Honors Program

Honors Program

“When composing my senior Honors thesis, I was allowed to fully immerse myself into something I’m passionate about – the world of Jane Austen’s characters. Overall, studying within the Honors Program taught me how to take full advantage of my resources and always strive for excellence. The small size of Honors classes and the fruitful discussion that takes place are things you just can’t beat.” – Dimana N. ’11

Why not challenge yourself to perform at the highest academic level possible?

The Honors Program blends academic excellence, curricular innovation and individual attention for select students who are ready to challenge themselves and their professors.

Freshman enrollment in the Honors Program is by invitation, based upon high school performance and grade point average. Students who have earned 15 or more credits at the University and have attained a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 may apply for delayed admission to the Honors Program by contacting the Honors Program Director. Transfer students who possess the equivalent of a 3.5 GPA may also apply. All interested students are encouraged to seek admission to the program. Students who, for one reason or another, are unable to complete the requirements of the Honors Program, but would like to take an Honors course, and have a cumulative average of 3.5, are eligible to register for Honors classes as an “Honors Associate.” Honors students’ whose averages fall below the requirement are given a semester’s grace period to restore themselves to good standing within the program.

Why Join Honors?

  • More than 200 students take part in the program.
  • Incoming freshmen who join the Honors Program are not required to take placement exams and are automatically placed into the one-semester Honors Writing Composition course (CM-120-HP).
  • Honors students receive priority registration and dual advisement (from the Honors Director and a major advisor), each semester, for all four years.
  • Honors core classes are small, with a typical enrollment of no more than 15 students.
  • Honors classes emphasize research, writing and presentation skills. They often include special learning experiences, such as service-learning and study abroad.

Honors Theses

Senior Honors students compose and defend in-depth research projects in their major field, which prepare them for graduate school and their future careers. A selection of senior Honors theses may be found in the University’s Digital Repository.