The University Honors Program is designed to spark curiosity, support students in reaching outside their comfort zones, and build strong, inclusive academic communities dedicated to improving our common world.  The program reaches across all of ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳’s undergraduate colleges and enrolls more than 1000 students in a given year. Honors has two branches: Core Honors, a 4-year academic program open to incoming first-years; and Disciplinary Honors, or Honors in the major programs, which students generally apply to as sophomores.  The two branches are separate, and students do not have to do one to do the other.

The majority of the Core Honors curriculum (24 credits) consists of Honors versions of ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳ Core Curriculum classes, taken by all undergraduates at ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳.  Core Honors classes tend to be smaller than their regular versions and emphasize experiential learning, group work, and strong peer and faculty-student relationships.  Core Honors students have the option to join the Honors Peer Mentor program in their first semester, and later to work as mentors themselves.  First-years and sophomores also have the option to live on the Honors floors in Straz Tower.  Honors offers competitive funding for undergraduate research and study abroad, and it provides holistic, student-centered advising throughout students’ undergraduate careers.

The UHP has Disciplinary Honors programs in Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, English, Exercise Physiology, History, Nursing, Philosophy, Physics, and Psychology.  Students do not need to be in Core Honors to apply to those programs, and most Disciplinary Honors programs ask for applications in students’ sophomore or junior years. Students whose major departments do not offer Disciplinary Honors programs are eligible to do Honors projects in their majors directly through the UHP. 

 

Benefits of Honors

• Smaller classes, and a curriculum that focuses on experiential, collaborative learning in our urban home
• An emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, communication, and community-building – skills that benefit every major
• Mentoring and funding for high-impact educational practices, including undergraduate research and study abroad
• Holistic, student-centered advising throughout your ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳ career
• An optional Living-Learning Community in Straz Tower for Core Honors first-years and sophomores
• The Honors Peer Mentor program, open to all incoming first-years
• Intensive leadership opportunities, in the Peer Mentor program, Honors admissions, our Civic Discourse curriculum, and the Honors Student Advisory Board
• Priority registration

Honors staff and students are eager to tell you more about the program.  If you have questions after reading our website, please call or email. Our application is open to all students admitted to ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳, and we have no score or GPA requirements for admission. Students must have a cumulative C average to graduate from Core Honors. For more information on Core Honors, please see our FAQ page.