The College provides many opportunities to students wishing to challenge themselves intellectually. Presidential Honors Scholars, Advanced Honors Seminars, and Departmental Honors programs are some of these opportunities (Freshman Honors Seminars are now required of all incoming CAS students; these courses remain rigorous and devoted to academic inquiry at a sophisticated level).  

Presidential Honors Scholars

The top five percent of the entering class is invited to join; students may also apply for entry after they have matriculated, having demonstrated superlative academic achievement and a consistent record of leadership and service to the community.  In this program, students will be able to:

• Receive special advising from College faculty and staff
• Challenge themselves in honors courses and through independent research
• Study abroad
• Take advantage of New York City's cultural resources, and
  develop leadership skills through community service.

Activities include:

• Scholars Lecture Series
• Cultural events in the city
• Community service projects
• Freshman Honors Seminar
• Study abroad intersession trips

Scholars are admitted as freshmen directly from high school. Membership in the Scholars Program is renewable annually, depending on the quality of the scholar's academic records and his or her level of participation in the program. All scholars are expected to be full-time students and maintain a grade point average of at least 3.65.

Students interested in joining the program have the opportunity to apply in the spring term prior to their sophomore year. Applications are available in the Dean's office, Silver Center, Room 909, each year after spring break.

 

Freshman Honors Seminars

This first-year requirement offers freshmen the opportunity to be in a small, intellectually stimulating class taught by a distinguished faculty member.

Introduce students to demanding and challenging standards of analysis and argumentation, oral as well as written, by means of intensive discussion, papers on focused topics, and reading that emphasizes critical interpretation rather than absorption of information.

 

Except where noted, the seminars do not assume any specific course or background on the student's part. Each seminar is 4 points, and enrollment is limited to 18 students.

 

Advanced Honors Seminars

Established in response to the popularity and success of the Freshman Honors Seminars, the Advanced Honors Seminars are primarily designed for sophomores and juniors in the College. Offered in the spring of each year, they give students the same opportunity to come into direct contact with great ideas and great thinkers in small seminars taught by distinguished professors from throughout the University faculty.  Each seminar is 4 credits and enrollment is usually limited to 18 students.

Departmental Honors

Many departments and programs offer talented and highly motivated juniors and seniors the opportunity to take individual honors courses or to enroll in special honors programs that often culminate in the writing of a thesis under faculty supervision. See the individual departmental listings for further information.

WINS - Women in Science at NYU

A selective program for highly motivated women planning careers in science and mathematics

Did you know that there are more women than men at many liberal arts colleges but that nationally women are underrepresented in scientific and mathematical studies and research?  To address this shortage, the College of Arts and Science at NYU has instituted the Women in Science (WINS) program that will capitalize on the talents of women undergraduates who are interested in careers that focus on research in science and math.  A core group of women, WINS Scholars, are selected from each entering class whose interests and abilities are nurtured through a highly individualized program of study, research, and mentoring.

WINS seeks to foster the talents and support the aspirations of young women preparing for professional and academic careers that involve research in anthropology, bio-chemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, neural science, physics, or psychology.

For further information, please contact:

Lynne Kiorpes, PhD
Director of WINS
kiorpes@nyu.edu

Natalie Friedman, PhD
Assistant Dean for Students in CAS and Advisor to WINS
natalie.friedman@nyu.edu