“I highly recommend the CHP if you enjoy being academically challenged and want to take classes on subjects outside of your major or minor. I’m very grateful for that opportunity, and for the ability to meet new peers and professors. The College Honors Program is challenging but worth it! —Elise Smith, ’26
“The College Honors Program has allowed me to enroll in classes that challenge and encourage me to delve deeper into the topics that excite me most as a student and discover new academic areas of interest. Through CHP classes, I have strengthened my writing and critical thinking skills while exploring the city through curriculum-base excursions. Being in the CHP has enriched my time here at Marymount Manhattan College!” —Samantha Franklin, ’25
“As a College Honors Program student, I studied advanced material in a variety of different subjects. CHP sections truly opened my eyes to so much knowledge that I would have never learned otherwise. What I learned through these courses made me a stronger and more successful artist. I am extremely grateful for this experience !” –Bella Luttrell, ’25
“Not only did I feel challenged as a student in the CHP, I also felt that was I able to access information about fields of study other than my major. Coming out of this program, I feel as though I am a more cultured and educated member of the society I live in. I am well versed in deeper areas of art, literature, history, and the sciences. The skills I have learned make me feel better equipped to understand the world around me and communicate with others.” —Molly Brennan, ’24
“I am so grateful for the opportunities the College Honors Program provided for me. I found a level of care in each course that was unmatched—be it the students showing up with questions or the professors who were so willing to dive deeper and explore how the class’s interests could shape the material. I wholeheartedly recommend taking CHP courses and believe they are responsible for making my college experience feel familiar yet entirely new.” —Tera Picente, ’22
“It has been an amazing experience to part of the College Honors Program. All of the CHP courses challenged me intellectually and creatively, while also providing me with the most rewarding conversations, projects, and curricula. The professors were inspiring, and their passion for each subject and the small class sizes helped to advance the work of all of the students in the classes.” — Nick Nazzaro ’20
“I really enjoyed my experience in the College Honors Program as it pushed me to take classes outside of my elected major. In doing this, I was able to meet amazing professors and students I would not have otherwise, as well as take courses that were incredibly interesting, informative, and intellectually challenging.” — Leeann Minard ’20
“I am beyond grateful to have been able to take courses that provide the prime setting for building on critical thinking skills. CHP courses broadened my interest in new topics, such as Art History, Philosophy, and Chinese Ghost Stories, and after taking each course with CHP, I continued studying the subjects independently.” — Asma Rathod ’20
“I’ve found all of my honors courses to be incredibly enriching, and the smaller class sizes have enabled me to build closer relationships with my professors. The College Honors Program has helped me to become a lifelong learner and a better worker who is truly interested in what she does, who knows how to work hard, how to do in-depth research and understand different topics, and who can formulate well-developed opinions.” — Nicole Marlin ’16
Overview
Marymount Manhattan College (MMC) educates and empowers all of its students by providing environments for intellectual and creative development. Students take an active role in their education. They examine not only what they are taught but also how they receive, create, and share ideas with others. The College Honors Program (CHP) serves students who want and need a learning environment that is enriched with even greater academic and creative challenges, and who will work and learn with students seeking similar experiences.
What is the College Honors Program?
To complete their General Education requirements, all MMC students need to take at least one course from each of the following categories:
Writing requirement (WRIT 101 and 102 or WRIT 201)
Math requirement
New York City Seminar
Social Justice Seminar
100-/200-level class outside declared major
Scientific Literacy Seminar
Race & Ethnicity Seminar
MMC Seminars (2 courses)
The designation “CHP” is used to identify honors courses housed within the General Education curriculum. Certain General Education courses are designated as “CHP” sections. For example, a standard section of EWL 228-01 will give you credit as a Social Justice Seminar; the CHP section, coded EWL 228-HP01, will give you credit as a Social Justice Seminar and a CHP section.
By comparison to standard courses, the work required of students in CHP courses is more academically and/or creatively demanding, and class sizes are generally smaller.
To complete the CHP, CHP students take at least six (6) of their nine (9) or ten (10) General Education courses as CHP sections. (The number of General Education requirements depends on whether or not the student takes WRIT 101 & 102 or WRIT 201.) CHP students may take any variety of lower-level and upper-level CHP sections to complete the program. CHP students may also take any level of CHP section at any time, so long as they have completed any course prerequisites that may be in place for an upper-level seminar.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the CHP. All CHP policy remains at the discretion of the CHP Director and the CHP Committee.
Incoming first-year students may be accepted into the CHP on the basis of their high school grades and SAT or ACT scores. They must have achieved a minimum high school academic GPA of 3.5 and a minimum combined SAT score of 1270. The minimum SAT English score is 600; the minimum Math score is 570. Or, students must have achieved a minimum high school academic GPA of 3.5 and a minimum ACT Composite score of 26. The ACT English and Math must each be at least 24. All students who wish to be admitted to the CHP must have at least eight (8) General Education courses to complete at MMC.
Transfer Students
Transfer students must have achieved a minimum academic (core subjects) college GPA of at least 3.5. Transfer students with fewer than 15 college credits must have achieved a minimum combined SAT score of 1270 (minimum 600 English and minimum 570 Math) or a minimum ACT Composite score of 26 (minimum 26 ACT English and 24 ACT Math). All incoming CHP students must have at least eight (8) General Education courses to complete at MMC.
International Students
International students will require the same criteria for admission to CHP for all first-year and transfer students. Those who submit TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores in lieu of SAT or ACT scores may be considered for CHP as well. They must have high ability as demonstrated by International Baccalaureate (IB) scores or other academic abilities and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All incoming CHP students must have at least eight (8) General Education courses to complete at MMC.
Complete the MMC or Common Application and submit required transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores.
All students are considered for the CHP at the time of their application.
Qualified students will receive an acceptance package and invitation to join the CHP.
Completed applications are due 1 March.
Students invited into the CHP must notify MMC of their decision to join the program no later than 1 June.
Notification of decision is no later than 15 June.
First-year students who achieve a first-semester GPA of 3.75+ will be invited into the CHP. Those with a 3.5-3.75 GPA may request permission to enroll in one CHP section to see if it suits their academic program. All potential CHP students must have at least eight (8) General Education courses to complete at MMC.
Juniors with a GPA of 3.75 or higher may apply in their Fall semester only. They must begin the CHP no later than the Spring semester of their Junior year. Again, they must have eight (8) General Education courses to complete at MMC and must be able to complete at least six (6) CHP sections before graduation.
No student may enter the CHP in their Senior year.
Students may not use AP credits from high school toward their CHP requirements.
Up to two (2) honors-level courses completed at the previous college may be considered toward CHP credits. In such cases, students should provide the CHP Director, Prof. Adrienne Baxter Bell, with copies of the syllabi of the honors courses and make an appointment to discuss the issue with her.
All CHP students must maintain a passing grade in all CHP sections and a minimum overall GPA of 3.50 to remain in the program.
Students must be continuously enrolled at MMC to maintain their place in the CHP. If they leave MMC for any reason, they forfeit their place in the CHP. If they return to MMC, their candidacy for the CHP will be reconsidered, though a place in the program is not guaranteed.
CHP students whose GPA has fallen between 3.0 and 3.5 will be placed on academic probation for the following academic year. They will be permitted to enroll in CHP sections. However, if their GPA does not meet or exceed the CHP standard at the end of the one-year probationary period, they will be dropped from the CHP.
Students whose GPA has fallen below 3.0 will be dropped from the CHP and will not be permitted to enroll in CHP sections.
Permission to re-enter the CHP remains at the discretion of the CHP Committee.
No student may re-enter the CHP more than once.
All CHP students must have completed at least two (2) CHP sections by the time they begin their 76th credit hour toward the completion of their degree. Students who have not fulfilled this requirement will be dropped from the CHP and not permitted to re-enter.
All CHP students must adhere to the Academic Standards and Codes of Conduct outlined in the Student Handbook. Failure to adhere to these Standards and Codes will result in permanent dismissal from the CHP.
Yes, Writing 201: Advanced Writing Seminar counts as a CHP section.
In the CHP, you will participate in courses with requirements that are more challenging than those in standard courses.
You will work with fellow high-achieving students who share your goals and ambitions.
Your classes will be smaller, with an average size of 10 students.
You may be invited to create, participate in, and attend various extramural activities at the College, including lectures, symposia, performances, and demonstrations. You will be invited to be part of the College Honors Program Mentoring Initiative (see below).
No, CHP sections cost the same as standard courses.
Professors teaching CHP sections determine the nature of their courses and syllabi. The first time a professor teaches a CHP section, the syllabus for that course is submitted to the CHP Committee to review to ensure a consistent standard for all sections within the program. CHP sections are taught by full-time faculty, though on occasion, and with the approval of the CHP Director, CHP sections are taught by Adjuncts.
Yes, and this designation will benefit your applications for study abroad, fellowships and grants, and graduate study, as it signals your commitment to an especially high level of academic and/or creative achievement.
Upon graduation, students who have successfully completed all of their CHP requirements have “Graduate, College Honors Program” recorded on their transcript; the designation also accompanies their name in the Commencement program. They wear a gold tassel on their cap at Commencement. Graduating CHP seniors are rewarded with honors at the Senior Awards Ceremony, which is held at the end of the Spring semester.
Note that the designation “Graduate, College Honors Program” is independent of the decision to grant graduating students the honors Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude, which are determined solely on the basis of the student’s GPA, or to grant Honors in the student’s major field of study.
Yes. Students with a GPA of 3.5 or above who are not in the CHP may petition the CHP Director, Prof. Adrienne Baxter Bell, to join CHP sections. Please send an email to Prof. Bell (abell@mmm.edu) with your full name, student ID number, GPA, and the name and number of the CHP section in which you would like to enroll. If you qualify, she will put your name on a waitlist. If there is room in the CHP section after Sophomore CHP students have registered, she will complete and email a Waiver of Pre-requisite (waiving CHP status) to the Center for Student Services and CSS will register you for the course. Waivers from other faculty members will not be accepted by the CSS or the Registrar.
Some highly advanced students may receive CHP credit simultaneously or even retrospectively for work completed during study abroad. Examples include students who have participated in language intensives or who have won Boren Scholarships. The decision to award this type of CHP credit rests with the CHP Director. The maximum amount of credit is limited to three (3) credits (the equivalent of one CHP section) for one semester abroad or six (6) credits (the equivalent of two CHP sections) for one year abroad. CHP credit is not granted for internships.
All students—those in the CHP and not in the CHP—might encounter a situation in which they would like to take a CHP section that has a course pre-requisite. For example, an NP course might have a lower-level Biology or Psychology pre-requisite. If you would like to take the CHP NP section but you have not taken the course pre-requisite, please complete the “Request for Waiver of Pre-Requisite form.” The request will go to the Chair of the department that houses the course. If the waiver is granted and you are in the CHP, you can simply register for the course. If the professor grants the waiver and you are not in the CHP, please be sure that you already qualify to take a CHP section. If so, then forward the approved waiver of pre-requisite to Prof. Bell. She will then write a second waiver for you to take the CHP section and CSS will enroll you. Note that Prof. Bell cannot waive course prerequisites for CHP sections.
Check with Admissions. It is likely that you were invited to join the program but that you neglected to complete Admissions paperwork. If this is the case, please contact Prof. Bell, who will request that you are added to the list of CHP students.
Some College Honors Program students in their final semester at MMC have completed five (5) CHP sections but do not have room in their schedule for a sixth and final CHP section–the last course needed to complete and graduate from the CHP. In these cases, the student may elect to pursue an Independent Study Project (ISP) for CHP credit. The student needs to be in good standing in the CHP (i.e., must be maintaining a 3.5+ GPA) and the project must be related to a General Education / liberal arts topic. (Students cannot pursue a CHP ISP exclusively in a practice-based field, although, as noted below, the ISP may have a practice-based component.) The project can relate to work done in a previous course but it must be substantially different or show that it is substantially building on or developing previous research. In these cases, the student’s proposal must include the culminating project or essays from the previous course for reference. In general, the CHP ISP differs from Honors in the Major in that it encourages interdisciplinary investigation.
Students cannot receive CHP ISP credit and Honors in the Major credit for the same work.
Students may not pursue a CHP ISP in the January or Summer sessions, as there is insufficient time to produce sustained, independent work and to consult regularly with the faculty sponsor, which are both required of a CHP ISP.
Students may not pursue a CHP ISP based around an asynchronous online course.
To prepare for a CHP ISP, the student develops a project during the preceding semester in close consultation with her faculty mentor, who must be a full-time member of the MMC faculty. The student and faculty mentor produce the syllabus and complete the Independent Study Certification and Contract. The student then consults with the CHP Director, Prof. Adrienne Baxter Bell, to ensure that the ISP goes “above and beyond” the standard work for an ISP. To achieve this goal, the student could, for example, produce a publishable paper, give a substantial public presentation at the end of the semester, or even incorporate elements of performance in dance or theatre, or artwork for an exhibition, into their project. The ISP proposal is then reviewed by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and, separately, by the CHP Committee. Once the proposal is approved, the student can then register for the ISP as a course.
The faculty mentor is entirely responsible for adjudicating the student’s work throughout the semester of the ISP. If the student fulfills or exceeds all of the terms of the ISP, the student will receive CHP credit for it.
A CHP ISP may be pursued for three (3) credits only, or the equivalent of one (1) CHP section.
Recent Presentations by College Honors Program Students
Left: Students in SPCH 202-HP01, with Prof. Sue Behrens, Spring 2026
Right: Dance major Isabelle Julien, ’27, presents at the Accent Acceptance Pop-Up Museum on 18 May 2026 as part of SPCH 202-HP01: Phonetics, taught by Prof. Sue Behrens. Isabelle’s project is an interactive proposal for more tolerance for accent variation in education.
In her Spring 2026 CHP section, EWL 390-HP01: Special Topics in English: Women Writing Early American and the Caribbean, Prof. Diana Epelbaum and her students created five podcast episodes collectively entitled “Unsung Women Writers of Early America.”
Prof. Epelbaum’s course adopts a cultural/historical perspective on women’s writing from the late Colonial period through the early 1800s. Taking as its context the burgeoning early American print culture, the course considered works published anonymously as well as those serialized, printed across venues, and circulated in the public sphere. Students read the works of women, often overlooked by history, that shaped American literature and reflected complex, competing narratives of gender, identities, roles, and inequities; debates around race, slavery, and abolition; and the appropriation and negotiation of indigenous perspectives.
Episode 1: Merely Imitation: Phillis Wheatley and her Humanity
In Fall 2017, the CHP began a new Mentoring Initiative, in which CHP Juniors mentor First-year CHP students. The older students share advice and answer questions on how to navigate the first year of college. The pairs work together for two years, at which point the First-year student, now a Junior, begins to mentor a new First-year student. We are pleased to report that the CHP Mentoring Initiative is going strong in its third year. We look forward to many exciting years of mentoring ahead! Here are recent photos of CHP Mentors and Mentees.
Dr. Adrienne Baxter Bell Professor of Art History Director, College Honors Program Coordinator, Honors in the Major Director, External Student Scholarships abell@mmm.edu
Professor Michael Salmon Assistant Vice President/Dean of Academic Excellence and Senior Advisor to the President 212-517-0529; msalmon@mmm.edu
