John Jay College Honors Program
Honors at John Jay is a diverse and inclusive community of learners that is committed to academic excellence and "the common good." The program’s common good theme reflects the college mission statement and provides an intellectual framework for the honors curriculum, which teaches students to understand and advance the common good through rigorous inquiry and research, in conversation with scholars and practitioners in and beyond the academy. The program is open to students in all majors at the college. Honors program students take between 24 and 33 credits in Honors courses, depending on their point of entry into the program. Students write a senior thesis and present their honors research at a conference open to the campus and the wider community.
The year-long Honors Colloquium (HON 181 and HON 182) introduces new students to the 'common good' framework through justice topics of interest to them, demonstrating how scholars and experts address those topics through research and action, while guiding students through reflection on their academic and personal journey.
The sophomore level courses (HON 201 and HON 202) introduce students to diverse intellectual perspectives on the common good through engaged and justice-oriented research.
Junior level courses (HON 377, HON 380, and HON 385) provide students with the opportunity to test their skills in research and social action through experiential learning (HON 377), special topics (HON 380), and faculty mentored research (HON 385).
The final two-semester senior capstone (HON 301-HON 401, or HON 484-HON 485) is the culmination of students’ undergraduate careers in which they work with a faculty mentor on a sustained research project that either builds on their academic work in their major (HON 301-HON 401) or provides the opportunity to apply research to pressing issues facing their communities or professional field (HON 484-HON 485).
In addition to these academic requirements, Honors Program students are expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.3 each semester, and to uphold the standards specified in the Honors Program Contract, which students sign upon entering the Program.
Learning Outcomes. Students will:
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the concept of the common good, and its relation to issues of social justice.
• Discover and engage with the research of communities of practice (academic, community, and/or professional) addressing issues of interest to them
• Identify, evaluate, and employ varied methodological approaches (i.e., quantitative, qualitative, participatory action, professionally-engaged) to argumentation and research
• Communicate research-informed projects to stakeholders using appropriate disciplinary and professional conventions.
Credits required. 24-33 (Freshmen entry requires 33 credits, continuing and transfer student entry requires 24 credits)
Faculty Director. Raymond Patton, PhD, Associate Professor of History (646.781.5207, rpatton@jjay.cuny.edu)
Program Manager/ Advisor. Alana Philip (212.484.1122, aphilip@jjay.cuny.edu)
Student Support Manager/ Advisor. Adrienne Fitzgerald (212-393-6407, afitzgerald@jjay.cuny.edu)
Specialist/ Advisor. Sara Shaw-Clarke (sashaw@jjay.cuny.edu)
Advisor. Alexander Probst (aprobst@jjay.cuny.edu)
Macaulay Honors Program at John Jay College Advisor. Aisha Abdelmula (aabdelmula@jjay.cuny.edu)
Admission
Admission (Application required).
There are two entry points into the Honors Program:
Entering Freshmen. Admission is based upon the student’s high school average, their application essay and other materials, and an interview.
Continuing and Transfer Students. Admission is based upon the student’s college GPA, their application essay and other materials, and an interview. John Jay students and transfer students who have completed 2-4 semesters of college and have a minimum of four semesters remaining at John Jay may apply to join the program. To be eligible, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher, and no more than 75 credits completed at the time of entry into the program.
Additional Information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College or changed to this major in September 2025 or thereafter must complete the major in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose the form shown here or the earlier version of the major. A copy of the earlier version may be obtained in the 2024-25 Undergraduate Bulletin.
Required Courses for Freshman Entry
PART ONE. Introductory Courses Subtotal: 12 cr.
HON 115 Introduction to Justice Inquiry and Action Research
HON 181 Honors Colloquium 1 (1.5 cr.)
HON 182 Honors Colloquium 2 (1.5 cr.)
ENG 260 Grammar, Syntax, and Style: Writing for All Disciplines (Honors Section)
MAT 150 Intro to Data Analysis (Honors section)
OR
ECO 105 Understanding US Economic Data (Honors section)
Advisors note: HON 1XX is being proposed to satisfy the John Jay College Option: Justice and the Individual (100-level) area of the Gen Ed Program. MAT 105 satisfies the Required Core: Math and Quantitative Reasoning area and ECO 105 satisfies the Flexible Core: U.S. Experience in its Diversity area of the Gen Ed Program.
PART TWO. Pursuit of the Common Good Subtotal: 15 cr.
Required
HON 201 Critical Perspectives on the Common Good
HON 202 Leadership and the Common Good (new title: Shared Futures: Research Methods for the Common Good
Select Three
HON 377 Experiential Learning
HON 380 Selected Topics
HON 385 Faculty Mentored Research
Graduate level course or course for Honors in your major (contact your Honors advisor for more information).
Note: The courses above are all repeatable.
Advisors Note: HON 201 satisfies the Flexible Core: Individual and Society area and HON 202 satisfies the Flexible Core: World Cultures and Global Issues area of the Gen Ed Program.
PART THREE: Capstone Sequences Subtotal: 6 cr.
Select one sequence
Academic Capstone Sequence
HON 301 The Idea of the Common Good Across Disciplines (new title: Honors Capstone Seminar I)
HON 401 Honors Capstone Seminar II, Research and the Theme of the Common Good
OR
Project-Based Capstone Sequence
HON 484 Faculty Mentored Research Around the Common Good
HON 485 Faculty Mentored Capstone Research on the Common Good
Advisor’s Note: HON 301 satisfies the John Jay College Option: Struggle for Justice and Equality in the U.S. (300-level) area of the Gen Ed Program.
Total Credits for Freshman Entry: 33
Required Courses for Continuing and Transfer Students
PART ONE. Required Introductory Courses Subtotal: 6 cr.
HON 181 Honors Colloquium I
HON 182 Honors colloquium II
HON 2XX Justice Inquiry and Action Research
Advisor’s Note: HON 2XX is being proposed to satisfy the John Jay College Option: Justice and the Individual (200-level) area of the Gen Ed Program.
PART TWO. Pursuit of the Common Good Subtotal: 12 cr.
Required
HON 201 Critical Perspectives on the Common Good
HON 202 Leadership and Shared Futures: Research for the Common Good (retitled: Shared Futures: Research for the Common Good)
Select Two
HON 377 Experiential Learning
HON 380 Selected Topics
HON 385 Faculty Mentored Research
Graduate level course or course for Honors in your major (contact your Honors advisor for more information).
Advisor’s Note: HON 201 satisfies the Flexible Core: Individual and Society area and HON 202 satisfies the Flexible Core: World Cultures and Global Issues area of the Gen Ed Program.
PART THREE. Capstone Sequences Subtotal: 6 cr.
Select one capstone sequence
Academic Capstone Sequence
HON 301 The Idea of the Common Good Across Disciplines (retitled: Honors Capstone Seminar I
HON 401 Honors Capstone Seminar II, Research and the Theme of the Common Good
OR
Project-Based Capstone Sequence
HON 484 Faculty Mentored Research Around the Common Good
HON 485 Faculty Mentored Capstone Research on the Common Good
Advisors Note: HON 301 satisfies the John Jay College Option: Struggle for Justice and Equality in the U.S. (300-level) area of the Gen Ed Program.
Total credits for Continuing or Transfer Entry: 24