Founded in 1988, the Joseph Wharton Scholars program is designed for Wharton Undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania. The program emphasizes scholarly research and the liberal arts and sciences within the framework of a business education. Students in the program are required to take honors-level courses both in Wharton and outside of Wharton (in the College of Arts & Sciences, Nursing, and/or Engineering), engage in a significant research project, and participate in a variety of academic, career-oriented, and social activities.

The JWS program is the Wharton component of the Penn-wide Benjamin Franklin Scholars (BFS) program, through which students gain access to BFS Seminars. In addition to the course requirements, students must maintain a minimum 3.4 GPA.

Wharton students who were not admitted to JWS during the freshman admission process may apply to the program through on campus admission at the end of their freshman year in May.

"The noblest question in the world is: what good may I do in it?" ~ Ben Franklin