Academic Catalog

Irvin D. Reid Honors College

Dean: John Corvino

The Irvin D. Reid Honors College provides Wayne State's highest-achieving undergraduates with a program that is both academically rigorous and culturally engaged. Founded in 2008, it is home to roughly 2000 students, comprising both University Honors and Departmental Honors tracks.

The University Honors track is an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary program that includes a distinctive first-year sequence, field learning experiences, and Honors courses across the curriculum. The Departmental Honors track is a discipline-specific program that varies by major; students apply after taking at least a semester of courses at Wayne State. Honors students may pursue either or both tracks.

The College offers many benefits, including:

  • a small community of high-achieving students
  • pre-priority class registration
  • dedicated Honors academic advisors
  • close mentoring by full-time faculty
  • unique opportunities for undergraduate research
  • field-learning experiences in the city of Detroit
  • available private scholarships
  • Honors floors in residence halls, for first-year students who live on campus
  • special recognition at graduation, with Honors designation on degree and transcript

Note that all Honors College students pursue a traditional major in conjunction with their Honors experience, with access to the full range of faculty, courses, and programs at Wayne State. The college thus combines the opportunities of a premier urban research university with the personal attention typical of a small liberal arts college--all in the heart of the City of Detroit.

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