|
LATIN 1
|
2 Arts Elective(s) or 1 Arts Elective AND
Half Year Independent Study:
|
1 Full-Year or 2 Semesters of
Electives (courses for credit)
|
| |
|
|
SENIOR EXPERIENCE (required)
|
∗ Placement in MATHEMATICS courses is determined by the student’s previous study in elementary/middle school.