Honors Program FAQs

Almost all of the coursework (21/27 hours) required for Honors can fulfill AUM’s Core Curriculum requirements. The other two courses are the Honors thesis courses and often can count as electives. We also have a non-thesis path, Warhawk Honors, which is more appropriate for some students, depending on their goals after graduation.

Honors courses at AUM are taught as seminars, usually with a student/teacher ratio even lower than AUM’s overall rate of 16:1, and our courses emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to the topics being studied.

Honors faculty members are some of the most effective instructors at the university, selected because of their commitment to mentoring Honors students. You will take courses taught by teams of two or three professors from different departments who will challenge you to think differently—creatively and critically — about the topics you study. You will engage with students from a wide range of backgrounds and with widely differing beliefs. You will have a group of peers who are intellectually curious and self-motivated. And you will probably have a lot of fun, too.

No, definitely not. As academic program, the University Honors Program is designed to help students become more critical and creative thinkers. It’s not merely about what happens in the classroom, though. Honors students are members of a diverse and vibrant community of intelligent people who want to engage with big ideas, cultivate their leadership skills, and participate in meaningful community service. AUM Honors students have their own student organization, a Living and-Learning Community in P-40 Place, and a range of social events throughout the year.

Yes! Here are a few examples:

• Priority registration for classes
• Access to the Honors Lounge
• Unique and inexpensive travel opportunities
• Support for undergraduate research
• Membership in the AUM Honors Assembly, an official undergraduate student organization that sponsors social events and service activities
• Opportunities to become eligible for scholarships
• Undergraduate research opportunities that build a resume for graduate school

Above all, participating in the University Honors Program means joining a community unlike anything else you will find on campus.

No. You will take one Honors seminar each semester for your first three years at AUM. These seminars can replace general education requirements. For instance, while most freshmen at the university are required to take ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020, a pair of English composition courses, Honors students normally take HONR 1757 instead. Take a look at our  Honors Courses.

Honors courses at AUM are intended to be different from others. You can expect them to be challenging, of course; your professors and peers will push you to stretch yourself and to maximize your potential. Honors courses are designed to help you engage with topics more deeply, more broadly, and with greater sophistication. Class sizes are usually smaller than with non-honors courses, and they tend to emphasize discussion and creative projects over lectures and traditional examinations. Here’s what some of our students say about the Honors Program.

The first step is to apply to Auburn University at Montgomery. Once you’re admitted to the university, you will be issued an S-Number and you will be able to complete the online application for the Honors Program. You will submit a short essay, which will be read by AUM professors, and you will interview with current AUM honors students.

No, it is not. Applicants for the Deichelmann Memorial Scholarship must demonstrate commitment to active involvement with the AUM community, and normally do so by applying to the University Honors Program. Candidates for the Deichelmann award will schedule a separate interview, in addition to the Honors interview, as part of the application process. AUM staff will make every effort to ensure that, if possible, applicants are able to schedule both interviews for the same day.

Yes, there is. Every student at AUM is eligible to graduate with Latin honors, distinctions which are based entirely upon a student’s cumulative GPA: cum laude (3.4-3.59), magna cum laude (3.6-3.79), or summa cum laude (3.8-4.0). Only students who complete the Honors curriculum can graduate from the University Honors Program.