Welcome from the Director
 Welcome to this opportunity to learn about University Honors Program, which is an expression of American University’s deep commitment to academic excellence. Our prestigious program attracts top students nationally and around the world who are eager for a challenging and compelling academic experience and a welcoming community, located on a beautiful, traditional college campus.
At the core of our program is Honors students’ engagement with top faculty, in and beyond the classroom. Our students, who major in any discipline at the university, enjoy small classes – a hallmark of our program. In these small-group contexts, discussion is encouraged and is the norm. Honors courses include specially created interdisciplinary seminars, “Honors Colloquia,” which are taught by experts in the various disciplines and are offered only to Honors students. These unique courses bring together ideas and material typically not contained in courses offered by university departments. Examples of Honors Colloquia include a recent course on social entrepreneurship around the globe and another looking at the 2008 presidential campaign and media coverage, with weekly class sessions appearing on local news affiliate FOX-5.
Students also have the opportunity to live with other Honors students on Honors residence hall floors, which enhances the sense of a “community of scholars” fostered by the program. Honors students also participate in a range of Honors-sponsored academic, social and cultural activities, including “Tea Talks” highlighting faculty interests and their latest research, the annual “Brain Bowl,” the annual Study/Travel Program, the “Take Your Professor To Lunch” program, and the Honors Capstone Research Conference. They also take advantage of an array of diverse cultural events on campus and in Washington, D.C. Honors students, like AU’s students in general, engage in internships and other experiences that allow them to interact with political, economic and media leaders and top researchers working in the nation’s capital city.
As you explore our Web site, please note the following information, which may be helpful:
- If you are an incoming freshman or a prospective student considering American University, please check out our section for Prospective Students. Here you will find information about our program, including materials on our philosophy, student demographics, Honors residence floors, and directions to the University Honors Center in 206 Hurst Hall.
- Under Honors Requirements you will find our program and individual Honors requirements for each academic major. Honors forms can also be found in the same section of our Web site.
- I invite you to look through our monthly newsletter, Honorable Mentions, which provides a snapshot of the day-to-day operations of the University Honors Program and highlights individual student activities and accomplishments. You can also read about the Student Honors Board, which represents the entire Honors community by working as liaisons to the Honors Program staff, and by planning events and service projects for the entire community.
- For a quick reference, you can go to our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you have any questions, please call us at the University Honors Center (202-885-6194) or e-mail us at honors@american.edu. Honors staff will be happy to answer any questions or concerns that you might have. We look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about the University Honors Program. It is our pleasure to welcome you.
Professor Michael Mass
Director,
University Honors Program
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