Honors Programs

The Siena College Honors Program is designed to foster the intellectual and aesthetic growth of its students through personal interaction with faculty and staff both inside and outside the classroom. The Honors Program expands opportunities to develop critical and creative thinking; to gather, synthesize, and analyze evidence in making reasoned and informed judgments; to appreciate cultural diversity; and to enhance written and oral communication skills. Every effort is made to challenge the intellectually motivated students while keeping them fully involved in the life of the College. There are multiple points of entry into the Honors Program.

REQUIREMENTS

A.  Academic Requirements: 24 credit hours over four years

Honors courses: 15 credit hours minimum (may also satisfy core requirements)
Research component: 
Nine (9) credit hours consisting of:
       - 3 hours Honors Colloquium (spring of junior year)
       - 6 hours Honors Thesis/Project (typically in the senior year)

B. Service Requirement:

Prior to graduation, students must fulfill a service requirement. This may be accomplished by completion of specified courses with a service component or by completion of an individual contract detailing the kind of service and its relationship to learning.

C. Admission Requirements for current Siena students:

Students already enrolled at Siena may apply if they have completed 30 credit hours with an overall average of 3.3. Highly qualified students who are not enrolled in the Honors Program, but who have at least 12 credit hours and a 3.5 GPA in a field of study, may apply to the Honors Committee to do the research component only, starting with the Honors Colloquium. Honors Fellows must maintain a 3.3 GPA throughout their studies at Siena College.