Honors Program

Join the D’Youville Honors Program and benefit from your dedication to learning as you connect with a community that shares your passion and curiosity for self-improvement and discovery.

The mission of the D’Youville Honors Program is to create a diverse learning community for exceptional students dedicated to critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Honors classes are participatory in nature and include discussions of art and literature as well as interdisciplinary approaches to topics spanning the arts, humanities, and sciences.

Play video: Honors Program | D'Youville

Requirements

While it is recognized that students will not be able to attend all events, it is an expectation that Honors students will participate actively and regularly in such events and help to build a learning community both inside and outside the classroom. To receive recognition as a D’Youville Honors Scholar at commencement, students must:

  • Complete 15 hours of HON designated coursework along with an Honors portfolio
  • Students joining the program late or leaving it early may apply for recognition as a D’Youville Honors Associate
  • Recognition as an Honors Associate requires completion of at least 9 hours of Honors designated coursework
  • Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 in all coursework to remain in good standing in the program
  • Honors includes many extracurricular activities and experiences, including speakers, theater events, museums, and special dinners

Coursework

  • PHI/RS 103 HON — Ethic: Religious and Philosophical Perspectives (Fall/Year One)
  • E 189 HON — Topics in Critical Inquiry (Fall/Year One)
  • HIS/ENG 112 HON — Humanities Seminar (Spring/Year One)
  • GE 2XX HON (Fall/Year Two)
  • GE 3XX HON (Spring/Year Two)

Benefits of the Program

The Honors Program offers participants the opportunity to learn and grow alongside other highly-motivated and passionate students. Organized into cohorts, students join a fun and supportive learning community, forging what will hopefully be lifelong bonds.

  • Priority registration
  • Tickets to The Kavinoky Theater
  • Tickets to Just Buffalo Writing Center’s Babel series
  • Honors dinner
  • Rewarding and enriching community service projects
  • $2000 scholarship distributed over 4 semesters
  • And more!
Two students holding up their awards at honors convocation

Admission to the Program

The Honors Program is open to both incoming and continuing students in any major at D'Youville. The application is competitive, with strong applications showing evidence of internal motivation, potential for growth, and commitment to critical thinking and creative problem-solving. 

Contact

Students interested in learning more about the D'Youville Honors Program should contact:
Dr. Brandon Absher
Director of the Honors Program and Associate Professor of Philosophy 
absherb@dyc.edu
Office: School of Arts, Science, and Education Building, Room 251

Before starting your application, please be sure to have your information, contact information for your two references, and your two essays available. 

Essay Topics (250-500 words, each):

  • Question 1: Often how we see things depends on where we’re standing. As ancient Greek Heraclitus enigmatically expressed the point: “The way up and the way down are one in the same.” Describe a time when you experienced a shift of perspective. What changed? What stayed the same?
  • Question 2: In recent years, Bob Dylan has won a Nobel Prize for literature and Kendrick Lamar has been awarded a Pulitzer Prize. Popular music is being recognized for the power of its poetry. Choose a lyric from your favorite song and explain its significance to you. What about the song moves you? How does your chosen lyric fit into the whole?‌  

Deadline to Apply: TBA