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Honors Program

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Join an Elite Group of Tomorrow's Leaders

The Marist Honors Program is a vibrant academic community of talented students and faculty from all majors. The program strives to keep students academically challenged while building character, cultivating leadership skills, and emphasizing the importance of civic learning and global citizenship. 

An Intellectual Curriculum with Exclusive Courses

Honors Program students take seminar-style classes on important intellectual and social topics with Marist’s top faculty. These discussion-based courses, many of which overlap with general education Core requirements, foster a deeper, richer emphasis on critical thinking with a strong emphasis on ethics. A few of the many seminars offered include Hamilton the Musical, Technology and Ethics, Environmental Explorations of the Hudson Valley, Ethics of Food, and Psychology of Entertainment Media. The 18-credit Honors curriculum includes:

  • Honors First-Year Seminar (4 credits)
  • Honors Writing for College (3 credits)
  • Thematic and Civic Engagement Seminars (6 credits)
  • Honors by Contract (1 credit)
  • Honors Thesis (3 credit)
  • Honors Senior Seminar (1 credit)

View All Program Requirements>

Meet the Honors Program Director

Dr. Janine Larmon Peterson is a Professor of History, Director of the Honors Program, and Coordinator of Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Marist. She holds a dual PhD in Medieval History and Cultural History from Indiana University-Bloomington.  Raised in the lower Hudson Valley, she received her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Fordham University.

Dr. Peterson has advised numerous student research projects, and has led many projects for the Honors Program.  She supports the unique opportunity the Honors Program provides to present their work, augment their resumes, and make connections through the Honors Program Thesis Exhibit, as well as mentoring interested students through the process of applying to, and accompanying them, to at least two undergraduate conferences a year.  Marist's administration and faculty have recognized her efforts by awarding her a Faculty Research Recognition Award and the Bill Olson Award for Service, and by Marist's students through the National Residence Hall Honorary Red Fox Chapter Faculty/Staff Member Award.

Meet Dr. Peterson>

Personal Faculty Mentorship Through Research Experiences

Undergraduate research and faculty mentorship are at the core of Marist’s Honors Program. All Honors students engage in one-on-one partnerships with faculty mentors to work on two separate credit-bearing research projects in their major, or in an interdisciplinary field of interest. Students present their research to the campus community at the semi-annual Senior Thesis Project Exhibit and many present their work at national and international conferences.

Read More About Honors Research >

Honors research

 

Showcase Your Work at the Honors Thesis Exhibit

With thesis topics that include job satisfaction, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and criminal justice reform, seniors from Marist's Honors Program share a diverse array of research projects at the semi-annual Senior Thesis Exhibit. Hundreds of people from the Marist community are invited to see the students’ posters on display and discuss their work with them. Although Honors students select their projects according to their academic interests, the subject matter does not have to be related to their majors. Working closely with a faculty mentor of their choosing, the students conduct in-depth explorations of any research question they wish to pursue.

 

Connect With Students Just Like You

The Marist Honors Program is a vibrant academic community that attracts talented students from all majors. As a member of the Honors Program at Marist, you'll be exposed to students like yourself interested in a higher level of academic rigor. You'll have the opportunity to collaborate on exciting research with other Honors students within your own major, as well as those outside your field of study. In addition to studying with like-minded students, you will also have the option to live with other Honors students in exclusive Honors housing.

A Learning and Living Environment

Honors students are given the opportunity to live together in Honors Housing over their four years at Marist. Honors student lounges regularly host a wide variety of academic, cultural, and social enrichment opportunities for students to participate in.

  • “Food with Faculty” series: Marist’s top faculty members visit Honors Housing to gather with students and share their research.
  • Research forums: students can share their research projects before presenting them at national and international conferences.
  • Additional events: these events include monthly study abroad night, scholarship workshops, resume and interview workshops, and a range of social activities.

Learn More About Honors Housing>

Admission to the Honors Program

The Honors Program admits talented and dedicated students who

  • are looking for an enriched Honors education,
  • are academically high-achieving,
  • express an interest in problems and questions outside of their major, and
  • show potential for undergraduate research.

As part of its process, the Admissions Office sends invitations to admitted students whom they believe best reflect the values of the Honors Program.

 

Students may also apply for admission to the Program during the second semester of their first year or the first semester of their sophomore year.

Learn More About the Admission Process>

I loved the idea that the Honors Program focused on seminars and special projects. It’s more work, but there are so many opportunities for really high-level intellectual exploration. The interdisciplinary aspect of the Honors Program is so nice; I’ve met so many people I wouldn’t have met otherwise.

Ellie Pettraccione

Environmental Science Major

Read Ellie's Story >

I know some people think that being in a lab is kind of stuffy and you don’t really get to know anyone, but there’s a really big group environment. It felt like I was doing something important. You don’t think that what you’re doing in undergrad might be seen by an international audience, but it can be.

Carolyn Turcotte

Dual Major Biomedical Sciences and Biochemistry

Read Carolyn's Story >

I can’t picture myself in a career that doesn’t allow me to write. Ultimately, my dream is to work in the magazine world and continue to write about issues I care about like wellness, culture, and gender, and Marist is preparing me for that.

Sarah Lynch

Communication Major, English Minor

Read Sarah's Story >

I was able to present my multi-year study to Congress, which focused on the presence of pharmaceutical runoff in the Hudson River and its effect on plant and animal life. It felt great to share what we’ve discovered in the Hudson River directly with a member of Congress, who is in a position to act on that information and help our local environment.

Matthew Badia

Dual Major Chemistry and Environmental Science

Read Matthew's Story >
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The Value of a Marist Education

At Marist, we pride ourselves on our dedication to providing our students with a well-rounded liberal arts education that prepares them for practical experience and profound success in their field. But don't just take our word for it - the numbers speak for themselves.

95%

Employed or attending grad school 6 months after graduation

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Of Marist Graduates Participated in one or more internships

82%

Graduation rate, higher than the average for public and private colleges

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Best Undergraduate Teaching

*As reported by U.S. News and World Report.

U.S. News & World Report

Top 10 Regional Universities-North

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Awarded one of America's Best Colleges

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