SPEA’s Honors Program indulges the talents and creativity of SPEA undergraduates who excel in the classroom and who are destined for leadership roles in public affairs, public health, and environmental affairs. Prior to being invited to the Bloomington SPEA Honors Program students must complete a minimum of 26 credit hours of course work with at least a 3.5 cumulative and 3.5 SPEA grade point average. In all cases, the student must be currently enrolled as a SPEA major or applying (or preparing to apply) for SPEA admission. To maintain eligibility in the program, all students must maintain a cumulative and SPEA GPA of at least 3.5. All SPEA majors with at least a minimum cumulative and SPEA GPA of 3.5 at the end of their freshman year will be invited to join the Honors Program.

On the Bloomington campus, benefits of the SPEA Honors Program include: confirmation of a diploma “With Public and Environmental Affairs Honors” notation; advanced course work and opportunities for in-depth research projects with SPEA faculty; interaction with like-minded students in the SPEA Honors Program and the Hutton Honors College; competitively awarded funding opportunities to support academic related travel, research projects, and internships through the Hutton Honors College; automatic admission to SPEA’s prestigious Washington Leadership Program, IU at Oxford Summer Program and Scholars in Global Citizenship Program; provisional admission to SPEA’s accelerated Master of Public Affairs or Environmental Science degree programs; and counsel from an Honors Program advisor.

On the Indianapolis campus, qualified SPEA students are encouraged to apply to the IUPUI Honors College. Benefits of this program include advanced coursework, opportunities for community service, interaction with like-minded students, participation in honors events and the IUPUI Honor Societies, eligibility for residence in the IUPUI Honors House, opportunities for research with faculty, and funding to support academic-related research and travel.