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Honors Program

The Oswego Honors Program consists of a community of students who take Honors courses for most of their general education requirements. These courses are different from AP courses or traditional general education courses. They are based on a topic or theme that is determined by the instructor. 

As examples, the American history course might focus on a single decade instead of the entire time span between the 1860s and the present or a course might use food and culture to show the connections between the sciences and society. The requirements include three 1-credit seminar classes during your first three years that build community in the program and help each student advance toward their honors thesis requirement.

All of the HON courses are offered every semester, except HON 150, 250, and 350. The program culminates with the completion of an Honors Thesis on a topic/project of the student’s choosing.

The honors thesis is the culmination of a student’s efforts and demonstrates that they know how to select a project, see it through to an end point, and communicate it to others. Students select their honors thesis projects based on their interests. Some of the projects involve laboratory or field research, some involve visiting archives to review sources, and some involve a creative project such as an art exhibition, musical performance, screenplays, or audio productions. Two faculty advisors help students on their thesis and can also provide outstanding recommendations. All of the previous student honors theses are available for review in the honors office suite.

Students in the Honors Program have access to the honors office suite in the Marano Campus Center to hang out or study at all hours. Students in the program also receive preferred registration status to help you stay on track in the program and your major(s) and minor(s). Students in the program have a major and minor, a double major, a major and double minor, or even a double major and a minor. Students are also involved in all of the co-curricular activities on campus, including sports (intercollegiate and club), theatre, music, the student TV and radio stations, the student newspaper, clubs, and study abroad.

See the required courses in the course catalog. If you have any questions or updates, please contact us at [email protected].

Honors Program Courses

“Because of the Honors Program, I’ve learned to think more abstractly. It has helped me understand people’s differing perspectives. The Honors Program has truly enhanced my education here.”

“The faculty at Oswego is outstanding. My teachers have given me the desire to do more, to excel. Instead of lecturing to me about what they know, they make me think and stretch the limits of what I know.”

“My Honors Program teachers have helped me think about things I took for granted. They challenged me and made me grow intellectually and as a person.”

“The Honors Program has helped me learn how to learn - how to gain knowledge from everything around me. . . . It has taught me that it’s OK to question ideas that I encounter in my studies, on TV, in newspapers, in magazines, and in books.”

“The Honors Program faculty have been extremely helpful. Whenever I have a problem, personal or academic, I feel comfortable going to them for help.”

News

Two photos of Emil Sander: as a baseball player for Oswego State and for batting for the Auburn Doubledays

Honors student playing ball near hometown over summer break

Casey Raymond listening to students in an honors program class

Chemistry professor earns SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching