THE HONORS COLLEGE

The Honors College is the oldest, most selective, and most prestigious curricular program at Ave Maria University. It is devoted to the intellectual, moral, and cultural formation of its most academically gifted and mission-fit students. Rooted in the Catholic liberal arts tradition, the Honors College is at the heart of the University. Its curriculum provides enriching and stimulating Honors core courses that are smaller than regular sections and taught by select professors. Its colloquia include interdisciplinary discussions, lectures, debates, and informal small group discussions with professors over dinner. Its formation offers cultural excursions to musical concerts, theater productions, and museums, film and social nights, and spiritual talks by Catholic priests. It fosters a rigorous and supportive environment in which conversations flow naturally in and outside the classroom in the pursuit of wisdom and authentic friendships.

The Honors College provides the best of AMU’s core curriculum: enriching and stimulating Honors core courses that are smaller than regular sections and taught by select professors. HONS 101 is an exclusive Honors freshman seminar in rhetoric and literature. In the HONS 401 Honors capstone seminar, seniors engage deep questions in philosophy, science, the humanities, and their own academic project. Throughout their four years, Honors students also choose at least four Honors core curriculum courses in History, Philosophy, Politics, Rhetoric and Poetics, and Theology. They can also take Latin, Chemistry, and Physics for Honors credit. Honors students may receive academic credit through the Honors Research Internship, in which Honors students gain real-world skills by working one-on-one with a professor on his or her research in any discipline.

The Honors College offers Honors students interdisciplinary academic discussions, lectures, and debates throughout the year. During their four years, Honors students will participate in eight of these colloquia. In the past, we have hosted a sculptor on sacred art, a Roman Catholic cardinal on doctrine and liturgy, a healthcare executive on mental healthcare, a literature professor on St. Augustine and Dante, a play director on Shakespeare, and a philosopher on love and dating. The Honors College also hosts “Food for Thought” seminars, Honors-only small group discussions over a specific text, artwork, or topic with a professor over dinner.

The Honors College hosts moral and cultural formation activities, including cultural excursions to musical concerts, theater productions, and museums; pizza, trivia, and film nights; and a series of spiritual talks by one of our most popular priests to discuss the theology of work and study, with practical tips on how to achieve unity in work and life.

The Honors College also carries many other benefits:

• Honors Scholarship that helps defray the costs of tuition
• Exclusive Honors Housing on premium floors in the residence halls with new amenities
• Special early registration for all classes
• Dedicated Honors Lounge for Honors courses, colloquia, and a place of study for Honors students
• Opportunity to compete for internal nomination for graduate scholarships to study at Oxford
• Recognition of Honors on transcript and diploma
• Priority access to tutoring jobs on campus

• Incoming freshmen, transfer students, current AMU students, and dual-enrolled students are eligible to apply.
• Incoming freshmen and dual-enrolled students must have a minimum unweighted high school GPA of 3.7 as well as a minimum 1360 SAT score or 30 ACT score or 92 CLT score.
• Transfer and current AMU students must have a minimum university GPA of 3.7 as well as a minimum 1360 SAT score or 30 ACT score or 92 CLT score. They must also have enough semesters left to be able to complete the Honors College curricular and colloquia requirements: HONS 101, HONS 401, four Core Curriculum Honors courses, and 8 Honors colloquia.
• Honors students must maintain a 3.4 GPA to remain in the Honors College.

Incoming freshman: If you qualify for the Honors College, you should attend the Presidential Scholarship Weekend on January 16–17, 2026, when you will be able to apply to the Honors College, which awards the Honors Scholarship. Attending the Presidential Scholarship Weekend also qualifies you for the additional Presidential Merit Scholarship. Apply for your spot at the Presidential Scholarship Weekend. Please contact your Admissions Counselor if you have additional questions or need more information.

Transfer students: Please contact your Admissions Counselor, who can give you more information about Honors College application. The deadline for admission into the Honors College for transfer students is March 15.

Current AMU students and dual-enrolled students: Please contact the Director of the Honors College. Admissions decisions are on a rolling basis.

Questions related to the Honors College may be sent to
honors@avemaria.edu.