The Honors Experience

What does it mean to be an Honors student at BGSU?

As a BGSU Honors student, you will join a vibrant and supportive community of scholars. Our students hail from all majors. They are leaders, researchers and world travelers.

The Honors experience includes rigorous coursework design to challenge you to think deeply and differently. Honors courses have been designed specifically for high-achieving students and are interactive and collaborative. Students complete 13-18% of their overall coursework at the Honors level, amounting to 16-22 credit hours.

The Honors College emphasizes personal and intellectual development. You will be challenged to identify your values and broaden your worldview. We offer:

Inquiry-based learning and special classes that center on critical thinking skills
A wide range of enrichment opportunities that allow you to put your knowledge into practice and build skills
A caring community in which you may learn and grow with like-minded peers

Your Honors experience also extends beyond the classroom as you take your learning into the real world. You can expect individualized support from an Honors advisor who will help you design your college experience. Honors students connect their courses to experiences in community and civic engagement, education abroad, research, student organizations and in receiving national scholarships and fellowships.

Apply to HonorsWhy join Honors?Honors FAQ

Academic opportunities

First-year Honors classes

The development and implementation of critical thinking skills is the backbone of the BGSU Honors experience. Honors courses and curricula are designed to give you higher-order thinking skills that will make you more successful at BGSU and beyond.

In your first year at BGSU, you will take two Honors classes centered on critical thinking:

HNRS 2010: Introduction to Critical Thinking
HNRS 2020, HNRS 2400, HNRS 2500, or HNRS 2600 applied critical thinking class

What is critical thinking? Past Honors student define it as:

Learning to see the world from a more objective standpoint.
Looking beyond the surface level and asking questions.
The ability to analyze and construct an original unbiased opinion.

Experiential Learning

Honors students have the opportunity to incorporate experiential learning into their Honors graduation requirements. Work closely with your Honors advisor to design an experience that is meaningful and impactful to you.

Honors Graduation Requirements

Honors project

All Honors students must complete an Honors project. The project is a self-designed capstone experience that showcases original scholarship on a topic of your choice. All projects include a written paper and an oral defense.

Honors Project details

Opportunities outside of the classroom

Honors Learning Community

Many of our Honors students join the Honors Learning Community. The HLC is a residential learning community in which you live with and learn from other high-achieving, motivated students.

Members of the community take part in special programs, trips and resources to enrich their education. It is strongly recommended – but not mandated – for Honors students to live in the Honors Learning Community.

Note: Honors College students are not automatically enrolled in the HLC. Although they are given priority, everyone must apply in a separate application process. Spaces are limited.

Honors Learning Community

What is the difference between the HLC and the Honors College?

Honors Students of Color

This organization designed by and for our multicultural Honors students seeks to give them the confidence and tools to successfully navigate their experience not only in the Honors College, but at BGSU. We hope to foster a healthy and safe space for our students of color to develop the skills for success.

Enrichment activities

The Honors College encourages you to get involved on campus. It’s a great way to develop skills in leadership, public speaking, time management and a host of other areas. The Honors College offers a wide range of activities:

Guest speakers
Service learning programs
Honors faculty discussions
Reading groups
Cultural events and trips
Student leadership positions in a variety of areas

Ways to get involved

Collective Dialogues

We don’t just want to teach you about critical thinking. We want you to practice it. That’s what Collective Dialogues are all about.

These hour-long conversations held several times throughout the year offer you a chance to sit down with Honors peers and a faculty or alumni facilitator to have a rich discussion about something typically related to your field of study.

Goals of the dialogues

To practice critical thinking and communication skills
To have a respectful conversation, no matter your prior knowledge of the topic or differing perspectives
To create connections

Past dialogue topics

What is the difference between the Honors College and Honors Learning Community?

	Honors College	Honors Learning Community
Benefits	Individualized academic support via an Honors advisor Honors College scholarships and grants Small, engaging discussion classes Priority class registration	Community programming Regional overnight and day trips HLC grants Live in Founders Hall, a suite-style residence hall Convenient access to Honors facilities and staff
Membership entrance requirements	After admission to BGSU, submit your Honors College application by March 1 of your senior year. We conduct a holistic review, so be sure to thoughtfully complete all parts of the application.	Submit the Honors Learning Community application in your MyBGSU portal after being admitted to BGSU. Priority is given to students admitted to the Honors College. HLC members must live in Founders their first year. Roommates must also be in the HLC.
Requirements to maintain membership	3.0 minimum GPA, 12 Honors credits complete by the end of fourth semester in the Honors College. See Honors graduation requirements.	Students must request membership in the HLC each academic year. Membership is not automatic or guaranteed between academic years. Off-campus students are still welcome to apply to the HLC.
Who is typically involved?	High-achieving students looking to be challenged in the classroom (average GPA: 3.8 & average ACT: 26+)* *While these are averages, they are not requirements. Students who are eager to meet higher expectations and receive support in their academic pursuits are encouraged to apply.	High-achieving students seeking a respectful residence hall environment Students eager to build community with motivated peers Individuals interested in regional travel opportunities Students looking to engage in programming, book discussions, and more
Why join?	Academic rigor and support to design a college experience that helps you reach your goals.	Live and learn in a supportive community of high-achieving students where you can share experiences, collaborate, and build lasting connections.

Graduating with Honors

Receiving University Honors upon graduation – and wearing the Honors medallion at Commencement – is the highest award that BGSU grants. This is a surefire way to set yourself apart and to help you achieve your educational, career and life goals.

Some students also are recognized for their achievements with the Honors College Distinction in Leadership.

Requirements to graduate with honors

Distinction in Leadership details

“Studying abroad was the most rewarding experience I had at BGSU. It completely changed my life. You become a different person with different perspectives and a new worldview. It’s the reason I applied to be a Fulbright Scholar.” – Honors student Bailey Price ’24 spent six months at the University of Salzburg in Austria. She will teach English in the Czech Republic as a recipient of one of the most prestigious scholarships in the U.S.

Honors College objectives

The Honors curriculum promotes collaborative work, creativity and interdisciplinary studies that culminate in an Honors capstone project and original scholarship.
Honors College members enjoy a lifelong commitment to create public good through engaged citizenship.
Honors College students work with faculty and staff mentors who encourage their involvement within the Honors College as they prepare to become leaders in their professions and communities.
Honors College students can expect to participate in leadership and professional development opportunities which lead to self-authorship.*
Honors College members sharpen their critical thinking skills, allowing them to attain comfort with ambiguity, inspire innovation and explore personal values in order to cultivate a culture of inclusion, respect and curiosity.

*Self-authorship is “the capacity to internally define a coherent belief system and identity that coordinates engagement in mutual relations with the larger world” (Baxter Magolda in Baxter Magolda & King, 2004, p. xxii).

Updated: 06/13/2025 09:32AM

The BGSU Honors Experience