David C. Frederick Honors College

The David C. Frederick Honors College is one of the oldest honors colleges in the nation, providing students with individualized opportunities, academic challenges, and an extensive network of driven peers and world-class faculty mentors. Through a diverse portfolio of formal and informal programs, the Frederick Honors College cultivates and enhances interdisciplinary research and collaborations, supports student engagement, and offers personalized educational experiences locally and globally.

Contact Information

University of Pittsburgh
David C. Frederick Honors College
3600 Cathedral of Learning
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
412-624-6880
www.frederickhonors.pitt.edu

Admission Requirements

Although many Frederick Honors College opportunities, such as honors courses, are open to everyone, students are encouraged to be admitted into one of three programs available to earn a formal credential from the Frederick Honors College: the Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) Degree, the Honors Degree, and the Honors Distinction.

Credentials

Students have the option to earn one of these three formal credentials from the Frederick Honors College:

The Bachelor of Philosophy  is a research-based degree requiring a rigorous curriculum and independent research under the guidance of a faculty mentor culminating in a thesis defense before a committee of faculty members, including an external examiner from another institution. Upon successful completion of the program, students receive a degree/diploma jointly conferred by the Frederick Honors College and their primary school/college of admission.

The Honors Degree  consists of a structured program of curricular and co-curricular activities that provides an enhanced academic experience including opportunities for interdisciplinary study. Upon successful completion of the program, students receive a degree/diploma jointly conferred by the Frederick Honors College and their primary school/college of admission.

The Honors Distinction  consists of a structured program of curricular and co-curricular activities that provides an enhanced academic experience including opportunities for interdisciplinary study. The Honors Distinction offers a lighter credit load than the Honors Degree, which may be appealing to transfer students or those in highly structured, credit-intensive programs. Upon successful completion of the program, students receive a notation on their final transcript.

Special Opportunities

Advising

The Frederick Honors College provides academic advising to help students develop challenging interdisciplinary programs of study to complete the requirements for the Honors Degree or Honors Distinction. All FHC students are assigned to a dedicated FHC academic advisor to assist them achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals.

Research

The Frederick Honors College Office of Honors Research provides students in any academic discipline the opportunity to complete research and creative fellowships and connect with peers and faculty through academic and mentoring opportunities. Many of the Frederick Honors College fellowships involve regular meetings of the fellows in which they share their research with other students, creating an interdisciplinary learning environment.

National Scholarships

The Frederick Honors College Office of National Scholarships works closely with students to identify awards for which they are competitive and guide them through the application process. National fellowship advisors help students attain a broader perspective and refined understanding of their goals, strengthen their writing skills through the creation and revision of personal statements and grant proposals, and develop the resourcefulness to identify opportunities to conduct meaningful research and/or incorporate service and international experiences into their educational plan.

Community Engaged Learning

The Frederick Honors College Office of Community Engaged Learning supports students in service learning and civic engagement though Community Research Fellowships, Civic Engagement Internships, and Scholar Communities. Through the Office of Community Engaged Learning, Frederick Honors College students are encouraged to partner in curricular and co-curricular activities rooted in social responsibility and positive global change.

Global Opportunities

The Frederick Honors College strives to instill a global perspective in students through engagement in scholarship as part of study abroad or study away programs. Students may choose to complete short- or long-term programs, which includes a portfolio of abroadSELECT programs exclusively for Frederick Honors College students.

Social Innovation

The Frederick Honors College Office of Social Innovation in Honors Education aims to advance the University of Pittsburgh’s mission to make a transformative impact on society by empowering students, faculty, and the wider community to collaboratively address pressing social challenges and foster a more just and equitable society. Signature honors initiatives in social innovation include the Changemakers Media Lab and Social Change Research Hubs.

Student Life

Frederick Honors College students engage in a number of outside the classroom experiences to enhance their education.

• Honors Housing brings highly motivated students together to form interdisciplinary communities shaped by their shared interests. The Frederick Honors College offers honors housing for first-year students in Sutherland Hall and for upper-division students in the Forbes Craig Apartments and University Hall.
• The Frederick Honors College Student Council is an organization designed to promote the concerns, interests, and needs of Frederick Honors College students.
• The Experts-in-Residence Program connects students to interdisciplinary experts who offer specialized workshops and events throughout the year.

Funding and Aid

Frederick Honors College students have numerous opportunities to apply for funding to support their academic, research, and extracurricular goals.

Politics and Philosophy Major

Politics and Philosophy, BA  is an interdisciplinary major in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and is advised through the Frederick Honors College. It provides students with training in the conceptual, empirical, and normative foundations of various fields of public policy. It enhances understanding of the moral and political complexities of public life and offers preparation in both theory and practice to students interested in pursuing careers in social and public affairs, including law.