The Honors School

The Honors School

The Honors School offers a program for high-achieving and highly motivated students to participate in a supportive living-learning community that provides enhanced curricular and co-curricular experiences. This program fosters enthusiasm for intellectual inquiry as a lifelong process and incorporates interdisciplinary approaches to education to encourage the intellectual and ethical growth necessary for a successful college and post-college life.

Honors students work closely with faculty mentors as they pursue scholarly research, writing, and dissemination. They complete twenty-six honors credits, twelve at the lower level in general education, nine at the upper level, often in their major, and five specific to completing their honors thesis/capstone. Students fulfill their twelve general education credits by taking sections designated for honors students. Limited in size to no more than twenty students, these honors classes promote faculty and student rapport and participation. Many courses such as in English, History, Anthropology, Psychology, Sociology, Art, and Music, are "clustered" together by a cohesive theme that encourages seeing the connections among different fields of study, thereby encouraging an integrative approach to learning. Students in the cluster take these courses together, further fostering friendship and collaborative learning. For students whose strengths lie in Math and Sciences, we also offer honors sections at the lower level.

At the upper level, students complete twelve (12) credits of honors courses in the major or other field of study, culminating with five credits distributed over three semesters to complete the Honors Thesis/Capstone. The capstone thesis or project is completed as a tutorial, with the close support and academic guidance of faculty mentors. The Honors School also offers students the opportunity to be considered for the prestigious Freed Award for the best completed Honors Thesis/Capstone, as well as the William P. Mitchell Award for the Dr. William P. Mitchell Excellence in Honors Award for outstanding service to the Honors School. 

In addition to the academic curriculum, the Monmouth University Honors experience is enriched by numerous social, cultural, and academic co- and extracurricular activities, including participation in the Peer Mentor Program and the Honors School Association. Honors students can fully immerse in a living-learning community by opting to house in Beechwood Residence Hall. Regardless of where they live, all Honors students can take advantage of Beechwood's main floor study lounge and lower level social lounge. Honors students who commute can park in designated parking spots behind Beechwood. These combined features make Beechwood Residence Hall a unique living-learning experience for Honors students to foster academic, social, and professional relationships with their peers as they live, relax, study, attend classes, and grow together.

Honors students also enjoy enhanced opportunities after graduation. In addition to gainful employment, more than 50 percent of Honors School students go on to pursue graduate and professional degree programs. Graduation from the Honors school is noted on the student's transcript and diploma. Best of all, Honors School students know that they have completed a program that encourages serious intellectual exploration in a supportive environment.

B.A. or B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies

Please contact the Honors School to discuss the available options for these programs.