Established in 2001, the Honors program brings together a small group of students from throughout CALS who seek additional academic challenges and opportunities to think critically across traditional academic boundaries. The centerpiece of the program is the senior honors thesis, a substantial, original, independent, scholarly work which is completed under the direction of an advisor within the student's major.
Each year, a select group of approximately 15 first-year students are invited to participate in the Honors College program. Other students who amass an outstanding first-year academic record at UVM are welcome to apply for admission to the Honors College Program as sophomores. Normally, an approximately equal number of students are admitted to the Honors College program in their first and second years.
Honors students also receive several other benefits, including the use of a special honors lounge (for study or for simply relaxing and socializing), in-class priority registraiton, opportunity to live in the Honors College housing at University Heights (with students from honors programs throughout the university), field trips and other events.