Front Cover
UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
(New photo of McMahon Hall for front cover)
Inside Front Cover
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The Honors Program at CUA
A university’s honors program is an important measure of its commitment to true academic
excellence. At The Catholic University of America, the University Honors Program is an
intellectual adventure designed for motivated students of outstanding academic promise who
seek a rigorous and challenging learning experience.
Developed with support from a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, our four-year
Honors Program brings students and faculty together from all areas of the university in the
pursuit of knowledge. It explores the great ideas and issues of civilization from ancient to
modern times, hones skills in critical thinking, and lays a solid foundation in the classical liberal
arts.
The program is not for everyone, but if you seek a learning community that is both challenging
and inspiring, you have our promise that the University Honors Program will enable you to learn
more than you ever imagined.
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“I loved living in the Honors Residential Community. I think the level of respect that was built in
those walls made my experience at CUA exceptional. It was great to live near and around those
who shared your passion for learning and education, as well as sharing a mutual understanding
that everyone was welcome to the discussion. We were able to return from our Learning
Communities and maintain our in-depth discussion on Aristotle or The Gospel of Matthew. It
brought my academic experience further into my life, connecting and drawing in everything I
was learning and feeling.”
Bridget Sheaff
IA
Drama
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Learn More Than You Ever Imagined
1. Experience a Different Kind of Learning
Forget about traditional classroom lectures and prepare yourself for active learning. In the
University Honors Program’s intimate, seminar-style classes, you will be asked to share your
ideas, present your arguments, and engage in real discussion. Instead of textbooks, you will use
original writings and reference sources to study the world’s great writers, thinkers, scientists, and
critics.
2. Study with Our Best Professors
Just as students consider participation in the Honors Program a privilege, so too does its faculty.
Catholic University enlists many of its best teachers, researchers, writers, and scholars for the
Honors faculty. They bring a commitment of time, creativity, and intellectual passion to your
learning experience. From medieval history and ancient languages to organic chemistry and
contemporary politics, their backgrounds cover a wealth of disciplines and interests.
3. Enjoy Special Honors Privileges
In recognition of the added dedication and commitment demanded of Honors students, Catholic
University offers a number of incentives and services, including:
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Priority registration for courses;
Honors housing opportunities;
Research opportunities with Honors faculty;
Highly personalized advising and mentoring services;
Honors dinners every semester;
Invitations to special events, lectures, museum and gallery exhibits, convocations, and
receptions throughout the metropolitan Washington, DC area;
Guidance in preparing and applying for graduate and professional schools;
Designation as a University Scholar upon successful completion of 13 Honors courses,
including the Senior Capstone Seminar; and
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Assistance in applying for national and international awards, including the Fulbright,
Marshall, Truman, Rhodes, Mellon, and Oxford scholarships and fellowships.
4. Attend a European Honors Seminar
What better way to build a sense of community among Honors faculty and new students than to
embark for Europe together for an unforgettable cultural experience? This 10-day living and
learning seminar for first-year Honors students takes place during the university’s traditional
Spring Break.
5. Immerse Yourself in a Semester Abroad
Every Honors student is encouraged to participate in an extended international learning
experience. Catholic University offers overseas study programs throughout the world, including
Europe, Central America, and Australia. The Honors Program Director will work with you to
create an experience that meets your academic and personal goals.
In addition, each year selected Honors students have the opportunity to participate in a highly
competitive program of study at Oxford University in England. These one-term programs offer
students the chance to study in Oxford’s unique one-on-one tutorial environment.
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About the University Honors Program
The University Honors Program offers interdisciplinary studies in the classical liberal arts as
well as contemporary subjects in social and environmental studies. Students choose from the
following six integrated and interdisciplinary four-course sequences.
1. The Christian Tradition: Courses include Jesus to Muhammad: The Early Christians in the
Mediterranean World * Charlemagne to Chaucer: Christian Life in the Middle Ages * The Age
of Discovery * Christian Culture: The Secular Age
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Covers major topics and themes in the history of Christian culture from its origins in late
antiquity too its manifestations in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Taught by faculty from the departments of English, Greek and Latin, history, modern
languages and literatures, politics, religion, Semitics, and the Center for the Study of
Early Christianity.
2. An Aristotelian Studium: Courses include The Desire to Know * Human Action and
Government * Nature and Human Nature * Ultimate Questions (Aristotle’s Metaphysics and
Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae)
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Studies involve the original texts of Aristotle, which offer a coherent system of
knowledge and provide tools for inquiry still useful in the present day, supplemented with
texts by philosophers responding to his “great questions” throughout the history of
Western philosophy.
Taught by faculty from the School of Philosophy.
3. Critical Exploration of Social Reality: Courses include Social Science and the Fate of Man *
Great Ideas in Social Science * Social Data Analysis * Families, Markets, Cities: Socioscientific Perspectives
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Features an introduction to critical reasoning through the exploration of social science
topics and application of social science theories and methods.
Taught by faculty from the departments of economics, history, politics, psychology, and
sociology.
4. The Environment, Energy, and Policy: Courses include Environmental Science and
Engineering * God, Ethics and the Environment * The Economics of Energy and the
Environment * Environmental Politics and Policy
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Focuses on some of the most troubling policy issues facing modern society, such as the
sometimes conflicting demands for protecting the environment while supplying the
energy needs of a high technology-based economy.
Taught by faculty from the departments of economics, politics, and religion as well as
from the School of Engineering.
5. Tradition and Renewal in Contemporary Catholicism: Courses include Scripture: God’s Word
in Human Words * Liturgy and the Christian Life * The Church: Community and Institution *
The Church in Dialogue with Contemporary Culture
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Inspired by the four constitutions of the Second Vatican Council, the sequence addresses
the content and goals of the constitutions.
Taught by faculty from the School of Theology and Religious Studies; open to
sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
6. Honors in Liberal Studies
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Offered to Architecture, Engineering, Music, and Nursing students, it allows students to
sample different disciplines by combining four courses from multiple tracks, the exact
combination of which is flexible in order to accommodate students’ schedules and
interests. Students are required to take courses in at least three different tracks and to
consult with the Director of the University Honors Program in order to develop a
coherent plan.
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“When I was making my college decision, the Honors Program here at CUA had a huge impact.
I had heard many positive things about it and was curious about how I would be able to
contribute as a member. The main aspect that attracted me, though, was the challenge. I knew the
Honors Program would take tons of hard work and diligence, and I wanted my college
experience to be worth something.”
Lindsey Seiter
AL
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“I have been able to develop my intellect in such a way that has prepared me to continue my life
with a well-developed mind and heart. The Honors Program has deepened my passion to work
in the world for the benefit of others. I also hope to continue my studies, and the Honors
Program has aided my overall eligibility and interest in doing so.”
Dylan Himmerich
CA
Theology and Religious Studies
“The Honors faculty members were so kind and helpful throughout my first year at CUA. In
class, they challenged me to push the limits of my knowledge-base and encouraged me to think
about situations in a new way. During my academic advising session, the Director took the time
to work with me on my schedule so that I could fit an Honors track into my busy Nursing
curriculum. Everyone is friendly and more than willing to help you succeed!”
Karyn Pieciak
MD
Nursing
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“Although I already knew that CUA was where I belonged, the Honors Program was the icing on
the cake. I knew that in the Honors Program, I would have the opportunity to live and learn with
people who were as intellectually grounded and curious as I was. I knew that even if I did not
find anyone else in the CUA community, I would find social and academic fellowship in the
Honors Program.”
Helena Lado
MD
English
Admission to the Program
The University Honors Program is highly selective. In choosing each year’s Honors class, the
university looks for students who possess a natural curiosity, genuine interest in learning, high
energy, leadership abilities, and good grades in high school.
Eligible students are invited to participate in the Honors Program at the time of their acceptance
to the university. Most students rank in the top 5 percent of their high school class and do well on
the Scholastic Achievement Test, frequently scoring between 1300 and 1600 (critical reading
and math). Transfer and CUA upperclass students also may apply for admission into the program
after an initial interview with the Program Director.
University Honors Program students are expected to maintain a 3.5 GPA over two semesters to
remain in the program.
Entering freshmen should have a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.5 and rank in the top 10 percent
of their class. International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma graduates with two or more passes on
advanced level IB exams are automatically admitted to the Honors Program. Transfer students
should have a 3.5 GPA or very strong recommendations. Students from recognized community
college honors programs will be accepted automatically upon receipt of a letter of
recommendation from the community college’s director of honors.
All full-time U.S. Honors students receive an academic scholarship which varies in amount
based on academic qualifications. In addition, Phi Theta Kappa members are eligible for
scholarship awards.
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The Honors Residential Community
The University Honors Program and Residence Life have developed a unique housing
opportunity for full-time freshmen and sophomore students- the Honors Residential Communitywhich provides an ideal opportunity for incoming freshmen to acclimate to college life in a
nurturing and intellectually ambitious environment.
Students are highly encouraged to live in the campus housing reserved for the program, and to
continue to live in the designated community throughout their sophomore year.
The core activities of the Honors Residential Community include peer-facilitated study groups,
an ongoing lecture series, dinner symposia on current event topics, and trips to various events in
the D.C. area. These activities and events are facilitated by faculty, staff, and students of the
University Honors Program.
Students who participate in the Honors Residential Community will be engaged in an active
environment that provides a variety of responsibilities and benefits. These experiences
strengthen students’ connection to campus and lead students to a broader educational experience
while they attend The Catholic University of America.
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Learn with the Best
The Honors Program features some of the university’s leading faculty members, who have been
specially selected to teach with this program based on their academic excellence and
achievement in and out of the classroom. They include…
Andrew Abela
Ph.D., University of Virginia
A forerunner in the world of marketing, he has played an important role in advancing business
integrity and improving internal communications within various major corporations. His book
Advanced Presentations by Design has been labeled a “practical and evidence-based book …
[with] principles that will make your presentations more memorable and persuasive.”
Aaron Barkatt
Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem
A specialist in environmental and materials science, he has pioneered research in groundwater
chemistry and how groundwater interacts with tuff formations.
Claudia Bornholdt
Ph.D., Indiana University, Bloomington
A medieval historian and chair of CUA’s Department of Modern Languages & Literatures, she is
an expert in medieval German and Scandinavian, as well as French and Latin literature, and
eagerly shares her love of German culture with her students.
Joseph Capizzi
Ph.D., University of Notre Dame
A moral theologian and Senior Fellow at the Culture of Life Foundation, he is an expert in just
war theory, bioethics, political theology, and other highly contested topics that become the focal
points of analytical class discussions.
Dennis Coyle
Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
A fellow of the Institute of Public Policy Research and Catholic Studies at CUA, he is a wellpublished advocate of legal research, especially in areas of constitutional and environmental law,
public policy, and political culture.
Nora Heimann
Ph.D., City University of New York
An independent curator and chair of CUA’s department of art, she has greatly advanced the
understanding of the interplay between art, politics, and religion, particularly as displayed in
paintings of Joan of Arc.
Michael Chapman Kimmage
Ph.D., Harvard University
A scholar of Oxford University and frequent visiting instructor in various German universities,
he is an expert in the field of American political and intellectual history. His book The
Conservative Turn has been called “indispensable to anyone who wants to understand the strands
of modern American conservative thought.”
Angela McKay Knobel
Ph.D., University of Notre Dame
A graduate of the University Honors Program at The Catholic University of America, she is an
expert in ethics and medieval philosophy, focusing particularly on the thought of Thomas
Aquinas on the virtues.
Kenneth Pennington
Ph.D., Cornell University
A vibrant professor of ecclesiastical and legal history, he has authored or edited fourteen books
and over one hundred essays and was a main player in the formation of a new History of
Medieval Canon Law. His innovative and entertaining teaching approach has campus-wide
renown.
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Inside Back Cover
More Thoughts About the Program
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Back Cover
Honors Alumni Are Making a Difference
There is no greater testimony to the value of CUA’s Honors Program than the achievements of
its alumni. Upon graduation, many have gone on to pursue studies at some of the world’s top
graduate and professional schools. Others have embarked on their careers of choice after
graduation, becoming models of service and outreach to their communities. The following are
some of the paths chosen by recent graduates of the program:
Medical Schools
Yale Medical School
Georgetown Medical School
Northwestern University Medical School
Stanford University Medical School
Law Schools
Harvard Law School
Yale Law School
Duke Law School
New York University Law School
William and Mary Law School
University of North Carolina Law School, Chapel Hill
Columbia University School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
Graduate Schools
Georgia Institute of Technology – Higher Education Administration
Stanford University – Physics
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – Electrical Engineering
Oxford University – Roman and European Union Law
Northwestern University – Civil Engineering
Rice University – Physics and Astronomy
University of Virginia – Religious Studies
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill – Psychology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Environmental Engineering
Career Paths
Medical Doctor
Symphony Violinist and Assistant Concert Master
Elementary School Principal
Peace Corps Volunteer
Psychologist in Private Practice
Writer
Software Developer
Automotive Engineer
Sushi Chef
Journalist
Deputy Attorney General
Museum Curator
Professor
Teach for America Professor
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