Introduction

WHAT IS HONORS?

Welcome! This handbook is a guide to the Honors College at Portland State University. In the following pages, you will find information about the curriculum and courses we offer, our community, scholarship and research opportunities, our in-house faculty, and tips and advice for the program.

In the Honors College, you can dig deep into the urban issues that matter most, join a tight-knit community of highly motivated students, and experience an exceptional education unlike any other. Honors is both a curriculum and a community offered to students at PSU, and our goal is to outfit students with reading, writing, and research skills that will help you throughout college and beyond. Our program emphasizes critical thinking, deconstructing arguments, and understanding how knowledge is created—and how you, as a scholar, can and will contribute to these discussions.

As an Honors student at PSU, you have all the benefits of a small liberal arts college embedded in Oregon’s only public urban research university. Our unique focus on the city of Portland opens unmatched opportunities for research, creativity, and academic exploration. You can work closely with world-class researchers, study abroad with Honors faculty in London or Borneo, and intern with top employers. It all culminates in your senior year, when you not only research, create, and write, but also publish your Honors thesis. There are many benefits to being an Honors student at PSU. You’ll receive personalized advising, priority registration for classes, and support from trained tutors in the Honors Writing Center. We also offer internships for credit, access to leadership opportunities, and enrichment workshops focused on graduate school and careers. Your time in the University Honors College will be both challenging and rewarding.