Goals and Characteristics of Honors Seminars

• Each semester, there should be diverse course offerings, across all divisions of the college.

• We especially encourage courses that feature multiple intellectual and/or disciplinary perspectives. How can we address the topic(s) of the seminar in a variety of ways that may seem unorthodox or outside the box?
  
  
• Seminars ought to include a significant research component and/or artistic endeavor. They should promote student initiative and disciplined practice.


• Faculty should be able to use texts/materials that are especially challenging.


• We especially encourage courses that are team-taught (rather than with separate modules taught by different instructors), and/or “linked courses” on related topics (where students register for two courses simultaneously).


• A major goal of Seminars is to achieve a profound sense of intellectual intimacy, and a shared delight in exploring a topic in unusual depth. We encourage the use of venues—whether for special events or regular class meetings—that foster conversation in a relaxed setting, and/or acquaint students with specialized resources or technology.


• Honors Seminars should place a premium on students who are highly motivated and intellectually engaged in creative and scholarly work.


• Faculty should be able to expect high quality in all student work.


• Ideally, seminars are limited to 16 students. (We recognize that individual faculty and departments may wish on occasion to expand these limits).


• Seminars are open primarily to Honors students. (We recognize, however, that faculty may wish to admit other students. We encourage faculty to look especially to students with strong academic records, special expertise, and/or with exceptional motivation in the area).