Honors

This semester is a historically based immersion in literary, philosophical, religious and artistic expressions of various aspects of the Liberal-Arts Tradition and our understandings of community. Participating faculty will provide an orientation to particular disciplines involved in this semester’s study. Specific themes may vary from year to year. Each student will be expected to engage in civic engagement as part of course requirements. 

Building from the study of the first semester, students will engage in research and explore areas of interest. Specific themes may vary year to year.

An examination of the scientific approach to understanding the natural world and humanity’s place in it. What is the Scientific Method, how did it emerge, and in what way(s) has science produced and been produced by people and communities?

An examination of issues, movements, and questions that have shaped humanity and our understandings of community. The course will focus around broad themes that may vary year to year (e.g. immigration, disease, the social contract).

An examination between the values, traditions, and institutions that support and define 21st century society. As we shape our future in all arenas (e.g., social, economic, political, religious), what questions must we ask, what values must we act upon, what road must we take? What are the possibilities for the future based on our study of the continuities and changes evident in the human story? Particular themes may vary from year to year.

This capstone experience allows students to pursue areas of scholarly or artistic interest by engaging in the design, implementation, and craftsmanship of authentic research or performance projects. Students will showcase their projects during an Honors Day event.