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“The Honors program offers our students a chance to take unique classes providing the highest levels of instruction and an environment in which talented peers will push them to do their best. The Honors Integrated Colloquia will be at the heart of their experience, bringing together students and faculty from different disciplines for a deeper inquiry into the issues which unify our Core Curriculum and our intellectual tradition.”

– Dr. Bradley Ritter, Assistant Professor of Classics and Early Christian Literature, Core Curriculum Council Chair

“Students looking for a challenge will love the Honors Program. It is tailored to serve those seeking intensive engagement with their professors.”
– Dr. Seana Sugrue, Associate Professor of Politics-

Do I have to be in a dorm with just honor students?

No. The Honors Program offers designated clusters of rooms for honors students within the regular men’s and women’s residence halls, but students may alternatively live outside honors clusters and/or room with non-honors students.  Honors clusters will have specially designated Resident Assistants to support and assist the students and organize activities.  Students may contact the Office of Residence Life to request alternative dorm assignments.

Are there special luncheons/dinners? Will there be guest lecturers for honors students?

The Honors Program includes the Honors Integrated Colloquia that meet at least twice each semester.  In addition, we anticipate offering additional meals, lectures, and activities depending on student interest and availability.

How many honors classes do I take and are they only in the core curriculum?

Honors students typically take two honors courses per semester over their first four semesters.  Students are encouraged to choose honors courses in subjects in which they have greater ability and interest.  Most of these courses are in the core curriculum, but the courses in the core curriculum are also the beginning of many majors.

Should I consider the Honors Program, if I want to get involved in social activities and other campus clubs?

We have found that our higher achieving students are often quite engaged in the broader campus activities, and thus will offer students in the Honors Program many opportunities for involvement during their years at Ave Maria.

Can I be in the Honors Program if I have daily intercollegiate athletics practices?

Yes. We are committed to scheduling honors sections outside of afternoon practice times.  Also, should scheduling conflicts prove unavoidable, students may arrange an honors contract to convert a regular section of a course into an honors section.

Will honors courses hurt my gpa and thus my chances of getting into graduate school?

Students generally succeed at higher rates in classes in which they are engaged at the appropriate level and are able to develop relationships with their professors.  These are the very benefits provided by the honors program.  In fact, given the achievement and aptitude of honors students, Honors sections will typically have higher average grades than non-honors sections.

Should I enter the Honors Program, if I'm considering a double major or extra minors?

Yes.  The honors program does not require any additional courses in the core curriculum so there is no conflict.  Students that are interested in earning a second major or minors should begin working with their academic advisors early on in their program to ensure appropriate course selection.

Can I leave the Honors Program?

Students may leave the Honors Program at the end of any semester simply by notifying the Director of the Honors Program.  If a student does not complete the requirements for the Honors Program, the student would simply complete the regular core and major requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree.  Only successful completions of the Honors Program are recognized on the transcript.

• More enriching and accelerated academic experience of the core curriculum
• Options for designated living spaces for honors students within the residence halls
• Focused component of freshman orientation
• Recognition on transcript
• Graduation with honors in the core curriculum
• Graduation with honors in a major

The Honors Integrated Colloquia are interdisciplinary discussions for students in the Honors Program, which meet twice a semester. They are dedicated to fostering an interdisciplinary and integrated conversation, focusing on texts and ideas within the core curriculum, as well as broader ideals and themes within the overall philosophy of the curriculum. These stimulating Colloquia are led by three professors representing diverse disciplines.

Some of the past Colloquia topics are as follows:

• Is Infinity Real?
• The U.S Constitution: Christian or Secular?
• Competing Visions of Liberty: LBJ, Reagan and the American Dream
• What is Catholic Culture?
• The Galileo Affair
• Responses to the Holocaust

HONS 101 (Required) – Honors Students take HONS 101 in place of RETP 101

HONS 401 (Required)

BIOL 211H Biology I; BIOL 212H Biology II

CHEM 125/CHEM 126; PHYS 221/PHYS 222/PHYS 223 (regular sections)

HIST 101H Western Civilization I

HIST 102H Western Civilization II

LATN 101 Elementary Latin

LATN 102 Intermediate Latin

PHIL 205H Nature and Person

PHIL 206H Ethics

POLT 203H American Civilization

RETP 102H Rhetoric and Poetics II

THEO 105H Sacred Scripture

THEO 205H Sacred Doctrine

THEO 400H Living in Christ

Incoming freshmen who are identified by their achievement on the SAT/ACT/CLT exams and high school coursework (courses, programs, GPA, class rank, etc.) will be invited to apply for the Honors Program. Consideration will be given to students with a high school GPA of 3.6 or higher and an SAT score of 1350 and above, an ACT score of 29 and above, or a CLT score of 90 and above.

Current students and transfer students may apply for admission to the Honors program as long as they still have half of the core curriculum to complete.

�鶹��ý����� offers students majoring in Music an Honors Program specially designed to enhance and complement the unique program requirements of the program in Music. For more information, click here to see more about the Honors Program in Music.

�鶹��ý����� recognizes that honors students will often excel in particular areas of the Core Curriculum. For this reason, our program allows students to choose the courses in which they will earn honors. Honors Program students must fulfill the following.

Complete at least six (6) courses from the Core Curriculum listed below at the Honors level. Students are not permitted to take more than two designated Honors (H) courses per semester. Students are required to take the introductory Honors course, HONS 101 and the Honors Capstone, HONS 401. No more than two (2) science classes may count towards the fulfillment of the six (6) required Honors classes.

Attend eight (8) Honors Integrated Colloquia before graduation.

Maintain an overall GPA of 3.4 or higher.