Honors General Studies Program

The Honors General Studies Program offers a group of interdisciplinary courses stressing independent research, writing, and discussion.

This program is a separate track of general studies and not a major or a minor in itself. Honors core courses have a flavor distinctly different from the regular general studies courses because they use primary source material more extensively than textbooks to enhance the development of independent thinking. Honors core courses follow an interdisciplinary approach that stresses the unity of knowledge. The classes are more personalized and typically smaller than other general studies classes. Some courses are team taught.

Students in the Honors Program are awarded an annual scholarship dependent on successful completion of specific courses and a minimum GPA. See the Honors Program Director for specific details and scholarship amounts. At graduation, students who complete the Honors Program requirements with at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 GPA in honors core courses and honors core cognates, will be designated as "Honors General Studies Graduates."

Admission Requirements. The Honors Admissions Committee considers high school G.P.A., standardized test scores, an essay submitted by the student as part of the application, and on occasion, personal interviews with applicants and recommendations from teachers. It is advantageous for applicants to have completed Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course work and other enriched offerings in high school. Students already enrolled in the University may apply to the program or petition the Honors Program director to enroll in a specific Honors course.

Program Requirements. Students whose grades fall below a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 or an Honors core/cognate G.P.A. of 2.75 for two consecutive quarters will be dropped from the program. Honors students must complete the honors core courses and a selection of other general studies courses as listed below.

Honors General Studies Requirements

For B.A.: Honors core, honors core cognates, a foreign language (12 credits of elementary or 8 credits of intermediate), and additional honors electives to total 80 hours.

For B.B.A., B.S., and B.S.W.: Honors core, honors core cognates, and additional honors electives to total 68 hours.

For B.S.E., B.Mus. (Music Education): Honors core, honors core cognates.

For B.Mus. (Performance): Honors core, honors core cognates, FREN 101, FREN 102, FREN 103, or GRMN 101, GRMN 102, GRMN 103.

Core Requirements:

HONR 131Western Thought

4

HONR 132Western Thought

4

HONR 133Western Thought

4

HONR 141Honors Writing I

3

HONR 142Honors Writing II

3

HONR 243Honors Research Writing

3

HONR 281The Bible and Its Environments

4

HONR 310Science and the Arts

4

HONR 311Science & the Arts

4

HONR 348Topics in World Religious Thought

4

HONR 349Religion in a Social Context

4

HONR 496Honors Seminar: Faith and Learning

1

HONR 497Honors Seminar: Faith and Learning

1

HONR 498Honors Seminar: Faith and Learning

1

HONR 141 and HONR 142: All Honors students are required to take HONR 141, 142. Honors students who have achieved a 3 on the AP Language and Composition Exam will be awarded 3 hours of elective credit (ENGL 121). Honors students who have achieved a 4 or 5 on the AP Language and Composition Exam will be awarded 6 hours of elective credit (ENGL 121, ENGL 122). Honors students who have achieved a 4 or 5 on the AP Literature and Composition Exam will be awarded 3 hours of elective credit (ENGL 121). Honors students who have obtained credit for the equivalent of ENGL 121 and/or ENGL 122 will be awarded 3-6 hours of elective credit. Honors students who have obtained credit for the equivalent ENGL 223 may, by submitting an acceptable portfolio of work from their course, waive the requirement of HONR 243, Honors Research Writing.

Honors Core Cognates:

PEAC Physical Education Activity Courses

2

MATH 123Survey of Calculus

4

or

MATH 181Analytic Geometry and Calculus I

4

MATH 181: Strongly Recommended

Select one of the following sequences, 8 credits:

BIOL 141General Biology

4

BIOL 142General Biology

4

CHEM 141General Chemistry

3

CHEM 142General Chemistry

3

CHEM 144General Chemistry Laboratory

1

CHEM 145General Chemistry Laboratory

1

PHYS 211General Physics

3

PHYS 212General Physics

3

PHYS 214General Physics Laboratory

1

PHYS 215General Physics Laboratory

1

PHYS 251Principles of Physics

3

PHYS 252Principles of Physics

3

PHYS 254Principles of Physics Laboratory

1

PHYS 255Principles of Physics Laboratory

1

Honors Electives for B.A., B.B.A., B.S., and B.S.W. Degrees:

Choose additional courses from the following list. Courses that are part of the student's major or minor do not apply to this category.

Study Tours/archaeology field work/Oxford program/Council of Christian Colleges and Universities Program

Must be approved by the Honors Program director before enrollment

ART 312Aesthetics and Photography

4

ART 324History of World Art

3

ART 325History of World Art

3

ART 326History of World Art

3

COMM 357Media Law

4

ENGL 313Image and Text

4

ENGL 358Classical Literature

4

ENGL 359World Literature

4

ENGL 360Shakespeare at Ashland

2

ENGL 363History of Theatre (or DRMA 363)

4

ENGL 454Literature of the Bible

4

ENVI 385Environmental Stewardship

4

HIST 305The Ancient Near East

4

HIST 306Classical Greece and Rome

4

HIST 354American History and Visual Culture

4

HIST 357The African American Experience

4

HIST 460Science and The Enlightenment

4

HIST 497Seminar

2

HMNT 496Seminar

1

HONR 394Honors Directed Reading

1-2; 3

PHIL 204Essentials of Critical Reasoning

4

PHIL 305Moral Philosophy

4

PHIL 407Philosophy of Science

4

PHIL 412Philosophy of Religion

4

RELM 233Introduction to Cross-Cultural Ministry

3

RELT 342Issues of God and Faith

3

RELT 348Christian Ethics

4

RELT 417Inspiration and Revelation

3

SOCI 236Privilege and Oppression

4

SOCI 420Immigration and Identity

4

SOWK 437Death and Dying (or PSYC, SOCI 437)

3

TECH 321Technology and Society

4

WRIT 324Creative Nonfiction Writing

3