WHY DO HONORS AT QUEENS???
LOTS OF REASONS!!!
DEMONSTRATES A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE
---Having Honors attached to your diploma when you graduate shows the world that you went above and beyond the call of duty in your undergraduate career, that you did everything you could to enhance your learning experience. Such a statement gives you a valuable edge when applying for graduate school and jobs
DEVELOP IMPORTANT SKILLS
---Skills such as communication (both oral and written), research and critical thinking are highly valued by employers. While you get a dose of these skills in most classes at Queens, being in the Honors Program gives you more opportunities to discuss, write about, and research interesting topics. With these added opportunities, your skills in these areas increase, and you become a more attractive candidate to both graduate schools and potential employers
INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE
---At any institution of higher education, students will vary in their level of academic interest and motivation. Some will be satisfied with the regular fare, others will be left wanting more. For those who want more out of their education, who want an experience beyond the ordinary, Honors offers more. Whether it is discussing Darwin's theory of evolution, the controversies surrounding the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, assessing the problems within the American system of criminal justice, or any number of fascinating topics, the Honors Program allows motivated students to engage in informed discussion, with like-minded students and dedicated faculty, to uncover some of the mysteries of our world.
EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES
---Active participation in the Honors Program allows a student to take advantage of a wide range of activities. These include cultural events in Charlotte, special receptions for freshmen and seniors, intellectual retreats, guest speakers, and special trips. All of these things are available to Honors students at no cost. Plus, in most cases, not only do you get to experience these things, but you get to discuss them, in an open atmosphere, guided by faculty with expertise in the relevant area. Honors students are also eligible for two special awards:
1. The Honors Student of the Year---which goes to the Honors student or
students that have done the most outstanding work in Honors courses and
projects in a given year
2. The Director's Award for Outstanding Thesis---which goes to the Best
Honors Thesis in a given year
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH FACULTY
---One of the greatest strengths of Queens University is its faculty---REAL professors, not teaching assistants. While Queens faculty are actively involved with the students in all their classes, being an Honors student allows one to work on an even closer level with an individual faculty member, through Directed Readings, Directed Study, and the Honors Thesis. Not only will a student gain intellectually from this process of collaboration with an expert in their field of interest, but the ability to work closely with a faculty member will also help the student when it comes time to get letters of recommendation. Because of the close relationship that has been created through the Honors Program, the faculty members can write a REAL letter or recommendation---one that is detailed, thoughtful, and communicates to the reader the true strengths of the student. This is important because graduate schools and employers can certainly tell the difference between this type of letter and the form letters one gets a big universities.