University Honors Program | The George Washington University

The mission of the University Honors Program (UHP) is to bring together outstanding students of wide academic interests and challenge them through rigorous engagement in and contributions to a diverse community of scholars. The program’s distinctive curriculum promotes a broad liberal education that encourages students both to probe the most foundational questions of humanity and to apply their understanding to complex problems of the world today. Students enhance their coursework with research and other experiential opportunities and work with program faculty and staff to achieve intellectual and personal development throughout their undergraduate years.

Highlights of the program include:

Students enroll in a series of unique courses, addressing questions and issues through cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary perspectives, drawing from the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. In their senior year, students complete a senior thesis and participate in an Honors capstone experience.
Many UHP courses are taught as discussion-based seminars, typically with 15 to 20 students, allowing for the development of a collaborative academic environment between peers as well as strong relationships between students and faculty.
The shared academic experience of the UHP is enhanced by the small size of the program, which is limited to approximately 500 students. All first-year UHP students live in an Honors Living-Learning community on the Mount Vernon campus. Upper-level Honors students have the option of living in an Honors residential community on the Foggy Bottom campus.
Co-curricular programming includes on and off-campus activities with faculty, staff, and student peer-advisors. Examples include visits to local museums and theaters, film screenings, hikes, discussions in the program's club room, student–faculty dinners, and guest speakers.
Supplemental to other advising at GW, Honors advisors assist students with academic planning and can also provide personal and career guidance.
Honors students in good standing with the program are granted advanced registration during their second, third, and fourth semesters at GW.
Many UHP courses count toward University the General Education requirement and/or CCAS general education curriculum (GPAC) requirements.
A student who successfully completes the program’s curricular requirements will have that achievement indicated on their transcript.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
To remain in good standing, Honors Program students must enroll in at least 12 academic credits each semester, participate in all required advising activities, achieve a grade of C- or above in each of their HONR courses, and earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 by the end of their first year. After their first year, students must maintain a cumulative GPA that ensures it is mathematically possible to graduate with a GPA of 3.0 or above. Successful participation in the program is recognized and recorded on a student’s official transcript.
Curriculum requirements
In their first year, along with their other courses, Honors students take the following: ^*
HONR 1015	Honors Seminar: UW 1020: Origins and Evolution of Modern Thought
HONR 1016	Honors Seminar: Origins and Evolution of Modern Thought
HONR 1033	Honors Seminar: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery ^**
HONR 1034	Honors Seminar: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery ^**
At any time during their second, third, and fourth years, Honors students take the following:
Two Self and Society courses (HONR 2047 or HONR 2047W). Topics cannot be repeated.
Two Arts and Humanities courses (HONR 2053 or HONR 2053W). Topics cannot be repeated.
All Honors Program students participate in HONR 4199 Honors Capstone Experience and complete an Honors Senior Thesis (HONR 4198) or an equivalent departmental thesis.
*Students who join the Honors Program in the spring of their first year take HONR 2016 Enlightenment East and West in the fall of their second year in place of the first-year seminars listed above.
**In place of HONR 1033 and HONR 1034, students can take a pre-approved alternative science course.

Some Honors courses meet certain general curriculum and elective requirements of the student's schools.

University Honors Program Core Faculty

Eyal Aviv, Associate Professor of Honors, Religion, and International Affairs
Theodore Christov, Associate Professor of Honors, History, and International Affairs
Bethany Cobb Kung, Associate Professor of Honors and Physics
Thiago da Silva Moreira, Assistant Professor of Honors and Biology
Mark Ralkowski, Professor of Honors and Philosophy
Elvira Maria Restrepo, Associate Professor of Honors and International Affairs
Joseph Trullinger, Assistant Professor of Honors and Philosophy
William Winstead, Assistant Professor of Honors and Political Science

University Honors Program Staff

Jeffrey Brand, Associate Provost of for Undergraduate Affairs and Special Programs
Bethany Cobb Kung, Director, University Honors Program
Eydie Costantino, Assistant Director of Finance and Administration
Jasmine Williams, Program Manager
Tabitha Dean, Program Manager
Marney O'Connor, Program Coordinator

Explanation of Course Numbers

Courses in the 1000s are primarily introductory undergraduate courses
Those in the 2000s to 4000s are upper-level undergraduate courses that also may be taken for graduate credit with permission and additional work assigned
Those in the 6000s and 8000s are for master’s, doctoral, and professional-level students
The 6000s are open to advanced undergraduate students with approval of the instructor and the dean or advising office

HONR 1015. Honors Seminar: UW 1020: Origins and Evolution of Modern Thought. 4 Credits.

Exploration of significant exemplars, milestones, and developments of human thought. Foundational and representative thinkers/texts (Western and Eastern) reveal the diversity of attempts to articulate responses to universal questions, problems, and aspirations. Credit cannot be earned for this course and UW 1020.

HONR 1016. Honors Seminar: Origins and Evolution of Modern Thought. 3 Credits.

Continuation of HONR 1015. Key developments and trajectories in human thought and inquiry into modern times.

HONR 1033. Honors Seminar: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery. 4 Credits.

In-depth investigation in fields including biology, physics, or chemistry. Using an inquiry-based approach with a focus on problem solving and labs, students develop scientific and numerical literacy. Topics covered varies by semester.

HONR 1034. Honors Seminar: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery. 4 Credits.

Continuation of HONR 1033. Using an inquiry-based approach with a focus on problem solving and labs, students develop scientific and numerical literacy. Topics vary by semester.

HONR 2016. Enlightenment East and West. 4 Credits.

Taken in lieu of HONR 1015 and HONR 1016 by students who enter the Honors Program as sophomores.

HONR 2043. Honors Microeconomics. 3 Credits.

An introductory microeconomics course that considers both the philosophical basis of economics as well as its methods and applications. Same as ECON 1011.

HONR 2044. Honors Macroeconomics. 3 Credits.

Accelerated introductory macroeconomics course that includes the study of special topics. Credit cannot be earned for this course and ECON 1012.

HONR 2047. Self and Society Seminar. 3 Credits.

HONR 2047W. Self and Society Seminar. 3 Credits.

Study of significant social and political phenomena using the tools and modes of inquiry of the social and behavioral sciences. Topics vary by semester. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs. Consult the Schedule of Classes. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement. Same As: HONR 2047.

HONR 2053. Arts and Humanities Seminar. 3 Credits.

HONR 2053W. Arts and Humanities Seminar. 3 Credits.

In-depth investigation of a topic in literature, art, film, philosophy, or other humanistic field of study. Topics vary by semester. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs. Consult the Schedule of Classes for more details. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement. Credit cannot be earned for this course and HONR 2053.

HONR 2182. Honors Internship. 4 Credits.

The Honors Program allows credit to Honors students for academic work that puts an internship in a broader scholastic context. Each student must have a GW faculty member oversee his or her project. The Honors internship faculty member determines the student's grade. May be repeated for credit.

HONR 2184. Honors Undergraduate Research. 4 Credits.

Independent or faculty-mentored research resulting in a significant written or other product. May be repeated for credit.

HONR 2185. Honors Research Assistantship. 4 Credits.

Students provide substantive assistance to a faculty member engaged in scholarly or scientific research. May be repeated for credit.

HONR 4198. Honors Senior Thesis. 3-4 Credits.

Independent thesis research. Requires a senior thesis contract and a faculty mentor who assigns the final grade. Junior year planning required prior to enrollment. See an Honors Program manager. May be repeated for credit. Restricted to seniors.

HONR 4199. Honors Capstone Experience. 1 Credit.

Students re-engage with Honors faculty and peers via authentic discussions and reflect on their learning in the program and the enduring questions and challenges of our world. Topics vary by semester. Graded on a Pass/No Pass basis. Restricted to seniors.