Honors Program
Are you stressed about getting a job after graduation? Are you wondering how you're going to stand out with so much competition? Alvernia’s Honors Program has got you covered. We know what skills and traits are in demand, and Alvernia’s Honors Program will help you develop them.
It’s a competitive world — set yourself apart! Participating in Alvernia’s Honors Program can make a big impression when applying for your first job or grad school by demonstrating superior academic abilities, commitment and motivation to take on challenging work, and desirable leadership skills.
Information
The Honors Program at Alvernia assists students of outstanding intellectual promise and high motivation who are interested in future graduate or professional study and/or seeking increasing challenge at the undergraduate level. The program is designed to recognize and encourage academic excellence, to stimulate students to work at their own pace, and to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information among students with different interests and in different disciplines. The honors program provides co-curricular activities, service opportunities, and intellectual and social support, adding significant dimensions to the student’s academic program.
Classes in Alvernia’s Honors Program encourage greater initiative and independence, deeper learning, and closer collaboration between honors students and faculty than in regular courses. This does not necessarily mean more work for honors students than for others, but it does mean a different kind of work, and often leads to more individual attention from the professor than in a typical class. Students and professors alike will notice a difference in the quality of work required and produced rather than its quantity.
- A cumulative GPA of 3.3 at graduation
- Successful completion of the First Year Honors Seminar (may be waived for students who enter the program after the first semester)
- 3 additional Honors Courses
- Successful completion of a 6-credit Honors Thesis
- A resume and description of time spent at Alvernia and in the Honors Program
Class Curates Voter Education Exhibit
A Miller Gallery display highlighted the importance of voting and media literacy during election season.
FAQs
You probably have questions about the Honors Program. Here are the answers to common ones. Don't see your question here? See the FAQs page.
- What Does It Mean to Be Invited to Be in Honors?
It’s an honor to be invited to be a part of our Alvernia Honors community! It rewards you for your impressive academic performance in high school. We know you thrive in a challenging academic environment. Joining Alvernia’s Honors Program says you are an excellent student who is committed to getting the best education available. Honors students are dedicated to academic success and desire to make the most of their college experience. If you have a passion for learning and enjoy an intellectual challenge, Alvernia’s Honors Program is for you!
- What Do I Get By Being a Part of Honors?
In addition to a variety of perks such as priority registration, overload fee waivers when taking an Honors course, and designated study/lounge space on campus, students who participate in Alvernia’s Honors Program become personally invested in their academic success and planning for their futures. They develop close connections with their professors and fellow students—people who will be there to cheer you on throughout your time at Alvernia. These close bonds could one day prove instrumental as you seek promising leads for jobs and other opportunities.
- What Can I Expect from Honors?
Discussion-based classes: Honors courses encourage interaction with classmates and professors and foster critical thinking and communication skills. You will be asked a lot of questions; you will learn how to think and respond. This ability to bring ideas forward and defend a viewpoint is a critical employment skill. In Honors classes, memorization of material is less important than spending time deconstructing, digesting, debating, and critically evaluating ideas. Students learn to work in as a group, respecting the opinions of others and building trust and a sense of solidarity with one another.
Challenging and Interesting Courses: Honors is the most exciting way to fulfill your Search General Education requirements—no boring survey courses here! Honors Courses are developed specifically for the Honors students, featuring interdisciplinary and interesting topics to broaden students’ horizons and allow them to hear different perspectives. You will learn that all subjects have something important to offer. You will develop interests in subjects that you never thought you would care about at all, grow personally and intellectually, and develop critical thinking skills that will help you immensely in your career.
Support: Professors and advisors who are there to challenge and support a student throughout their time at Alvernia. Honors advisors and mentors help students develop and polish a thesis, and provide guidance when applying to graduate programs or jobs.
Network: from professors to fellow students and alumni, there are many bright and ambitious people in the Honors network who can give you advice and help you make valuable connections.
