The University Honors program provides students of high ability and motivation the opportunity to join a small, select, two-year-long learning community.  The program is taken in the freshman and sophomore years and functions as an alternative to the University Core Curriculum.The program itself takes a highly distinctive approach to education. While focusing on the historical cultural tradition from ancient times to our contemporary period, it seeks to provide an interdisciplinary dialogue with in-depth learning in the disciplines of philosophy, literature, and history, along with other areas of study in the humanities.

The Honors program provides an excellent foundation for whichever major students choose. The professors who teach in the program are chosen from among the University's finest teacher/scholars. Outside the classroom, the program sponsors cultural and social events, and students still have time to participate in a wide variety of activities on campus. From this unique educational experience, students come to form a community for shared learning and lasting friendships, both inside and outside the classroom.

The Honors program consists of 17 courses over two years.  For the first five terms, students in the program take three interrelated Honors courses each term in a seminar style learning environment that emphasizes student interaction, along with the development of critical writing skills.  In the spring term of the second year, they take two seminars focused on problems or issues in the contemporary world. Because each seminar is four credits, Honors students usually enroll in one class a quarter outside the program, allowing them to begin coursework in their major or to explore other disciplines outside Honors. Completing the Honors course sequence satisfies the University Core Curriculum requirements except for the Module 1 Quantitative Reasoning and either a Module 1 Inquiry Seminar in Natural Science or a Module 3 Natural Sciences and Global Challenges course.  Students who do not satisfy these two requirements through AP credits must take these courses.

Application to the program is by invitation only.  Qualified students who have been admitted to Seattle University will receive a letter of invitation to apply for University Honors..