Honors College Academic Experience

Highlighted by small, discussion-based honors classes and experiential activities in and outside the classroom, you'll also have unparalleled student-driven research opportunities with dedicated faculty mentors and the chance to hone your leadership skills while rolling up your sleeves to make a difference.

Honors Courses 

As an Honors student, you'll be required to complete five Honors courses (15 credits) that will prepare you for active, interdisciplinary learning. Offered across a variety of core disciplines, these seminar-style, discussion-based classes will jumpstart your undergraduate experience as you learn to explore ideas in and outside of your chosen field and personal experience.

You'll be asked to think critically and creatively, collaborate across difference, and participate in co-curricular activities that will take you out of the classroom and into the lab, museum, archeological site, you name it! These courses will count toward your General Education requirements, and, if you're like many Honors students, you'll complete them by the end of your sophomore year.

Capstone Project

At the beginning of your junior year (or even sometimes in the second semester of your sophomore year), you'll begin your required Honors capstone project. Under the guidance of an Honors faculty member, you'll craft a proposal for a substantive project of your choosing that you will complete over the course of three semesters.

You may decide to do a traditional, academic research project, finding scholarly articles, drawing conclusions, and writing a paper you may then present at a professional conference and/or submit to an academic journal. Or, you may choose a creative project, such as writing and illustrating a graphic novel, producing an independent film, or developing an online app. No matter what your choice, you'll be paired with a faculty mentor who will guide and challenge you until you have a well-developed, final project you can use to impress potential employers or graduate school admissions representatives.

A World of Possibilities

It’s no secret that to gain an informed perspective of the world – and your place in it – requires reaching beyond your personal boundaries. That’s why BU's Honors College ensures you have enviable opportunities to travel and explore the world, highlighted by our four-week, faculty-led trip to Central Europe.

You’ll earn credit studying at Jagiellonian University in Kraków, make an unforgettable visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Oświęcim, Poland, and travel to at least five additional major cities throughout Central Europe. The Honors College also travels annually as a group to New York City, and we help you take full advantage of University-wide, faculty-led trips and exchange programs all over the world.

Civic Engagement

Finally, we'll ask you to get involved in civic engagement every semester. You may mix and match what you choose to do, but, preferably, you'll commit to a long-term project. Maybe you'll tutor high school students or work as an EMT or volunteer with a therapeutic horse riding service. As time goes on and your commitment grows deeper, you'll gain skill-building experience, make valuable connections, and see how your work can have impact not only on those you help but on who you are and who you want to be.

Honors Scholarships

Honors works with admissions to identify candidates who are eligible for Academic Excellence, Academic Success, Board of Governors, and Presidential Leadership scholarships. These scholarships are offered to academically talented students who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in a variety of scholarly, extracurricular, and leadership activities.

In addition, you will receive monies for conferences, international travel, and research. And in the spring, we’ll help you apply for one of Bloomsburg University’s Undergraduate Research Scholarships and Creativity Activity (URSCA) Awards. These awards provide financial support of up to $6,000 to students participating in summer research, scholarship, or creative activities.