Honors Program (HP)

The Honors Program offers a curriculum specially designed around high-impact methods of instruction that suit academically ambitious students. There are three components to the honors curriculum: honors-specific courses (the “honors core”); an individualized sequence of goal-oriented experiences (the “honors pathway”); and a senior experience that demonstrates either depth or breadth of scholarship. Students who opt for the “depth” track will complete a senior capstone project. Those who opt for the “breadth” track will double major or minor in a field distinct from their first major field (for example, by majoring in Biology and minoring/double majoring in Peace, Justice, and Human Rights).

The Admissions Office may offer automatic entry into the honors program to certain prospective students based on their high school records, including grade point average, standardized test scores, strength of curriculum, demonstrated writing skills, and co-curricular engagement. However, any prospective student may apply to the program, and we encourage them to do so. Prospective students may inquire about the program by emailing to honors@jcu.edu and learn about the program by visiting www.jcu.edu/honors.

Transfer students and students who have completed one semester at John Carroll may also apply for admission to the program by contacting honors@jcu.edu.

With the guidance of faculty and academic advisers, honors students are expected to take an active role in planning their academic progress. Students may design their own major and minor programs, and honors students may petition to take up to an additional three credit hours (over the maximum of 18) tuition free. Honors students who have completed at least 32 hours of course work at John Carroll may also audit one course per semester without fee with the permission of the program director and the appropriate academic dean.

Further information about the Honors Program is available from the program director, Prof. Daniel Kilbride (honors@jcu.edu) or via the program’s website, www.jcu.edu/honors.