Benefits of the Honors Program
Honors courses allow you to challenge yourself in a classroom filled with students who have similar academic goals. These courses are designed differently than most other courses, but the content and assignments are not necessarily more difficult relative to other courses. Rather, instructors use student-centered techniques to develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills to challenge students to think “outside the box”, and to delve more deeply into important questions than they ordinarily would do.
Furthermore, students have a greater opportunity to learn because of smaller class sizes and increased interactions with their classmates and instructor. In fact, honors students often engage themselves in lively discussions and constructive arguments with their classmates. The skills that students acquire and develop in these courses serve them well in all of their college courses and in their future education and career. Outside the classroom, we organize community-based and extracurricular learning activities that complement in-class instruction. Above all, our aim is to prepare our students for a life of independent inquiry.
Honors instructors are full-time faculty members, all of whom are active scholars in their respective fields. They often integrate their expertise and scholarship into their honors courses, not only keeping course content fresh and current but also inspiring students to acquire and apply their own knowledge in new and exciting ways.
In addition, you will have more opportunities to perform student-centered research with professors. Honors courses are often structured to develop students’ research and critical thinking skills through independent and group research projects. Projects range from theoretical to empirical, novel research to literature research. Sometimes Honors students are invited to contribute to their professors’ own scholarship outside of class. Regardless of the type of project, students benefit from ownership of their project. More importantly, they gain not only a valuable introduction to the intellectual methods of their field, but also acquire the analytical experience and skills critical for entry into professional degree programs or careers.
Students who are accepted into the Honors Program are eligible for a generous merit scholarship. Please visit the financial assistance website for more information.
Students have two opportunities for taking honors courses abroad. The prestigious EuroScholars Program allows qualified students to perform research for a semester with a professor at one of 11 European universities. Besides the research, students take a culture and language course, and one more elective (usually research methods). Research opportunities exist in the social and natural sciences, as well as some humanities disciplines, and they count toward the required honors electives. Alternatively, students can take honors courses at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy. All honors students are entitled to a small one-time increase in their Honors scholarship to defray travel costs (subject to availability).
Freshmen honors students enjoy the privilege of living in the best dorms. This year, students live in Toussaint Hall, Bergoglio Hall or Mother Teresa Hall. All offer state-of-the-art media and study lounges, and newer facilities than those found in other freshmen dorms.
Admission into the Honors program is highly selective, and you will belong to a community of students who have been recognized for being accomplished scholars and well-rounded individuals. You will be offered many unique privileges, including the ability to waive certain courses, the use of dedicated study spaces in the library and in the freshmen and sophomore honors residences, special trips, and a host of other opportunities to further your education.
There is no denying it: having "Honors" on your transcript is advantageous when applying to a graduate or professional program or an employer. The “Honors” distinction indicates that you're a serious student who is not only goal-oriented but who also enjoys learning for its own sake. Application reviewers will know that you are an independent learner who has been trained to think creatively and critically, to communicate well in all forms, and to successfully complete demanding tasks.
I think that if any good thing shall go forward, something must be adventured.
—Thomas More, A Dialogue Concerning Heresies, CWM, v. 6, p. 339