Honors Program
As a member of the St. Edward's Honors Program, you will join other high-achieving, highly motivated students from a variety of schools and majors.
For the first three years, Honors students take one or two seminar courses per semester, which are interdisciplinary roundtable discussions. These courses satisfy many of the university’s graduation requirements, so Honors students take the same number of classes as everyone else.
Honors students complete a senior thesis, an independent study project supervised by a faculty member. The senior thesis enables students to hone the skills they’ve learned throughout their St. Edward's experience — most importantly, critical analysis and moral reasoning. They’ll research all aspects of a controversial social issue, propose a solution and defend their position both orally and in writing.
Students present their thesis at the Honors Thesis Symposium, which is good preparation for graduate school and the professional world — and for applying for fellowships and other prestigious scholarships.
FAQs
How do I apply?
Applying to the Honors Program is by invitation only. Candidates are selected from the pool of Admission applications as of February 1. Therefore it is essential to ensure that your St. Edward’s University application is submitted to our Admission office by February 1. If selected, you will receive an Honors application packet, which is due by March 1.
What are the criteria?
Honors students display broad scholarly interests, enthusiasm for learning, imagination and creativity, and a solid academic record. Candidates typically rank in the top 20% of their high school class and have taken an advanced curriculum including three to four years of foreign language, four years of science, and calculus or statistics. An important consideration for the program is strong writing ability, as reflected in the admission essay and required academic paper.
How many freshmen are accepted?
About 5% of each freshman class is accepted to the program.
What if I am not accepted to the Honors Program in my freshman year?
The Honors Program admits a limited number of current students. Applications are accepted throughout the year as openings become available. Qualified applicants are considered on a first come, first served basis.
Can transfer students apply?
Yes. Ask your Transfer Admission Counselor for details.
Learn about the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC) »
Honors Student Champions Social Justice
St. Edward's University social work major and Honors student Catie Johnston '11 goes the distance to give back. During her studies abroad, she traveled to Valparaiso, Chile, to work with the homeless. In Austin, she volunteered with the Caritas Refugee Resettlement program, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Asian American Cultural Center. Catie also interned with Con Mi MADRE, helping Hispanic middle school girls prepare for college.