Honors Program

If accepted into the program, students are expected to maintain a 3.3 grade point average and must graduate with a 3.3 GPA or higher to receive College Honors. The program requires the following course of study:

First year honors sections.
In the fall semester of the freshman year, all honors scholars are enrolled together in a special honors section of a core course. In addition to fulfilling a requirement of the College core curriculum, this class provides honors students with the opportunity to engage intellectually with each other and with a faculty mentor.

In the sophomore and junior years, students complete two additional requirements:
During the sophomore year, honors students enroll in one of the Honors Seminars 201-202. These interdisciplinary seminars are designed around varied and engaging topics, and are meant to foster intellectual curiosity while building analytical skills. Students may choose one of the following four options to personalize the other requirement:

1) Independent research undertaken in the junior year. Independent research includes a minimum of 3 credit hours. Proposals for independent research must be reviewed and approved by the Honors Council in advance. The course description must specify that it is to count for Honors.

2) Summer research. Students may choose to submit a proposal for participation in the summer research program. To fulfill this option they must complete the approved project, as evaluated by the Honors Council.

3) An additional Honors Seminar 201-202.

4) Honors Reading Seminars. Students may combine three 1-credit HONS 261-262 courses to fulfill this requirement.

In the junior and senior year, honors students undertake the Honors Capstone.
Honors students enroll in HONS 301 in the fall of their junior year. Honors students may appeal to be released from either or both courses, on demonstration of sufficient ability or experience as evaluated by the Honors Council and in consultation with their capstone advisor.

Honors Capstone. The honors capstone promotes independence, self-reliant study, and appreciation of the intricacies of an academic discipline within the broader spectrum of the liberal arts. The senior capstone project allows students to design and implement a year-long project in their major department(s). Students submit a capstone proposal in the junior year, which is then reviewed and approved by the Honors Council. The student’s work is supervised by a committee comprised of departmental representatives and Council members. Successful completion of the capstone includes both an oral defense of the thesis before the supervisory committee and submission of an appropriate scholarly product (e.g., paper, presentation, display, exhibit, performance) at the end of the second semester.

From the Academic Catalogue, updated 8/16/24

Director: Dr. James C. Frusetta-Ulfhrafn
Faculty of the Divisions of Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences

HONORS 201-202. (3-3) HONORS SEMINAR. Consideration of a selected topic designed to introduce students to modes of inquiry and underlying assumptions of various disciplines. Prerequisite: Honors scholar status; permission of the Honors Council required. Offered: 201 in the fall semester; 202 in the spring semester.

HONORS 261, 262, 361, 362, 461, 462. (1) HONORS READING SEMINAR. A small-group seminar course normally meeting weekly and following one book over the course of a semester. Students participate in and take turns leading discussions. Additional reading, speaking, and writing assignments may be given. Open to honors scholars (sophomore and above level) and to other students with instructor’s permission. Up to six courses can be taken for up to six hours counting toward graduation. Prerequisite: none. Offered: each semester.

HONORS 301. (1) HONORS PROPOSALS. Students participating in the Honors Capstone take Honors 301 in the fall semester of their junior year. This course explores how research is framed in different disciplines and develops students’ abilities to prepare a full proposal that illustrates the aims, process, and anticipated outcomes of a capstone project. Offered: fall semester.

HONORS 497-498. (3 to 6 credit hours each semester) HONORS CAPSTONE. Students participating in the Honors Capstone may undertake, under the guidance of an advisory committee, three to six hours of original scholarship during each semester of the senior year. Prerequisites: senior status and designation as an Honors Scholar; approval of proposed scholarship by members of the Honors Council. Offered: 497 in the fall semester; 498 in the spring semester.

From the Academic Catalogue, updated 8/16/24