The NYU-Poly Honors Program offers students of exceptional promise and talent an enriched educational experience that extends beyond the traditional classroom environment. Learning takes place in a collaborative manner, where students are encouraged to critically reflect on their coursework by dialoging with the various constituencies at the Institute. The program offers a superior educational experience by fostering critical thinking and creativity. The program’s depth and breadth are comprehensive, rigorous and individualized. Students will enroll in honors courses taught by outstanding faculty and engage in undergraduate research and benefit from presentations by renowned faculty, inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs.
Rigorous intellectual development through active learning and faculty mentoring combine with an interdisciplinary focus and global awareness that prepares students to become leaders in engineering, science, technology and entrepreneurship. As rising scholars, Honors students are a highly enthusiastic and prominent part of the University’s alumni population and enhance the overall reputation of the University for delivering excellence in education. As such, Honors Program students are awarded an additional scholarship.
Admission and Application Procedures
The Honors Program has a referral-only admissions process. Selected individuals who are admitted to NYU-Poly as first-year students will be referred to the Honors Program by the Admissions Office. Those students referred to the Honors Program will then be asked to complete a short application and personal statement. Applications are reviewed by the Honors Program Admissions Committee. Preference is given to students with outstanding high school GPA and SAT scores; however, files are reviewed in a comprehensive manner and other important criteria are given serious consideration. Among these are the difficulty of course work (AP courses), written submissions such as the personal statement, receipt of prizes and awards, leadership positions, participation in academic clubs, and evidence of self-discipline and persistence as confirmed in the letters of recommendation. Some applicants will be asked to participate in an interview with a member of the Honors Program Admissions Committee.
Students who were not referred to the Honors Program during their initial application to NYU-Poly are not eligible for the Honors Program; there is no transferring into the program. Additionally, transfer students are not eligible for the Honors Program.
Requirements
Students admitted to the Honors Program are required to satisfy the following requirements to remain in the program and to retain the honors portion of their scholarship:
- Enroll in required honors-level courses for their degree. Under rare circumstances and subject to approval by the Honors Program director, students may enroll in a nonhonors section of a course such as when the honors section of a course is not offered, or when an honors section conflicts with a departmental required course.
- Maintain a minimum required cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) each academic year as follows:
- Freshman - 3.5
- Sophomore - 3.5
- Junior - 3.4
- Senior - 3.4
- Earn the following specified amounts of credits by the end of each academic year:
- Freshman - 32
- Sophomore - 64
- Junior - 96
- Senior - 128
At the end of each semester, the Honors Program will review each student’s academic record. If the student’s cumulative GPA and/or credit amount is below the minimum required as outlined above, the student is placed on one-semester probation to improve their academic standing. If the student’s cumulative GPA and/or credit amount is still below minimum requirements after the one-semester probationary period, the student will be dismissed from the Honors Program.
To graduate with the “Graduate of the Honors Program” designation,* students must fulfill the BS requirements of the Honors Program. This condition generally requires satisfactory completion of at least three credits of BS thesis in the student’s major. Students must submit a bound BS thesis to the Office of Undergraduate Academics, no later than two weeks before graduation, formatted as outlined in the document entitled: “Regulations on Format, Duplication & Publication of Reports, Theses & Dissertations,” available in the Office of Undergraduate Academics.
Financial Aid
Students granted admission to the Honors Program receive an Honors Scholarship, allocated in varying amounts. Students must complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible for other forms of financial aid.
Courses
Honors Program students take Honors-level courses in their first and second years. These courses cover the material of the typical courses in more breadth and depth and may include different assignments. Honors courses and special sections of courses are typically offered for the following (see the appropriate departmental sections of the catalog for course descriptions):
* Students who do not graduate from the Honors Program are still eligible to graduate with Latin Honors (Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude designations) as outlined in the Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policies section of the catalog. |
