Honors Program

At Chatham, we think an Honors Program should engage you, not just give you more work to accomplish. That's why the Chatham Honors Program is designed for you to distinguish yourself professionally and personally with authentic, interdisciplinary experiences.

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Honors Program Benefits

  • Exclusive opportunities in research, leadership, community engagement, including annual Research Symposiums and Service Projects.
  • Invitation to key campus events, as well as preferred access to lectures and receptions for campus visitors. 
  • Professional mentorship from Chatham Honors Program alumnae.
  • Tassel and commencement recognition.

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Honors Program Requirements

  • Incoming first-year students with a GPA of 3.7 or greater
  • Transfer students who have a college 3.7 GPA or the PTK equivalent.
  • Current students who have earned at least 30 credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.7
  • To graduate with Honors Program distinction, students must have a 3.7 GPA in their final semester, complete the Traditions of Excellence requirements, and complete three Honors course contracts or courses

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Living Learning Community

The Honors Program Living Learning Community (LLC), located in The Julia and James Rea House, hosts around 30 students who are enrolled in the Chatham Honors Program. Students who are selected to reside in an LLC are required to help develop and participate in programming and to be an integral part of the community. However, all Honors Students are invited to the LLC to continue to learn outside of the classroom through the use of programming, daily interactions with other residents, and connection with faculty, staff, and community resources.

  • Apply for an LLC: You have the option to apply for an LLC when you complete your housing application. LLC applicants will answer several brief questions in order to be considered for LLC placement. All inquiries about the Honors Program Living Learning Community should be directed to ResLife@duojiwuye.com.

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Traditions of Excellence

In addition to completing three Honors course contracts during their time in the Honors Program, each year, Honors students are required to focus on various aspects of the program’s mission to maintain membership: CHP Reads & Serves, CHP Researches, CHP Leads, and CHP Launches. These experiences genuinely set you apart in your professional aspirations, whatever they might be.

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CHP Reads & Serves

First-year Honors students are required to attend a common reading orientation event. The interdisciplinary text everyone reads ahead of time sets the tone for their expectations as Honors students on campus through students being in conversation with each other and faculty about current issues in higher education. During Homecoming, first-year Honors students are required to attend and participate in the Day of Service. Each spring, the first-year cohort attends an engaging event in the rich cultural districts of Pittsburgh.

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CHP Researches

Sophomore Honors students are required to attend workshops presented by faculty, current students, and alumni on developing and funding research projects. After writing a grant application for a CHP Researches grant, students complete their project and present it at the Spring Honors Research Symposium.

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CHP Leads

Junior Honors students are required to take a leadership role in the CHP Reads or cultural outings with their first-year Honors peers. Leading up to the Spring Honors Research Symposium, Junior Honors students guide their sophomore Honors peers in preparation for presenting their scholarship.

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CHP Launches

Senior Honors students are required to attend workshops where they share their experiences of developing their Capstone projects with their Sophomore Honors peers during the fall term. For the Spring Honors Research Symposium, every Senior Honors student showcases their capstone research for the Chatham community.

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Outings Throughout Pittsburgh

Honors Program participants attend cultural and educational events throughout Pittsburgh as a group. Past outings have included The Mattress FactoryPhipps Conservatory, Contemporary Craft, and an LGBTQ+ film festival.

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Travel Benefits

Honors students will be eligible for a limited amount of funds that will be set aside each year for Honors Travel Fellowships to offset the expenses associated with travel, lodging, and conference fees for students who attend research conferences.

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Academic Excellence, Tailored to Your Goals

To successfully graduate with an Honors distinction, students must complete three Honors Course Contracts during their time at Chatham. In collaboration with their course instructors, Honors students develop a project beyond course expectations to have a meaningfully rigorous and professionalizing experience. Students have completed Honors projects for courses including “What is Evil”, “Africa, Past and Present”, “Social Welfare and Social Justice”, "Feminist Theory", "Protest Literature", and “Negotiation and Decision-Making”.

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National Collegiate Honors Council

Chatham University is now a proud member of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC). The NCHC provides workshops and funding opportunities for our Honors students.

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A Unique Challenge

“I am beyond grateful to have joined the Honors Program at Chatham, as it has provided me with incredible opportunities in research, leadership, networking, volunteering, and physician shadowing. The program is absolutely wonderful in providing a unique challenge to students, while also supporting and uplifting them. Being a part of the honors program is one of the best decisions I have ever made, and without a doubt, I would highly recommend being a part of it!”—Ashley Pesarsick '23

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Find Community & Gain Insight

"During my freshman year, I lived in the Honors Living Learning Community, and I found that being surrounded by academically oriented and driven peers was the perfect way to find community here at Chatham. Working on service projects with other students in the Honors Program helped me gain an understanding of what it means to better the lives of those within our Chatham community as well as the greater Pittsburgh community. The volunteering experiences I joined because of the Honors Program widened my perspective on how I can serve people in my communities throughout the course of my undergraduate studies, and my time volunteering has also granted me the insight to envision how I might help people in my future career as well."—Perrin Nightingale '23 

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Explore Different Areas of Study

“One of my favorite reasons for joining the Honors Program is to connect with other people who are passionate about what they are studying. Being a student, I believe it is valuable to explore different areas of study to see whether you made the right choice with your current area of study. Additionally, there is more to the Honors Program than academics. As a member of the Honors Program, I was given numerous opportunities to serve in the community and build strong friendships.”—Michael Nizinski, '21, MPAS '23