Honors Program

Honors Studies

SUNY Ulster’s Honors Studies provides an opportunity for high achieving SUNY Ulster students to challenge themselves through intellectually stimulating experiences that match their abilities. The program offers students:

  • Honors sections of commonly taken courses.

  • The option to earn an Honors Studies designation on their transcript.

  • A set of experiences that challenge the Honors student to grow in a variety of ways.

Each Honors course has an Honors course designation that shows on the student’s transcript. Honors courses at SUNY Ulster are open to students in any program who meet the Honors course admission criteria. 

Criteria for Admission to Honors Classes

Continuing Students qualify to enroll in Honors class if the student:

  • Has a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and has taken at least 12 credits at Ulster.

and

  • Has contacted the Honors coordinator (via email) to notify them of their interest in qualifying for an Honors course.

and

  • Meet the prerequisites for that course

Incoming students may enroll in an honors course during their first semester if:

  • The student is a College Scholar, having graduated in the top 10 percent of the high school class.

or

  • The student has a high school average of 90 or higher and the results of all placement tests indicate that the student is eligible to take college-level course work in all subject areas.

or

  • The student has an earned G.E.D. and the results of all placement tests indicate that the student is eligible to take college-level course work in all subject areas. Additionally, there is some evidence, such as a high standardized test score, to suggest that the student shows academic promise.

or

  • The student has been homeschooled and the results of all placement tests indicate that the student is eligible to take college-level course work in all subjects. Additionally, there is some evidence, such as a high standardized test score, to suggest that the student shows academic promise.

or

  • The student has significant life experience that might qualify them. Prospective students are encouraged to reach out to the honors coordinator to see if they might qualify.

Early College Students

The advisor for Early College students may recommend Honors courses if a student has a high school average of 90 or higher and the results of all placement tests indicate that the student is eligible to take college-level course work in all subject areas. Enrollment in Honors courses is only by permission of the Honors Program Director. 

Requirements for Honors Designation at Graduation

In order to receive the Honors Studies designation at graduation, a student must meet the following requirement:

  • Academic Excellence. Complete 9 credits of Honors level courses while fulfilling their academic program requirements.  Maintain an overall GPA of 3.5 at graduation.

And three of the following four criteria:

  • Global Citizenship. This category can be met in several ways. Take a course with an online international collaboration (COIL designation), or demonstrate to the Honors Coordinator the ability to speak a second language, or be able to document residence in another country for a period of at least 6 consecutive months after the age of 10.

  • Performance and Expression. This category can be met in several ways. 

  • Participate in a varsity Ulster sport for a full season, 

  • Participate in an Ulster music performance, or Ulster dance performance, display work at the Ulster art gallery, or display work at the Ulster fashion show.

  • Participate in a campus competition such as the Ulster Business Challenge or or be part of the Ulster Math Team

  • Research and Writing. Submit a written work containing substantive original investigation. This work could be done either as part of an Ulster course or in conjunction with the Honors Program Coordinator (HPC), but would need to be approved by the HPC. The HPC may require changes to the work in order for the work to qualify for this category. As such, the work must be submitted 12 weeks in advance of a planning graduation date to allow time for necessary revisions. Possible qualifying works could include scientific research, computer code with description, art portfolio, work of fiction or historical analysis, music composition, or other creative or scholarly expression as approved by the HPC.

  • Service: Be able to demonstrate a significant (>10 hours) involvement in a service-related activity or volunteer effort, on or off campus

For more information:

Email Mark Stewart at stewartm@sunyulster.edu