Requirements

Who Should Apply?
The Clarkson Honors Program is distinguished by a curriculum of intellectual rigor and pragmatic application and requires a commitment by participants to push themselves in the areas of scholarship, leadership and service. We are looking for students who will graduate in the top 5% of their Clarkson University class while demonstrating excellence in all experiential pursuits. Of the near 150 who apply, students admitted to the Clarkson Honors Program are typically ranked in the top 10% of their high school class, score high on the SAT or other standardized tests, and consistently demonstrate outstanding academic or leadership achievement.

Academic Requirements
Enrollment is limited to 30 of the most promising students in each class year. Students will take one Honors course per semester, earning a minimum of 24 credit hours in Honors classes (18 hours if they enter the program after the first year) to obtain a Clarkson Honors diploma. Students must have an overall minimum 3.25 grade point average upon graduation; most excel beyond this requirement, finishing in the top 5% of their Clarkson University graduating class.

An Innovative, Problem Based Curriculum
With an unparalleled focus on current and emerging problems, Clarkson Honors courses take professors and students alike into new territory to explore and gain knowledge. The Honors curriculum comprises an integrated, four-year progression in which students develop the skills needed to tackle emerging problems in science, technology and society. Course content reflects the differing academic and social perspectives of participants and benefits any major. The climax of this sequence is the senior Honors thesis, in which each student defines and explores an unsolved problem in his or her major field of study.

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Early Research Focus
Clarkson Honors students are engaged in original research the moment they step foot on campus. Research is not an elected activity, but a defining requirement of the Honors experience, culminating with the Honors Thesis project.

Honors students are also afforded the unique opportunity to participate in Honors Summer Research sessions, during which students become immersed in cutting-edge research on a professor’s research team or on an individual project. Students may even elect to attend the Pre-Frosh Research Program as an entering member of Clarkson Honors, joining other incoming freshmen and undergraduate Honors students in research activities. There is no program cost to participants of the Summer Research Programs; Honors provides room, board and a small budget for research supplies. Students provide only their own spending money. The  program culminates in Clarkson's SURE (Student Undergraduate Research Experience) conference, during which participants present the results of their work.

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Service Component
A cornerstone of the program is service, the only Clarkson University graduation requirement that was initiated and run by students. Minimally, all Honors students perform 40 hours of servce before graduation.

Honors Commitment
Enrolling in the Honors Program requires commitment beyond academic achievement. As a member of an extended Honors community, students are expected to:

• Participate in Honors Program meetings, class dinners, and similar occasions of communal governance.
• Add to a growing body of research by exploring real problems independently or part of a collaborative team.
• Engage in community service in the spirit of enhancing our community and the quality of life.
• Act upon and develop the potential that earned admission to the program.
• Contribute to class discussion, recognizing the importance of diversity, collaboration and inquiry in the creation of new knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions