Curriculum Overview

Graduating students will be given an Honors College Medallion and Gold Cap, which they may wear with their robes during commencement proceedings.

 

Honors Foundations (Freshmen and Sophomores)

Designed to cultivate intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and investigative skills, the Foundations curriculum requires 12 hours of honors classes (Honors Colloquium in Year 1 and Honors Seminars in Year 2) and 4 hours of Honors Forum (HON 321), a lecture series that brings leading scholars, performers, and public intellectuals to campus. With an emphasis on cross-disciplinary learning, active engagement, and intellectual development, the Foundations curriculum will provide you with the skills and confidence you need to advance into Honors Keystone and embark on original research.

 

Honors Keystone (Juniors and Seniors)

The Keystone curriculum provides students with the opportunity to design and execute an original research project—the senior Honors Thesis. Working with Honors faculty and with a faculty adviser in their chosen discipline, students move through a 5-hour course sequence (distributed across four semesters) that guides them through the thesis experience. Each step in the Keystone curriculum provides Honors scholars with the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes they need to successfully complete the thesis project.

 

Scholar Engagement 

The Honors College actively promotes student engagement in a wide variety of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, both on and off campus. Scholars are expected to demonstrate such engagement and to deepen and grow in its forms throughout their time in the Honors College.