"I love working with our Honors students: bright, engaged, and dedicated. Because our office is located in Honors House, the residence hall (Beechwood Hall) where so many of our Honors students live, we are surrounded by our students, much like a large family."

Dr. William Mitchell
Freed Professor of Social Sciences and Former Dean, Honors School

"Raise your standards, and do not compromise them!"

Michael Oppermann, Monmouth alumnus

"My involvement with the Honors Program has given me the opportunity to work closely with some outstanding students and has provided me with some of my fondest memories of the years that I've been at Monmouth."

Dr. Kenneth Campbell, Director (1989-1992)

How can I earn an honors distinction on my degree?

In order to earn an honors distinction on an undergraduate degree, students in the Honors School must fulfill all the requirements of their major and successfully complete 25 credits of the following Honors courses:

1. Completion of 12 credits at the lower (freshmen/sophomore) level. These can be fulfilled by taking Honors sections of General Education courses, including: Freshmen English, Western Civilization, Anthropology, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology; OR, for students in the School of Science, Technology, and Engineering: Biology, Chemistry, and Math; OR any combination of both.
2. Completion of 13 credits at the upper level. These may be fulfilled by taking courses in the major offered for Honors credit, taking "contract" courses in the major (regular courses for "H" credit by contract with the professor). Required courses include Proposal and Thesis.

What is the senior honors thesis?

The senior honors thesis is an independent research paper done by a student usually during senior year. It differs from a conventional paper in its preparation, scope, and presentation. The thesis gives a student an opportunity to develop analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, as well as a chance to evaluate different source materials. The honors thesis can be written in the student's field of study or another field. Upon completion, the student must defend the written thesis before a faculty committee.

In certain disciplines (such as art, chemistry, or biology), a student can do an honors project instead of an honors thesis. If interested, send an e-mail to Dr. Kevin L. Dooley, Dean of the Honors School.