The Berkeley College Honors Program
The Berkeley College Honors Program is a selective and voluntary 9-or 18-credit academic opportunity designed to educate, recognize, and retain our highly motivated, high-achieving Associate's and Bachelor’s degree-seeking students. The mission of the Honors Program is to provide a rigorous and unique educational experience that focuses on the consecutive completion of social justice-themed Honors seminars, engagement in community service, the development of critical writing and research, and the presentation of Honors student posters and papers at the annual Honors Symposium. Students are taught and mentored by Honors faculty, guest lecturers, CAS writing consultants, and librarians. Honors seminars are held at select campuses in New York, New Jersey, or online. Each accepted Honors student is assigned to a particular location and learning community. Onsite learning communities meet approximately once a week. Students must register for Honors seminars through their academic advisor.
The Honors Program is open to domestic and international first-year students enrolled in an Associate's or Bachelor’s degree program and continuing/transfer students enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program. Incoming first-year domestic students seeking Associate's or Bachelor’s degrees who have either high school GPAs of at least 3.5 or with special approval from the Honors Program Director are eligible to apply for the first-year Honors program. Incoming first-year international students seeking Associate's or Bachelor’s degrees who have either high school GPAs of at least 3.0 or with special approval from the Honors Program Director are eligible to apply for the first-year Honors program. Full-time enrollment in an Associate's or Bachelor’s degree program within the School of Professional Studies or Larry L. Luing School of Business® is required. (Students enrolled in a degree program within the School of Health Studies are not eligible to apply or participate in the Honors program).
Berkeley College continuing/transfer domestic students seeking a Bachelor’s degree with a cumulative 3.50 grade point average (GPA) or higher, and a minimum of 18 semester credits, but no more than 80 semester credits by the next fall term, are eligible to apply for admission into the next Honors continuing/transfer learning community. Berkeley College continuing/transfer international students seeking a Bachelor’s degree with a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or higher, and a minimum of 18 semester credits, but no more than 80 semester credits by the next fall term, are eligible to apply for admission into the next Honors continuing/transfer learning community. Continuing/Transfer Honors students starting the program will complete one Honors seminar in each of the fall, winter, and spring semesters consecutively, culminating in a final Honors Thesis seminar in the spring semester. Transfer students must receive approval before applying to the program.
Associate's degree-seeking Honors students must consecutively complete HON1105 (fall), HON2205 (winter), and HON2210 (spring). Bachelor’s degree-seeking Honors students must consecutively complete HON1105 (fall), HON2205 (winter), HON2210 (spring), HON3310 (fall), HON4400 (winter), and HON4410 (spring).
Honors students who meet the seminar, community service, research, and minimum GPA requirements will receive the Honors Scholar distinction on their Berkeley College transcripts and diplomas. The distinction will be noted next to each student’s name in the Commencement booklets. Students will also receive an Honors Scholar cord to be worn over their gowns at Commencement.
All eligible students are invited to download an application via the Honors Program page on the Berkeley College website. The application deadline is July 1 for domestic applicants seeking to join the first-year Honors Program the following fall. Applications should be e-mailed directly to the relevant campus Admissions Director.
The application deadline is August 1 for international applicants seeking to join the first-year Honors Program the following fall. Potential applicants must contact their International Admissions Director.
The application deadline is July 1 for applicants seeking to join the Continuing/Transfer Honors Program the following fall. Potential applicants must contact the Honors Program Director.
The three-member Honors Faculty Admissions Committee will review each application and select the next cohort or learning community of Honors students for the fall term. Students admitted into the program will receive a written response from the Honors Program Director within one month following the application deadline.
Each student in the Honors Program, whether domestic or international, must sign an Honors Program Acknowledgment that the student must maintain a cumulative 3.0 Berkeley College GPA to remain in the program, among other requirements. Credits earned in the Honors Program will contribute toward the fulfillment of students’ general education or free elective requirements.