Honors Program

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  Honors Program Application

  You will be invited

  Once students are accepted to Detroit Mercy, the Honors Program Coordinators will invite those students who have a least a 3.5 GPA to apply for the program. In special cases, they may consider students who have a minimum 3.3 GPA.

  Essay

  Students must submit an essay in order to be considered.

  Essay Prompts

  1. Detroit Mercy's Mission and Identity states that universities are places where students learn to "understand reality from many different perspectives." Why do diverse perspectives matter in higher education? What perspective do you bring to Detroit Mercy?

  2.  A Jesuit and Mercy education strives to graduate "men and women for others." What does this mean to you and how would you live it out?

  Upload your essay to the Admissions portal.

  Notification

  The Honors Program Directors will review your application and notify you if you have been accepted into the program.

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  Honors Curriculum

  University Honors students work closely with outstanding faculty members who are committed to their academic, personal and professional success.

  Over their first three years, students take a one-credit First-Year Honors Seminar and six Honors courses drawn from the University’s Core Curriculum. Honors students take required classes together, learning and bonding through classroom discussion and projects.

  Honors courses

  Current Honors courses include Academic Writing, Introduction to Philosophy, Elements of Political Thought, Ethics, and Diverse Voices in Literature, among numerous others.

  In their junior and senior years, UHP students write an Honors Thesis in the discipline of their choice under the guidance and mentorship of a faculty thesis advisor. Writing an Honors thesis is excellent preparation for graduate and professional school and all career paths and is rated as a High Impact Practice by the National Survey of Student Engagement.

  Graduation Requirements

  Members of the University Honors Program will graduate with Honors if they have earned a 3.3 cumulative GPA and fulfilled the requirements of the program:

  1. Completion of the 19-credit Honors Curriculum
     • First-Year Honors Seminar (HON 1000) (1 credit in students’ first semester)
     • Six Honors courses (18 credits—typically one course per semester for the first three academic years). All of these courses fulfill requirements for the University’s Core Curriculum.
  2. Honors Thesis
     • Three credit hours devoted to writing an Honors Thesis under the guidance of a faculty advisor (1 credit in each of students’ final three semesters)
     • Successful defense of an Honors Thesis
  3. Hold cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher by the time of graduation/degree certification.
  4. Fulfillment of 100 hours total of community-engaged service
     • These hours will be documented by the Institute for Leadership and Service.
     • Students may fulfill the service requirement through service-learning courses within the University, service undertaken by UHP as a group, and service performed individually or in small groups on or off-campus.
     • Along with participating in events affiliated with the Emerging Leaders Program, including select meetings of the University Honors Council, these service hours will earn students a Leadership Pin, which will be presented upon their graduation.

  See Detroit Mercy Undergraduate Catalog and UHP Student Handbook for additional information on UHP requirements.

  Accelerated 6-Year Law Scholars Program: Students in the 6-Year Law Scholars Program are welcome to participate in the University Honors Program. Interested students should contact Dr. Stephen Pasqualina (pasquasg@udmercy.edu) for more information.
  

  Transfer Students: Students who transfer to Detroit Mercy from another institution may petition to join the University Honors Program. Petitions will be granted on a case-by-case basis.

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  Honors Recognition

  Honors Recognition at Graduation

  Members of the University Honors Program who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 and complete all of the graduation requirements for the program will:

  • Have their degree designated as an Honors degree, with “Honors” printed on their diplomas
  • Receive the University Honors Program certificate
  • Wear golden Honors cords at Commencement
  • Receive transcripts that bear the Honors designation

  Latin Honors

  University Honors students will graduate with Latin Honors if they have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students will be awarded cum laude honors with a GPA of 3.5 or higher, magna cum laude with a GPA of 3.7 or higher, and summa cum laude with a GPA of 3.9 or higher.

  Emerging Leaders Opportunities

  As part of their involvement in the Emerging Leaders Program, Honors students will have the opportunity to achieve either the leadership pin or medallion during their Detroit Mercy academic career.

  Leadership Pin

  One of the requirements for the leadership pin is 125 hours of service, which is just 25 hours beyond the UHP requirement. As such, many Honors students opt to pursue the Leadership Pin.

  Leadership Medallion

  The leadership medallion requires an additional 125 hours of service, in addition to the other requirements listed on the Emerging Leaders website.

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  Study Abroad Options

  The University Honors Program recognizes the value of study abroad and encourages students to participate when possible. Living and working with people from other cultures is an invaluable learning experience for any college student, particularly given the increasingly global nature of business, science, art and politics.

  Honors students can substitute one approved study abroad course for one required Honors course at University of Detroit Mercy. University of Detroit Mercy offers several study abroad programs in places like Australia, Brazil, Cuba, China, El Salvador, England, Greece, Italy, Mexico and Poland.

  Interested students should consult with the departments sponsoring these programs for more information and contact the University Honors Program directors to request a course substitution for an approved study abroad course.