HON-232: Honors Directed Study

School
Liberal Arts
Division
Honors
Department
Honors Program
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Honors Program
Course Number
232
Course Title
Honors Directed Study
Credit Hours
1.00
Instructor Contact Hours Per Semester
16.00 (for 15-week classes)
Student Contact Hours Per Semester
16.00 (for 15-week classes)
Grading Method
A-E
Pre-requisites
Permission of the Honors Program Director
Co-requisites
Honors Program Acceptance
Catalog Course Description

In this sophomore-level directed study, students are challenged to apply the knowledge and research skills acquired in their freshman year in the Honors Program. Students work individually with a faculty member of their choice on a mutually-agreed-upon study topic. Students present summaries of their research before a meeting of Honors Program students and faculty held at the end of each semester.

Goals, Topics, and Objectives

Goal Statement

The Honors directed study aims to deepen students' interests in topics while strengthening their research and oral presentation skills as a way of preparing them for continued studies at transfer institutions.   

Core Course Topics
  1. Varies by academic field and discipline of the HP faculty willing to offer HP directed studies.
Core Course Learning Objectives (Separated)

Course objectives determined by the individual instructor and stipulated in a written "Student Contract".  See Course Requirements under XII/XIII below for detailed steps.

Assessment and Requirements

Assessment of Academic Achievement
  • Student produces agreed upon project(s).
  • Project is presented in summary form to an assembly of students and faculty.
  • Student writes a 400 word (maximum) abstract summarizing the project for distribution to the Honors Day Student Presentation assembly held at the end of the semester.  Or, makes a formal presentation of his/her research before public forum.

 

General Course Requirements and Recommendations

 Individual faculty determine the assignments and projects the student will undertake in collaboration with the student. Each instructor will draw up a “contract” (using the basic outlines of a course syllabus).   The HP Directed Study contract will stipulate what is expected of both the instructor and the student in terms of readings, project goal, and the specific due dates for completion of the readings and the project(s).  It is highly recommended that due dates be determined for various stages of the project in addition to the final completion date, so that the student may receive critical feedback as well as avoid procrastination.  The instructor presents a progress report and distributes the contract to a meeting of Honors faculty during the semester.  Students enrolled in Honors Directed Studies will read at least one  influential work in the discipline of the instructor offering the Directed Study.  An “influential work” is a work that has had a major impact on the discipline or on scholarship in general.  At the discretion of the instructor, the student will read the work in whole or in part.  The purpose of this requirement is to introduce students to the seminal figures in various disciplines as well as the nature, rigor, and breadth of scholarly works. Working under the supervision of the Honors Directed Study instructor, students also will work on a project(s) that will engage his/her analytical and research skills as well as result in a tangible outcome or product. The outcome may be a written paper, or any other tangible product suitable to the particular discipline in which the Directed Study is given (technical projects, creative writing, studio art, musical recital, audio or visual works, experimental research projects, business plans, etc.).  The student will present and make available an abstract of his/her reading(s) and project(s) before a gathering of Honors Program students and faculty.  The last Friday of each semester (Fall and Winter) will be set aside for this purpose.

Approval Dates

Effective Term
Fall 2015
ILT Approval Date
AALC Approval Date
Curriculum Committee Approval Date
Review Semester
Fall 2015