Welcome to the Honors College web site.  As you explore our site, you’ll learn of the unique educational experience we offer at the Honors College at Rutgers University-Newark.  As you will see on the pages you select, the Honors College prepares tomorrow's leaders by combining challenging classroom experiences with “real life” learning.  And you’ll do this under the guidance of an absolutely outstanding faculty!

The Honors College offers you all the advantages of a small college with those of a large, urban research university as well.  You will enjoy small classes – median class size is only 23 -- and the opportunity to work closely with your professors.  At the same time, you will have the opportunity to be taught by internationally-renowned scholars, and to work in their laboratories and collaborate with them on their projects. It is really the best of both worlds.  In addition, the Honors College combines traditional classroom learning with real-world experiences through internships and research assistantships in businesses, state and local government, digital technology studios, research laboratories, law firms, museums, concert halls, hospitals, and social services agencies.  Whether you plan to go on to graduate or professional school or enter the work world right after graduation, the Honors College will offer you not only first-rate academic preparation, but practical experience in the world beyond our campus.

Honors College students also get to work closely with their professors and each other in specially-designed freshman seminars, capstone courses, and Honors sections.  Each Honors College student also has the opportunity to write an Honors Thesis, which can be a research project in the major field, the exploration of a long-held interest, or a creative project such as a musical composition or a collection of poems.  Our goal is to give you all the skills and experiences that you need to become not only successful students but fully-rounded individuals.  You will learn to analyze issues and solve problems.  You will get to use cutting-edge technologies, and you will acquire a broad knowledge of the sciences, the humanities, society, and the arts.   You will learn how to work collaboratively with others as part of a team – whether in the lab, putting on a theater production, or designing a marketing plan for a business.  You will learn how organizations work and how to get things accomplished within them.   And you will gain not only book knowledge but practical knowledge too.  When you leave the Honors College, you will be ready for the world.

Let me add too that I have taught many Honors College students over the years, and I know personally that they are extraordinary – not only smart and hard-working, but also kind, decent, and generous.  They care about others.  We’re a big university – 10,000 students on our campus – but we feel like a family.  Come join us!

We hope to hear from you.

With best wishes,

Jan Ellen Lewis
Acting Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences