Honors College

A vibrant program for accomplished students

Honors College offers talented, high-achieving students a unique educational experience in a vibrant and dynamic University community. In Honors College, students discover the range and depth of their academic potential, form lasting friendships with others who share their aspirations, and interact with faculty who continually challenge and inspire them.

Most incoming Honors College students graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school classes and belong to various honor societies. They also enjoy numerous interests and extracurricular activities and are committed to service in their communities.

Honors College offers students a focused, multidisciplinary first-year program, Culture and Expression, whose courses are designed to explore the connections between disciplines and are taught by a team of the University's most distinguished faculty.

"I was able to meet a lot of people and make great friends. By living in the Honors Housing it was easy for me to get help with my class work as I could just walk next door and knock on my neighbors' door." - Jennifer Shivey, Class of 2008

Students spend the majority of their time in small discussion groups with faculty, while weekly "common meetings" with a working teacher-scholar in the field focus on the issues that join the courses.

In addition to Culture and Expression, Honors College students may complete their schedules with any other University course, including First-Year Connections Seminars (under advisement). First-Year Connection Clusters are not appropriate for Honors College students, since the Culture and Expression courses serve as their cohort program.

After the initial year, Honors College students can choose from a wide range of honors-credit courses in all major programs. The flexibility of Honors College permits students to major in any of Hofstra's more than 140 undergraduate areas of study.

Honors College students may choose to live in Hofstra's Liberty and Republic Halls. Designated for Honors College students, this environment gives students a greater sense of community, as well as curricular and co-curricular support. In addition, Honors housing is the congenial site for a host of social and intellectual activities open to all Honors College students, whether residents or commuters. These events include visiting speakers, study breaks, "open-mic" nights, poetry readings and film series.

Honors College is not a degree-granting unit of Hofstra; its graduates earn baccalaureate degrees in the Hofstra school or college of their major along with the "Honors College graduate" designation, upon completion of all Honors College requirements.

To help our students feel at home at Hofstra, the Honors College Dean's Office offers a home base, a welcoming lounge, personal academic advisement from the dean or associate dean, faculty mentors, and a rich slate of on- and off-campus events. Past events have included theater and gallery trips, outings to Yankees and Mets games, and frequent guest lectures.

Afternoon coffee is a low-key weekly event that brings together commuter and resident students with faculty and guests in a relaxed environment that stimulates the exchange of ideas.