SO WHAT IS AN HONORS UNIVERSITY ANYWAY?

An honors university is an institution that attracts motivated students and rewards them with all the resources and attention they need to succeed.

Here are just a few examples of the special opportunities available at UMBC:

Undergraduate
Phi Beta Kappa: Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s most prestigious honor society. Impressed with UMBC’s programs in the liberal arts and sciences, the society voted to establish a chapter at UMBC in 1997.

Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Awards (URAs): URAs provide up to $1,500 for recipients to work with a UMBC faculty mentor on an original project. Each spring, recipients of the URA present their research at Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day.

The Honors College at UMBC: The Honors College is a gathering of colleagues—students, faculty, and staff—who are engaged in a common learning experience. Many Honors courses involve a more in-depth treatment of materials covered in regular class sections; others resemble graduate seminars in their small size and intensity of scholarship and in the special character of the relationship created by working closely with faculty members and other students.

The Scholars Programs at UMBC: Students who want to focus their education on intense study in the arts, engineering, humanities, information technology, sciences and social sciences can apply for one of the Scholars Programs at UMBC. These learning communities offer innovative approaches to study, including internships, research and study abroad experiences.

First-Year Seminars: New freshman and transfer students have the opportunity to be taught by a full-time, tenure-track professor in a small group setting while exploring a topic that is of particular interest to the faculty member. Recent seminars: Beethoven’s Music and Cultural Legacy, Diversity, Ethics and Social Justice in the Context of Schooling, What Should Government Do? Practicing Citizenship via the Internet and A Search for Meaning: Spiritual Journeys.

Living Learning Communities: Living Learning Communities provide a range of academic and social activities with like-minded colleagues. These communities currently include: Center for Women and Information Technology, Emergency Health Services, Honors College, Humanities Floor, Intercultural Living Exchange, Shriver Living Learning Center, Visual and Performing Arts Floor and Women Involved in Learning and Leadership.

Graduate
Graduate Research Conference (GRC): A yearly spring tradition, this special GSA-sponsored event showcases the outstanding research accomplishments of graduate students from both UMBC and University of Maryland Baltimore. The GRC is a great opportunity for graduate students to showcase their work to the broader UMBC and UMB communities and to receive constructive feedback in preparation for conferences in their respective academic communities.

Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships: Graduate assistantships are available to qualified full-time, degree-seeking students who are making satisfactory progress toward their degree.

The Graduate Student Association (GSA): The GSA sponsors social events, an annual Graduate Research Conference and research and travel grants to attend scholarly conferences. With over 2,200 graduate students, it's easy to collaborate meet students in other fields through the GSA.

PROMISE is a program that uniquely serves the needs of graduate students at UMBC, UMB, and UMCP through activities ranging from retreats, seminars and conferences to informal discussions. The focus of each program is geared toward the core mission of PROMISE: to increase the number and diversity of Ph.D.s who graduate from Maryland universities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. 

Success Seminars: Offered each month of the academic year except for December, January, and May, these seminars address topics that assist in the transition to Graduate School, help assure the successful completion of the degree program, and provide guidance to careers. 

“The model for success in higher education.”
—“Today Show”