For Prospective and Current Students

The central goal of the program is to provide both challenge and support for qualified students through a special curriculum designed to enhance both depth and breadth, and to cultivate critical thinking and creative habits of mind. The program enrolls 70-80 students each year, about 8-9% of the freshman class. The program is open to students from all colleges and from all majors.

A typical high school student invited into the program will have a GPA of 3.5 or better. Test scores for entry into the Honors program must equal 1300 or higher on the SAT or an ACT composite of 27 or better. High achieving test-optional students are automatically considered for BHP based on their academic record.

A typical transfer student invited into the program will have a GPA of 3.5 or better, plus a grade of B or better in their college-level English/ writing class.

  • For students entering Rider as freshmen, completion of BHP requires 24 honors credits (8 courses, average of 1 each semester).
    • Note: Students in Business Honors can also complete BHP if they wish. They do not have to decide until after completing BHP 100 and BHP 150. They may count any 2 Business Honors courses toward the BHP certificate, and their Business senior thesis can be shaped to count for BHP as well.
  • For students entering Rider as transfers with less than 20 credits, completion of BHP requires approximately 21 honors credits (potentially less if the student has taken honors courses at their first institution. Total number of honors credits required at Rider will be determined in a meeting between the student and the honors program director).
  • For students entering Rider as transfers with 20 or more credits, completion of BHP requires approximately 18 honors credits (potentially less if the student has taken honors courses at their first institution. Total number of honors credits required at Rider will be determined in a meeting between the student and the honors program director).
  • BHP courses substitute for a range of general education requirements, and in some cases for major or minor requirements*. Sometimes students take one or more BHP courses as electives. With planning and advising, students of any major (or double major) can complete BHP. Typically, 4-5 different upper-level courses are offered each semester, and students are advised in advance as to how the courses can help them fill requirements for graduation.
    • *Please note that any BHP course may only count in TWO categories: 1) towards completion of BHP and 2) student's choice - e.g., toward their major, toward ONE of the Disciplinary Perspectives within the general education core, OR toward the Global Perspectives (if applicable). 
  • Freshmen who accept the honors invitation are placed into BHP 100 (first semester writing course, substitutes for CMP 120), or into BHP 150 (second semester writing course, substitutes for CMP 125) if they have earned a score of 4 or 5 on any AP English test.
    • ​​Note 1: Freshmen who have AP credit for English Composition and/ or Literature may choose to either take BHP 150 (second semester writing course) or BHP 100 (first semester writing course) in their first semester.
    • Note 2: Some students’ first-semester schedules may include an Honors section of a single-discipline course. Any single-discipline section that is designated as “Honors” will count as 3 honors credits toward the BHP certificate, and can also EITHER fulfill a general education requirement OR count toward major requirements if applicable. For example, COM 105 (Mass Media Communication) is required for Communication/ Journalism majors; for others who take this course, it fulfills the general education requirement in social science. PSY 102 (Explorations in Psychology) counts as the introductory course for Psychology majors and can also fulfill their natural science general education requirement; for non-psychology majors, this course can fulfill the social science general education requirement. HIS 150 (World History to 1500) fulfills the historical perspectives or humanities requirement for general education.
  • Transfer students will need to consult with the Honors director in order to determine the appropriate Honors course to take during their first semester at Rider.
  • Program perks include summer reading and first-year dinner (including discussion of the summer book), special freshman living and learning community in a designated wing of Ziegler, priority registration, invitations to social events for the honors student community, advising meetings with pizza, individual faculty mentoring on senior projects, a capstone dinner celebration, and the distinction of graduating with honors.
  • BHP students are expected to have earned a minimum 3.3 GPA among their honors classes and an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students whose GPA’s are below these minimum levels may remain in the program on probation for one semester, but may be removed if they do not raise their grades. Graduation with honors requires a 3.3 GPA or higher across honors experiences (including contracted courses and the capstone), and an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, unless an exception is made by the director of the program.

Completing BHP

Students who enter as freshmen must take:

  1. 3-6 credits of writing courses: BHP 100 and 150 or just BHP 150.
  2. 15-18 credits of upper-level BHP experiences, which can be accomplished as follows:
    • 9-18 additional credits from courses with the “BHP” heading, which signals that the courses are unique, developed and team-taught by profs from different fields. For example, students can view current upper-level seminars being offered here: Upper-Level Courses
    •  Up to 6* of these 15 credits can be done as honors contracts in upper-level courses needed for a major or minor. Students can find out more about how to complete honors contracts here: Honors Contracts
      *Note: In some cases, students MAY be allowed to complete 9 credits' worth of honors contracts - these exceptions are only allowed at the discretion of the director.
  3. A 3-credit senior capstone – an independent project advised by a faculty mentor usually in the student’s major. More information about the senior capstone can be found here: Planning your Thesis

Students who enter as transfers with less than 20 credits typically take:

  1. BHP 150 (Unless a second level English composition/ writing course was satisfied at the student's first institution).
  2. 9-18* additional credits from courses with the “BHP” heading, which signals that the courses are unique, developed and team-taught by professors from different fields. For example, students can view current upper-level seminars being offered here: Upper-Level Courses
    • *Total number of credits required will be determined in a meeting between the transfer student and the honors program director and is in part determined by courses taken at the student's previous institution.
    • *Up to 6 of these credits can be completed as honors contracts in upper-level courses needed for a major or minor. Students can find out more about how to complete honors contracts here: Honors Contracts
  3. A 3-credit senior capstone – an independent project advised by a faculty mentor usually in the student’s major. More information about the senior capstone can be found here: Planning your Thesis

Students who enter as transfers with 20 credits or more typically take:

  1. BHP 150 (Unless a second level English composition/ writing course was satisfied at the student's first institution).
  2. 6-12* additional credits from courses with the “BHP” heading, which signals that the courses are unique, developed and team-taught by professors from different fields. For example, students can view current upper-level seminars being offered here: Upper-Level Courses
    • *Total number of credits required will be determined in a meeting between the transfer student and the honors program director and is in part determined by courses taken at the student's previous institution.
    • *Up to 3 of these credits can be completed as an honors contract in an upper-level course needed for the student's major or minor. Students can find out more about how to complete honors contracts here: Honors Contracts
  3. A 3-credit senior capstone – an independent project advised by a faculty mentor usually in the student’s major. More information about the senior capstone can be found here: Planning your Thesis