Honors Program

Learning Goals & Mission

Mission

The mission of the Saint Peter’s University Honors Program is to provide an environment of academic exploration and support for students who demonstrate high potential and commitment to the Magis – the Jesuit ideal of reaching for greater excellence in all one does – in their university studies. The Program seeks to enlist the most distinguished and dedicated faculty at the University to teach in the program, and works to provide the framework for curricular innovation, high-impact educational practices, and meaningful scholarly activity among students and faculty. The Program incorporates experiential learning through collaborative and individual research, external internships, service-oriented courses, and local and global cultural engagement. The mission of the Honors Program is consistent with the mission of the University in its commitment to individual attention in educating a diverse community of learners to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately, and promote justice.

Goals

The Saint Peter’s University Honors Program is committed to providing motivated students with individual advisement and instruction, high-impact academic experiences, and collaborative activities which will enable them to:

  1. Strive for the Magis and perform at the highest academic level.
  2. Form meaningful relationships with their peers and faculty mentors who share their dedication to learning.
  3. Develop strong analytical and research skills.
  4. Develop strong written and oral communication skills.
  5. Prepare for graduate studies and/or a career in their chosen field.
  6. Commit to a process of lifelong learning.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students who graduate in cursu honorum will successfully complete a broad program of study that emphasizes advanced and enriched course work from multiple disciplines, as well as in-depth independent research.
  • Honors students will be able to access, analyze, and evaluate information and ideas from multiple sources in order to identify current understanding of a field of knowledge and formulate conclusions.
  • Honors students will be able to design, develop, execute, and orally defend a thesis project, thereby demonstrating advanced knowledge of their major field, a high level of analytical and organizational ability, advanced writing and oral communication skills, and a preparedness for graduate studies.