International Honors Program

Program Information

The International Honors Program at PLU is for students who demonstrate an exemplary record of academic and service achievement, as well as an interest in pursuing their university studies in an international context. 

International Honors, or IHON, is an academically rigorous program rooted in PLU's emphasis on liberal arts education, and allows students to fulfill General Education Requirements through challenging, creative, and interdisciplinary coursework.  IHON courses explore contemporary issues and their historical foundations through an interdisciplinary, multi-national approach. 

International Honors further challenges students to consider the ways in which their unique interests and intellectual gifts can be of service to those around them.  Thus the program embodies PLU's educational mission of thoughtful inquiry, service to others, leadership in public life, and care for the earth’s diverse communities and natural resources.  

For further information, visit the International Honors Program webpage.

Eligibility

To be considered for admission to the International Honors Program, students must be admitted to the university and complete a separate application form. Students with a 3.6 GPA and higher are encouraged to apply.  Students interested in the International Honors Program must complete the International Honors online application form.

Honors Program faculty members will read applications and determine those admitted to the program on a rolling basis.  Please contact Michael Behrens, Acting Director of International Honors Program at behrenmd@plu.edu with any questions you may have.

International Honors Requirements:

Seven courses, 28 semester hours distributed as follows:

1. International Honors 111-112 (190): Origins of the Contemporary World (eight semester hours)
   Normally taken sequentially in the first year. These courses explore the historical roots and global dimensions of contemporary events, values, and traditions.
2. Four 200-level International Honors courses (16 semester hours)
   Normally taken in the second and third year. A wide range of these courses are offered every semester, and during J-Term.
3. One 300-level International Honors course (four semester hours)
   Taken after or with the last 200-level course.

Policies and Guidelines:

The three levels of IHON courses are built sequentially upon one another in terms of content and learning objectives. In order to acquire a common background, IHON students take the required IHON 111, 112 (190) sequence in their first year before taking their 200-level courses. Exceptions to this sequence can be made for transfer students, or for students who are accepted into the Honors Program during their first year at PLU.

With prior approval by the IHON chair, an appropriate semester-long course abroad may take the place of one 200-level IHON course. Such a course must focus on a contemporary issue, be international in scope, be interdisciplinary, and require honor’s-level critical thinking and writing. One 301 modern language (Chinese, French, German, Norwegian, Spanish) course intentionally designed to meet program objectives may also replace one 200-level IHON course when the student completes supplementary IHON expectations.

Multiple sections of IHON 111 are offered every Fall semester; and sections of IHON 112 (190) every Spring semester; varying IHON 200-level courses will be offered every semester and often in J-Term; IHON 300-level courses will be offered every semester. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the required seven courses in the IHON Program by the end of their junior year in order to focus on completion of majors and related research during their senior year. For more information, visit the International Honors Program web page.

Course Offerings:

Visit the course catalog.