Honors Program

The University of Michigan - Dearborn Honors Program offers students a suite of interdisciplinary seminars. In the Fall, its Honors Writing and Rhetoric I (COMP 110) and The Four Trials (HONS 300). In the Winter, its Honors Writing and Rhetoric I (COMP 220). After that, you and your colleagues can choose when to complete the next courses in the Honors curriculum: Ways of Knowing (HONS 311), Ways of Seeing (HONS 312) and your capstone seminar (HONS 400). HONS program logo

You think it’s a lot of extra classes?

But our six core classes are worthy.

They are worthy challenges, especially challenges to read, write, and think in sophisticated ways. We believe these challenges build capacity to solve difficult, 21st-century problems.

To help students build this capacity, we offer a suite of interdisciplinary courses that challenge students to read and analyze difficult texts, to write with both clarity and nuance about these texts and their broader contexts, and to think through how the study of fields including history, philosophy, political science, and rhetoric speak to our personal lives, our professional aspirations, and our civic obligations.

Advanced placement classes, exams, and dual-enrollment courses can be indicators of preparedness and ambition. However, our six core classes are worthy. These core classes build on previous academic work and are premiere opportunities to take reading, writing, and thinking skills to higher levels while learning with like-minded students.

Honors students develop a special set of relationships with each other and with the faculty. They get to know each other and build close friendships because they take many of the same courses together. The program regularly sponsors social hours and organizes group outings to concerts, plays, and museums. Students and faculty in the program get to share valuable experiences outside the classroom.

In their first semester of the freshmen year, students take a unique gateway course first, HONS 300 “Four Trials”, in which they study several trials of great world-historical significance. The course introduces students to key developments in philosophy, history, science, and modern secular politics, while also providing an introduction to methods of textual analysis, critical thinking, theoretical reflection, and cogent writing that are the very fundamentals that the program seeks to develop.

In their first and second semesters, students also take two composition courses specially designed for the program. These are small classes, capped at 15 students per section.

Curriculum

HONS 300: Four Trials (first course)
COMP 110: Honors Composition I
COMP 220: Honors Composition II

Between their second and fifth semesters, students complete a sequence of two courses that together cover nearly three millennia of cultural history and thought:

HONS 311: Ways of Knowing
HONS 312: Ways of Seeing
HONS 400: Honors Seminar

In the junior or senior year, Honors students enroll in HONS 400: Honors Seminar. This is a small class, usually with ten to fifteen students. They pursue intensive study of a given topic with a faculty member who is an expert in the field. The course introduces students to timely and important areas of research and it usually requires a major writing assignment.

How Does the Honors Program Fit into the College Curriculum?

The Honors Program provides an alternate route for completing basic required courses. Honors classes satisfy Dearborn Discovery Core requirements for the various units on campus. If a student leaves the program, the classes easily translate into a normal college program with no loss of time or credit. Honors courses are demanding, yet the atmosphere is supportive and honors students generally maintain the same GPA in the program as they would taking ordinary courses.

Apart from their Honors requirements, Honors students follow a normal course of study in their own area of concentration, together with the other students in their unit. They are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than 3.2 to remain in the Honors program. Any student falling below an overall average of 3.2 at the end of any given semester will be assigned probationary status in the Honors program for the succeeding semester. Failure to improve the overall average to 3.2 or above during that probationary semester will result in dismissal from the Program.

The program accepts students from all units on campus: College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters; College of Engineering and Computer Science; College of Education, Health, and Human Services; and College of Business.

There are no special charges or fees for participation in the program.

" I am a Junior majoring in History. To me, the Honors program has not just challenged me academically, it has also challenged me with getting out of my personal bubble and with this granted me the opportunity to make lasting friendships and connections." -Hope Pacheco

“I'm a freshman here in the Honors program, double majoring in Psychology and Integrative Studies. This is my first year in the Honors program, and I find it an astronomical program. It's truly fun and engaging. It is what helped me decide to come to UM-Dearborn; I was really grateful to find out about the small class sizes. After being in the program for a year, I can really see how it is a community, you make lifelong friends, and when you are around others you are ambitious to learn. We are all from different majors, and it's nice to have all of those different perspectives. Overall, no matter your major, interests, etc., this program will open you to new opportunities like studying abroad, networking, and emerging yourself into different situations that you wouldn't experience in your major or general education classes.” -Zion Porter

"I'm a second-year student studying Psychology. The Honors program the last two years has been absolutely amazing from the community we've built with each other to the topics we talk about in the classes." -Juliana Bazzi

"I am a first-year student at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and this is My first year in the Honors program. The Honors program has not only helped me evolve academically but personally as well; I met so many new people with similar interests! I highly recommend this program!” -Zakaa Reda

“The Honors program has helped me grow my intellectual knowledge as well as my analytical skills. I would consider the Honors program to have a more philosophical view of history and social studies. These classes help students grow a deeper sense of empathy, which is crucial in any field. The Honors program has helped me develop connections with staff as well as students. This is in part due to the smaller classroom setting but mostly because of the incredibly welcoming community.” -Morgan Corley

"Assalamu Alaikum and greetings to you all. I am a sophomore Biochemistry student pursuing medical school. To me, the Honors program provides the space for deep, fascinating discussions with amazing people" -Adam Almaleky

Meet Randa Khanafer - an Honors student in her third year at UM-Dearborn. Randa is studying both pre-medical and English. She founded the Monthly Book Club in her sophomore year after the original club disbanded, and she serves as president. Randa was also the treasurer for the Opportunities in Minority Network Initiative in the 2023-2024 academic year, and now serves as the treasurer of the Undergraduate Society of Psychology and Neuroscience. In her spare time, Randa enjoys reading and spending time with her family.