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Honors Program Requirements

  • Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA. If a student’s GPA falls below 3.5, they have one semester to raise it.
  • Students must attend all mandatory meetings and at least one event sponsored by the program each academic year. This includes lectures, field trips, and other opportunities and events.
  • Students must complete the program requirements with grades of B or better before they begin their project.
  • Students should try to finish their second seminar by the end of the junior year. It is best not to do the project in your last semester.
  • Students who wish to withdraw from the program must write a letter to the co-Directors stating this and explaining why or meet with one of the co-Directors for an exit interview.
  • Students may not submit an Honors Project proposal until after they have completed two Honors Seminars.
  • Students must submit their Honors Project proposal and get it approved by the Honors Committee the semester before enrolling in HP 405 Honors Project and completing the Honors Project.

Honors Program is a 12-credit interdisciplinary course requirements:

  • 2 interdisciplinary Honors seminars with a grade of B or higher (3 credits each for a total of 6 credits)
  • 1 Honors designated Core Curriculum class (3 credits)
  • 1 section of Honors Freshman Seminar (1 credit, optional)
  • 1 Research Methods Class (1 credit, optional) / HP 400
  • Independent Honors research/creative Project (3 credits) / HP 405
  • Presentation of a student’s research to both faculty and the wider Caldwell University community (part of Caldwell’s Research and Creative Arts Day)
  • Service to the University

Who can apply?

  • Qualified incoming students
  • Any student who had completed at least one semester at Caldwell and had a GPA of 3.5 or higher is eligible to apply.

While not required, we highly recommend that you complete these academic requirements according to the following Suggested Plan of Study:

Freshman Year:
Fall: Freshman Seminar (1 credit)
Fall or Spring: Honors Core Course, (3 credits)
Sophomore Year:
Fall: Honors Seminar (3 credits)
Spring: Honors Seminar (3 credits)

Junior Year:
Fall: Research Methods / HP 400 (1 credit)
Spring: Honors Project Class / HP 405 (3 credits)

This structure is ideal, but students are able (and are encouraged) to take additional Honors Seminars. This structure is suggested but flexible so that students may take these classes in the order that works best with their major requirements. It is possible, as well, that students complete their project in their senior year, but we encourage an earlier completion. In accord with program objectives and the Dominican values of the college, students participating in the Honors Program are required to act responsibly and respectfully towards others in all activities relating to the program. This includes guidelines established by the college and any specific guidelines established by professors, advisors and the co-Directors in seminars and the Honors Projects. If the co-Directors determine that the participation of a student does not meet these criteria, the student will be dismissed from the program without further recourse.