Welcome to the Program!

Below, you’ll find a series of videos informing you about more of the details of our program. All videos are captioned, but if you would rather read a transcript, transcripts for all videos are available here.

Want to learn more about our community?  Click here!

Honors Academics

Scientific Reasoning and Discovery

Self and Society

Honors Advising: A Student Perspective

Peer Advisor Mentorship Program

UHP Community: A Faculty Perspective

UHP Testimonial: Peer Advisor Ryan Carroll

UHP Testimonial: Peer Advisor Nicky Cacchione

I’m excited to join the UHP! What are some of the program benefits? 

Congratulations on your acceptance! We’re excited to welcome you into our creative, unique, and intellectually omnivorous community of learners. Some of the many benefits of the UHP are: challenging interdisciplinary courses, close rapport with faculty, dedicated honors advisors, peer advising, on-campus housing, research opportunities, events, programming, and more.

What are the program requirements? 

Students take two seminars in their first year: Origins & Evolution of Modern Thought, and Scientific Reasoning & Discovery (or, if you’re a STEM major, approved lab science courses.) These courses fulfill your University Writing and Science Gen Ed requirements. After that, students take four upper-level courses: two in the “Self and Society” category, and two in the “Arts and Humanities” category. Many of these courses double count with other university requirements. Finally, in senior year, students must complete a Senior Thesis, either through the honors program or their major of study, and an Honors Capstone. Students are also required to attend mandatory advising sessions, as outlined on a semesterly-basis.  

Is the UHP compatible with all majors and schools? 

Yes. The UHP has students from each GW school, and they major in a variety of disciplines. Generally, the UHP curriculum is designed to integrate well with the rest of the university requirements. Current students are encouraged to meet with an honors advisor to discuss their UHP requirements. 

I’m concerned that I won’t be able to fit everything into four years, including the honors program. What would you recommend I do? 

It’s okay if you’re not sure what you want to do in these four years at GW. And good news: you don’t have to decide anything right away! In the first month of the fall semester, first-year honors students meet with both peer advisors and honors advisors to develop a tentative four-year plan. This exercise is designed not only to practice the academic planning process, but to examine possible interests and priorities. We are here to help guide you through these decisions. 

Can you tell me more about honors advising? 

Honors advisors are available to meet with honors students about academic planning, course selection, registration, career goals, and more. Students can schedule appointments with either advisor online through the UHP website. 

Will I be living on the Mount Vernon Campus my first year?

First year honors students have the unique opportunity to live with their peers in West Hall, located on the Mount Vernon campus. West Hall is one of the newest residence halls on campus, and offers many great amenities. Honors students will live on the same two floors together in close proximity and will have honors RAs to support them in their unique honors living experience. First year honors students take the same classes together their first year and have the chance to study together, engage in scholarly work, and challenge each other in their thinking. In general, UHP students are encouraged to develop strong relationships with each other in order to foster a tight-knit, diverse, and curious community of learners. 

Will all my UHP classes be on the Mount Vernon Campus? 

Generally, honors students take their two first-year seminars (Origins and Evolution of Modern Thought and Scientific Reasoning and Discovery) on the Mount Vernon Campus. However, starting sophomore year, most upper-level honors courses are offered on the Foggy Bottom campus, though some others may be offered on Mount Vernon according to demand. 

Where are the UHP offices located? What services do you provide there? 

The UHP has offices on both campuses: Foggy Bottom (714 21st St. NW) and Mount Vernon (2100 Foxhall Rd NW, Ames Hall Suite 101). We offer advising services, faculty office hours, and general administrative services at both sites. 

Can my AP/IB/Dual Enrollment classes count towards UHP requirements? 

Honors courses are unique in that they are discussion based, so you will be learning new ways of thought and discussing them in new ways. Because of this honors courses will not be the same as any course you’ve ever taken before and cannot be fulfilled by AP credits. Your AP credits may count for requirements within your college. GW allows you to bring in up to 24 credits from AP courses (this could be eight 3 credit classes). 

Are honors classes “harder” than non-honors classes? What are they like? 

They are challenging in that because of our small class sizes, you cannot be a wallflower. In Honors, your professors will expect you to always be prepared and participate. The questions they ask may be more open ended than you are used to, and they have high expectations for writing, but they will work with you to get you there and give you a lot of attention and help. UHP classes are interdisciplinary in nature and are often based on the professor’s most current research and scholarship. Check out our website for the most recent course descriptions. 

Can UHP students study abroad and/or do the Global Bachelor’s Program? 

Yes, UHP students frequently study abroad. While we don’t allow transfer credits to count for UHP requirements, honors advisors often work with students to plan around this. UHP students can also participate in the Global Bachelor’s Program. 

What are the requirements for being in “good standing” in the UHP? 

First-years must finish with a 3.0. To graduate from the University Honors Program, you must have a GPA of at least 3.0. This means that to remain in the UHP, it must at all times be mathematically possible for you to graduate with a 3.0.

Are there scholarships or financial aid available through the UHP?

We understand that a big factor in your decision of where to go will be financial assistance. Unfortunately, the Honors Program does not play a role in the financial aid process. While generally final student aid packages are made available on Banner (banweb.gwu.edu), each student’s financial aid process (and timeline, interaction with staff at the financial aid office, etc.) varies. To make sure that you’re receiving correct information for your specific circumstances, we would recommend that you reach out to the financial aid office directly at finaid@gwu.edu to get answers to your specific questions regarding financial aid.

How does class registration work for UHP students? 

Over the summer, honors students will submit a pre-registration packet to the UHP, outlining their preferences for their first two honors seminars. From that information, advisors will pre-register students for these two classes. We will try our best to accommodate students’ requests, but we may not be able to. Students will have the chance to register for the remainder of their courses (and rearrange their honors courses, if desired) during a regularly-scheduled registration session over the summer. From there, students will be able to register early for their second, third, and fourth semesters at GWU. Generally, this takes place the Friday before the rest of the university begins to register.