Program Requirements
The Honors Program is a unique layer to the Drexel student experience in that it offers a multitude of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom for students to explore their academic interests. Through the Honors Program, students engage in coursework outside of their major plan of study in pursuit of additional breadth and depth to their education.
Honors Program Requirements
Select the year in which you joined the Honors Program to view the applicable program and coursework requirements. To view/access program requirements for years prior to those listed below, please contact HonorsProgram@drexel.edu for additional information.
The program and coursework requirements below apply to students who have joined the Honors Program in Fall 2019 to present.
- The Honors Program requires a total of 16 credit hours of coursework.
- Students must maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA.
- Students must receive a minimum ‘B’ grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy Honors Program requirements.
Required Coursework (5 credit hours):
Students must complete 5 credit hours of HNRS courses. Options may include:
- HNRS 200, Introduction to the Honors Program
- HNRS 201, Honors Seminar
- HNRS T480, Great Works
- HNRS 300+, Honors Colloquia
- HNRS 302, Honors Symposium
- HNRS 430, Community Engagement
- HNRS I399, Independent Study
- And more!
Additional Coursework (11 credit hours):
Students must complete 11 credit hours of additional courses. Students may choose electives from the pre-approved list below:
- Any course in the HNRS subject code
- Honors Sections in other disciplines
- Honors Option Projects
- A maximum of 6 graduate credits may be applied to their Honors additional coursework requirements. For students not enrolled in accelerated degree programs (i.e. BS/MS), please be aware of the University policy regarding undergraduates taking graduate level coursework.
- For any courses not on this list, students must seek prior approval from their Honors Academic Advisor.
- The Honors Program requires a total of 16 credit hours of coursework.
- Students must maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA.
- Students must receive a minimum ‘B’ grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy Honors Program requirements.
Required Coursework (3 credit hours):
- HNRS 301, Honors Colloquia
Additional Coursework (13 credit hours):
Students must complete 13 credit hours of additional courses. Students may choose electives from the pre-approved list below:
- Any course in the HNRS subject code
- Honors Option Projects
- Honors Sections in other disciplines
- A maximum of 6 graduate credits may be applied to their Honors additional coursework requirements. For students not enrolled in accelerated degree programs (i.e., BS/MS), please be aware of the University policy regarding undergraduates taking graduate-level coursework.
- For any courses not on this list, students must seek prior approval from their Honors Academic Advisor.
*Any credit taken beyond the required coursework may count towards the additional coursework requirement.
- The Honors Program requires a total of 16 credit hours of coursework.
- Students must maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA.
- Students must receive a minimum ‘B’ grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy Honors Program requirements.
Required Coursework (3 credit hours):
- HNRS 301, Honors Colloquia
Additional Coursework (13 credit hours):
Students must complete 13 credit hours of additional courses. Students may choose electives from the pre-approved list below:
- Any course in the HNRS subject code
- Honors Option Projects
- Honors Sections in other disciplines
- A maximum of 6 graduate credits may be applied to their Honors additional coursework requirements. For students enrolled in accelerated degree programs (i.e., BS/MS), please be aware of the University policy regarding undergraduates taking graduate-level coursework.
- For any courses not on this list, students must seek prior approval from their Honors Academic Advisor.
*Any credit taken beyond the required coursework may count towards the additional coursework requirement.
Honors with Distinction Requirements
Select the year in which you joined the Honors Program to view the applicable program and coursework requirements. To view/access program requirements for years prior to those listed below, please contact HonorsProgram@drexel.edu for additional information.
The program requirements below apply to students who have declared Honors with Distinction in Fall 2023 to present.
- Honors with Distinction requires a total of 24 credit hours of coursework.
- Students must maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
- With the exception of the Civic Foundations course series, students must receive a minimum ‘B’ grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy Honor with Distinction requirements. Courses in the Civic Foundations series follow the university grade minimum requirements of ‘D’ or above.
Required Coursework (14 credit hours):
- Honors Civic Foundations* [5 credits]
All Honors with Distinction students must complete 5 credits of Honors Civic Foundations coursework. Incoming First-Year students are strongly encouraged to complete the Civic Foundations course sequence below within their first year at Drexel:
- CIVIC 101 H, Honors Introduction to Civic Engagement (1 credit; Fall)
- HNRS 203, Honors Seminar in Civic Engagement (1 credit; Winter)
- ENGL 103 H, Honors Composition and Rhetoric III (3 credits; Spring)
Students who join the Honors Program in either their sophomore or junior year or first-year students who are unable to complete the series as outlined above due to conflicts with their primary major plan of study must complete 5 credits of general Honors Civic Foundations coursework in lieu of the prescribed course sequence above. Please see your Honors Academic Advisor for more options.
- Honors Experiential Learning [3 credits]
Students must complete 3 credit hours of Honors Experiential Learning coursework. Students may choose from the pre-approved list below:
- HNRS 430, Community Engagement (3 credits)
- HNRS 435, Philly Civic Experience (3 credits) [Pre-Req: Civic Foundations course series; Current Student admits are not eligible for this course]
- Students may enroll in an Honors Section or complete an Honors Option Project of any of the following course types:
- Community Based Learning (CBL)
- Alternative Spring Break (ASB)
- For any courses not on this list, students must seek prior approval from their Honors Academic Advisor.
- Honors Reflection [3 credits]
Students must complete 3 credit hours of Honors Reflection coursework in either the Fall or Spring of Junior or Senior Year:
- HNRS 450, Honors Reflection Seminar (3 credits)
- See Honors Academic Advisor for more options.
- Honors Global Perspective [3 credits]
Students may enroll in an Honors Section or complete an Honors Option Project of any of the following course types:
- Intensive-Course Abroad (ICA)
- Global Classroom Courses
- Foreign Language Courses
- Global Studies (GST) Courses
- For any courses not on this list, students must seek prior approval from their Honors Academic Advisor.
- Elective Coursework (10 credit hours):
Students must complete 10 credit hours of Honors elective coursework. Students may choose from the pre-approved list below:
- Any course in the HNRS subject code
- Honors Sections in other disciplines
- Honors Independent Study
- Honors Option Projects
- A maximum of 9 graduate credits may be applied to satisfy Honors with Distinction elective coursework requirements.
- For any courses not on this list, students must seek prior approval from their Honors Academic Advisor.
- Honors with Distinction requires a total of 24 credit hours of coursework.
- Students must maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
- Students must receive a minimum ‘B’ grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy Honor Program requirements.
Required Coursework (10 credits):
10 credit hours of any HNRS courses offered through the Pennoni Honors College. Options include:
- HNRS 200, Introduction to the Honors Program
- HNRS T480, Great Works
- HNRS 301, Honors Colloquia*
- HNRS 302, Honors Symposium
- HNRS I399, Independent Study
Additional Coursework (14 credit hours):
Students must complete 14 credit hours of additional courses. Students may choose electives from the pre-approved list below:
- Any course in the HNRS subject code
- Honors Option Projects
- Honors Sections in other disciplines
- For students enrolled in accelerated degree programs (i.e., BS/MS), a maximum of 12 graduate credits may be applied to their Honors with Distinction additional coursework requirements. For students not enrolled in an accelerated program, a maximum of 9 graduate credits can be applied to their Honors with Distinction additional coursework requirement. Please defer to the University policy regarding undergraduates taking graduate level coursework.
- For any courses not on this list, students must seek prior approval from their Honors Academic Advisor.
*Any credit taken beyond the required coursework may count towards the additional coursework requirement.
- Honors with Distinction requires a total of 32 credit hours of coursework.
- Students must maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA..
- Students must receive a minimum ‘B’ grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy Honor Program requirements.
Required Coursework (6 credit hours):
- HNRS 301, Honors Colloquia*
Additional Coursework (26 credit hours):
Students must complete 26 credit hours of additional courses. Students may choose electives from the pre-approved list below:
- Any course in the HNRS subject code
- Honors Option Projects
- Honors Sections in other disciplines
- For students enrolled in accelerated degree programs (i.e., BS/MS) a maximum of 12 graduate credits may be applied to their Honors with Distinction additional coursework requirements. For students not enrolled in accelerated degree program, a maximum of 9 graduate credits can be applied to their Honors with Distinction additional coursework requirement. Please defer to the University Policy regarding undergraduates taking graduate level coursework.
- A maximum of 8 capstone credits (with an A- average or higher) may be applied to their Honors Program elective requirements.
- For any courses not on this list, students must seek prior approval from their Honors Academic Advisor.
*Any credit taken beyond the required coursework may count towards the additional coursework requirement.
Incoming First Years:
Students are encouraged to declare Honors with Distinction as early in their Honors career as possible so they may plan their credits appropriately and Honors staff may tailor advising and check-ins according to their chosen pathway. Students will be asked to declare their pathway the Summer prior to beginning their time at Drexel; however, this decision may be updated at any time in their Drexel Honors career.
Current Honors Program Students:
Current Honors students interested in switching their Honors academic pathway from the traditional Honors path to Honors with Distinction may do so at any time by utilizing this form to indicate intent. This decision is non-binding, and you may choose to switch back to Honors at any time.