Catholic University's Honors Experience

Forget about traditional classroom lectures and prepare yourself for first-hand learning. In the University Honors Program's intimate, seminar-style classes, you will be asked to share your ideas, present your arguments, and engage in lively and probing discussions of both enduring questions and contemporary issues. Instead of textbooks, you will use primary sources and current scholarship to study the world's greatest writers, thinkers, scientists, and critics.

Learn more about our curriculum

Study with Our Best Professors

Like our students, our faculty consider participation in the Honors Program to be a privilege. Drawn from among the most dynamic teachers and researchers at the University, these instructors are committed to sharing their knowledge and intellectual passion with you both in your Honors courses and in personal, informal exchanges outside the classroom. Their fields of expertise span a wealth of disciplines and approaches, from medieval history and ancient languages to astrophysics and contemporary politics.

Learn more about our faculty

Enjoy Special Honors Privileges

In recognition of the added dedication and commitment demanded of honors students, The Catholic University of America offers a number of incentives and services, including:

  • Priority registration for courses;
  • Honors housing opportunities;
  • Research opportunities with honors faculty;
  • Highly personalized advising and mentoring services;
  • Invitations to special events, lectures, museum and gallery exhibits, convocations, and receptions on campus and throughout the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area;
  • Guidance in preparing and applying for graduate and professional schools;
  • Designation as a University Scholar upon successful completion of 3 Honors Tracks and the Senior Capstone Seminar; and
  • Assistance in applying for national and international awards, including the Fulbright, Marshall, Wilson, Rhodes, Mellon, and Oxford scholarships and fellowships.

Attend a European Honors Seminar

What better way to build a sense of community among honors faculty and new students than to embark for Europe together for an unforgettable cultural experience? A 10-day living and learning seminar for honors students takes place during the university's traditional spring break.

Learn more about this year's European Honors Seminar