International Honors (IHON) Program
The International Honors Program (IHON) at PLU isn’t your typical honors program.
Classes are small, discussion-based, and designed around timeless human questions: What does it mean to be human? How should we live with nature and one another? Does history have a direction? These are the same questions people wrestled with thousands of years ago, and you’ll explore them through perspectives from around the world. That’s why it’s called International – because every course brings in global perspectives that push you beyond the North American “box.” This program focuses on developing you, rather than on textbooks and testing.
Professor Seth Dowland describes IHON in just one minute!
It’s a different way to do college.
Instead of adding on extra classes, IHON replaces many of your general education courses with seven honors courses spread across your four years. Each class builds on the last, so you’re not just checking boxes, you’re steadily growing your skills as a thinker, communicator, and global citizen.
IHON is open to EVERY student.
No matter your major or high school background, you can do IHON. In fact, 26 different PLU majors were represented in the Fall 2025 IHON first-year cohort! You don’t need AP, IB, or Running Start to succeed here – just curiosity, hard work, and a willingness to engage deeply with ideas. If you want a challenging but supportive community that changes how you see the world, IHON is for you.
Contrary to most teaching techniques, no one will tell you what to think or how to feel about the texts you read in IHON – you are left to draw your own conclusions which are to be discussed with the class. However, don’t confuse the freedom of thought with neglect. IHON professors have specific guidelines on how to approach texts from different eras and cultures. They want you to be able to attune yourself to the text and make a mental separation of what you were taught to believe versus what it is that you are working with.
IHON gives you the tools to:
- Enter into conversations more confidently.
- Ask good questions.
- Read texts more carefully.
- Write in your own voice.
These are skills you’ll need to be successful in any PLU major!
When you graduate from IHON:
There are some distinct advantages of a liberal arts education, which is at the core of our honors program and a PLU education. When you graduate, you’ll have developed the ability to:
- Be a better citizen — an informed participant in your community and democracy.
- Develop your own vision for a life worth pursuing.
- Meaningfully question what might at first seem obvious, and appreciate the complexity around you.