The Pennoni Honors College

About the College

The mission of Drexel University’s Pennoni Honors College is to enrich the University experience for talented and ambitious students from all majors. The Pennoni Honors College has a range and depth of offerings unique among Honors Colleges in the country. Involvement with the College helps students become the best they can be: broadly educated, socially engaged, and culturally and intellectually fulfilled. 

The Pennoni Honors College is made up of the following units:

• Academic Programs
  • Offerings include the Honors Program as well as the Custom-Designed Major, the Interdisciplinary Problem Solving Minor, and The Symposium, which are housed within the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry.
• Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs 
  • Offerings include the STAR Scholars Program, SuperNova Research Fellows Program, Fellowship Advising and Enrichment Programs such as Aspire Scholars.
• The Center for Civil Discourse
  • ​Offerings include Pennoni Panels, Wednesdays at Bentley, The Civil Discourse, and Dean’s Teas.
• The Marketing & Media Department
  • Offerings include The Smart Set online arts and culture journal, Pop, the Question podcast, and Honor Bound magazine.

Students interested in applying to the Honors Program may do so as incoming first year students, current Drexel students in their freshman or sophomore year, or through the Transfer student admissions process. All other programs and initiatives in the College are open to all students at the University with the appropriate interests and record of achievement.

The Pennoni Honors College was endowed by Annette and C.R. “Chuck” Pennoni, CEO of Pennoni Associates. Mr. Pennoni, a Drexel graduate, was a two-time interim president of the University. He embodies the qualities of leadership, integrity, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to Drexel and the larger world that the College seeks to imbue in its students. With the help of a gift from Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems, and his wife Caroline, Drexel University opened Bentley Hall in 2020, a combined residence, programming, seminar, and office space.

Honors Program

Overview

The Honors Program is a unique layer to the Drexel student experience in that it offers a multitude of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom for students to explore their academic interests. Through the Honors Program, students engage in coursework outside of their major plan of study in pursuit of additional breadth and depth to their education.

Program Requirements

The program and coursework requirements below apply to students who have joined the Honors Program in Fall 2019 to present. To view program requirements for Honors admit years prior to 2019, please visit our website at https://drexel.edu/pennoni/academics/honors/academics/requirements/

• The Honors Program requires a total of 16.0 credit hours of coursework.
• Students must maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA
• Students must receive a minimum of "B" grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy Honors Program Requirements

Required Coursework

Honors with Distinction

Overview

The Honors with Distinction path within the Honors Program is an opportunity for students to further enhance their education through coursework that emphasizes citizenship, global perspective, and self-reflection. Honors with Distinction exemplifies the breadth and depth of the Honors Program by offering a balance between flexibility for students to take courses that pique their interest and the intellectual rigor of requirements that deepen their learning across diverse perspectives.

Program Requirements

The program requirements below apply to students who have declared Honors with Distinction in Fall 2023 to present. To view Honors with Distinction program requirements for admit years prior to 2023, please visit our website at https://drexel.edu/pennoni/academics/honors/academics/requirements/.

• Honors with Distinction requires a total of 24 credit hours of coursework.
• Students must maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
• With the exception of the Civic Foundations course series, students must receive a minimum ‘B’ grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy Honor with Distinction requirements. Courses in the Civic Foundations series follow the university grade minimum requirements of ‘D’ or above. 

Required Coursework

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See Honors Academic Advisor for options

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To discuss study abroad Honors Options, please contact HonorsProgram@drexel.edu for additional information.