The Honors College

The National Collegiate Honors Council defines an Honors education as “characterized by in-class and extracurricular activities that are measurably broader, deeper, or more complex than comparable learning experiences typically found at institutions of higher education. Honors experiences include a distinctive learner-directed environment and philosophy, provide opportunities that are appropriately tailored to fit the institution’s culture and mission, and frequently occur within a close community of students and faculty” (you can read more here).

Honors seminar courses invite students to engage beyond themselves, across disciplinary boundaries, and in collaboration with others. These interdisciplinary, special topics courses emphasize seminar-style, discussion-based learning, depth over breadth, and high-level skill-building. Class sizes typically range from 12 to 18 students.

Teaching in the Honors College offers faculty a unique platform to test innovative ideas and explore diverse topics together with a small group (typically 12-18 students) of curious students. It fosters deep engagement with motivated and creative students from various disciplines across the university. Honors courses allow for rich discussions and collaborative learning experiences, providing valuable insights that can inform your teaching practice.

Faculty from departments across campus teach Honors seminars. When possible, departments allow for Honors College teaching to count towards a faculty member's regular teaching load. While we can share 3-credit hours of replacement funding at the Academic Affairs adjunct rate, we understand that replacing funding does not replace expertise and are grateful to departments across campus for making our Honors seminar model possible.

Additionally, Honors seminars can be taught by part-time instructors with appropriate academic expertise and training in relation to the topic of their seminar. Part-time instructors are hired directly by the Honors College.

All HON seminars explore unique topics from multiple perspectives, engaging students with peers and the wider university community.

HON 1515 courses

1. introduce students to the habits of critical inquiry, intellectual growth, and lifelong learning.
2. introduce students to essential college-level research and information literacy skills in collaboration with the university library.
3. allow students to practice thinking critically and creatively (general education goal 1) and communicating effectively (general education goal 2) and offer meaningful feedback on their work/growth in these areas.
4. incorporate the common reading text in some way.
5. expose students to making local-to-global connections (gen ed goal 3) and understanding the responsibilities of community membership (gen ed goal 4), although not necessarily in a manner that requires assessment.

HON 251X courses

1. incorporate collaborative learning and interdisciplinary inquiry to further build the habits of critical inquiry, intellectual growth, and lifelong learning developed in HON 1515.
2. require beginning engagement with research, scholarship, and / or creativity by others, strengthening the research and information literacy skills developed in HON 1515.
3. ask students to apply critical and creative thinking (general education goal 1) and effective communication (general education goal 2) and to refine their work based on meaningful feedback.

1. incorporate student-led/directed/focused collaborative learning and interdisciplinary inquiry to further build the habits of critical inquiry, intellectual growth, and lifelong learning developed in HON 251X.
2. require critical engagement with research, scholarship, and/or creative activity by others, strengthening the research and information literacy skills developed in HON 251X.
3. ask students to demonstrate strong critical and creative thinking (general education goal 1) and effective communication (general education goal 2) and to refine their work based on meaningful feedback from their peers and their instructors.

In addition, HON 2516/3516 courses investigate sustainability and climate literacy as they

1. explore environmental sustainability challenges, including climate change. 
2. examine human-environment interactions and relationships and their implications.
3. engage students in reflection on responsibilities with respect to environmental problems.
4. examine solutions and responses to environmental problems, ranging from local to global. 

In addition, HON 2517/3517 courses investigate intercultural literacy as they

Each September and February the Honors College invites faculty from across campus to submit proposals for Honors College seminar courses in which students engage beyond themselves, across disciplinary boundaries, and in collaboration with others. These interdisciplinary, special topics courses cater to our motivated, creative students, emphasizing seminar-style, discussion-based learning, depth over breadth, and high-level skill-building. Class sizes typically range from 12 to 18 students.

We welcome proposals involving

• engagement with significant texts,
• critical approaches to significant problems,
• active or experiential learning,
• civic engagement and/or leadership,
• intercultural learning, and
• course-based research

If you would like to discuss a potential Honors seminar course or simply learn more about teaching in the Honors College, please contact Vicky Klima.

Honors seminars should broaden and deepen the learning experience for both students and faculty, emphasizing student-centered learning and enhanced critical thinking and communication skills. The unique, open nature of these seminars differs from typical courses, so a clear syllabus is essential. The linked Honors syllabus guidelines provide required and recommended components for an Honors College syllabus, along with additional course design and expectation guidance.