The Honors Program provides an enriched university experience to highly-motivated undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences through innovative academics, personalized curriculum, community engagement, and leadership development.

We believe in service learning both inside and outside of the classroom to create leaders who will make a positive difference in the world. Our honors courses are not “harder.” Instead these interdisciplinary courses are specifically designed to have more opportunity for honors students to be creative and innovative. For example, one of our Honors Seminars focuses on environmental sustainability in that students research and take part in service learning at the Permaculture Center on the Adrian Dominican Sister Motherhouse campus.

BENEFITS

  • Priority Registration—Honors Program scholars are given priority when registering for their classes.
  • Community Events—Honors Program Scholars have many opportunities for group travel and entertainment, as well as community service.
  • Honors Housing—Honors Program scholars have the option of living in our Honors Residence Halls that have extended quiet hours.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Program Requirements—Scholars in the Honors Program must complete a minimum of 20 credits of honors-designated courses, including First Year Experience and four honors seminars. Other honors-designated courses, including First Year Experience and four honors seminars. Other honors-designated courses are selected by the students according to their interests. Students may also petition the Honors Program director to take non-honors designed courses for honors credit. Students have the option to complete an honors research thesis in partnership with a faculty mentor.
  • Graduation Requirements—Our scholars must complete the requirements of their major and the honors coursework with a combined 3.25 GPA. All honors coursework must be completed with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to meet the requirements of the Honors Program and graduate with the Honors designation on their diploma and transcript.
  • High School Students—Our basic admission process is that a student be admitted to Siena Heights and express a desire to be a part of the program. They would then submit an Honors application, letters of recommendation, and complete an interview with a member of the Honors Committee. Decisions are made on a rolling basis. Our general guidelines indicate a preference given to high school scholars with a core of 3.5 GPA or higher, 25 or above on the ACT, and/or 1210 on the SAT and students with a passion for community service, but we look at each candidate holistically.
  • Transfer Students—Our basic admission for transfers is that the student be admitted to Siena Heights University and have completed less than 30 credit hours towards their undergraduate degree requirements with a preference for a cumulative transfer GPA of 3.5 or higher. They would then submit an Honors application, letters of recommendation, and complete an interview with a member of the Honors Committee. Decisions are made on a rolling basis.

CHECK OUT AN OVERVIEW OF OUR HONORS PROGRAM