Transforming Honors Education at Rutgers–New Brunswick

December 18, 2024

Dear Rutgers–New Brunswick Community,

I write to share an exciting new chapter in the evolution of honors education at Rutgers–New Brunswick.

In September 2025, a new Rutgers Honors College—representing an integration of the existing Honors College, School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) Honors Program, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) Honors Program, and Engineering Honors Academy—will welcome our newest cohort of honors students.

This integrated honors community will expand on the strengths of the existing programs, diversify the ways in which students become eligible for Honors College enrollment, offer a unified honors curriculum, and expand housing options for participating students who wish to live on campus while also remaining accessible to commuter students.

This transformation incorporates recommendations of the Discovery Advantage Final Report, which calls for a reimagined student experience centered on student well-being and belonging while elevating the distinction of those programs that set Rutgers–New Brunswick apart. It is also inspired by the New Brunswick Faculty Council’s November 2022 resolution calling for greater clarity, diversity and representation, and faculty engagement in honors education. And it will fulfill the goals and objectives of all four pillars of our Rutgers–New Brunswick Academic Master Plan: Scholarly Leadership, Innovative Research, Student Success, and Community Engagement.

During the transition, the educational journeys of our current students in the Honors College, SAS Honors Program, SEBS Honors Program, and Engineering Honors Academy remain a priority. There will be no disruption or changes for students currently enrolled in these existing programs. Those students will continue under their current structures with the amenities, resources, and requirements they were promised.

The new Honors College is on track to recruit students during the coming spring and to welcome its first student cohort in September 2025. Preliminary information is available on the new Honors College Undergraduate Admissions page, and we will provide full, detailed information to the entire campus community—including prospective and current students, faculty and staff, donors, and alumni—through a comprehensive communications plan that will launch in February.

We look forward to embarking on this journey together, ensuring that Rutgers–New Brunswick continues to lead in providing a world-class education not just for our honors students, but for all students.

Sincerely,

Francine Conway, Ph.D.
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Rutgers University–New Brunswick