Information for Medaille University Students →

Honors Program

Honors Logo

The mission of the Niagara University Honors program is to create and support a scholarly community of students who, in addition to earning high grades, possess the following unique characteristics:

  • Have a passion for learning across a breadth of disciplines. The mission of the Niagara University Honors program is to create and support a scholarly community of students who, in addition to earning high grades, possess the following unique characteristics:
  • Enjoy the interchange of ideas and thoughts,
  • Are willing to take intellectual risks to satisfy their intellectual curiosity, and
  • In addition to their broad interests, are motivated to undertake significant original research at their own initiative in their chosen major field of study.

The Honors program provides curricular support to these students by offering smaller, 'Honors student-only' sections of general education classes in which alternative pedagogies and close interaction between professors and students are encouraged. An Honors-enhanced course in one's major provides extra knowledge and experience, helpful for preparing the student to carry out an ambitious research program.

Finally, by means of a year-long Honors thesis, the NU Honors program participant conducts original research at his or her own initiative while working one-on-one with a member of NU's faculty. At the end of this process, NU Honors program participants will have not only added to the sum total of humanity's knowledge, but will have distinguished themselves from their peers across the nation by having produced significant, original research projects that are more similar to those done in graduate school.

In addition to the Honors curriculum, a robust extra-curricular calendar of events enables NU Honors program participants not only to enjoy intellectually stimulating company but also to satisfy their thirst for knowledge about topics they might otherwise not encounter in the classroom. In the end, NU Honors Program participants graduate with the desire and tools to be lifelong learners with many interests while being fully equipped to excel in their own particular specialties.