The Principles of Honors Courses

• In-class Discussion
  An honors course is based on active participation and debate rather than on lecturing and note-taking, including discussions on political, social, cultural and other issues
• Interdisciplinary Perspective
  An honors course presents theories and analysis not available in non-honors courses and exposes students to discipline-based knowledge on the cutting edge.
  An interdisciplinary perspective is encouraged throughout the course, with special attention given to points of similarity between disciplines.
• International Characteristics
  An honors course relates studies to international issues, global perspectives and experience by introducing to students a variety of scientific and cultural theories, schools and ideas.
• Research Skills Development
  An honors course stimulates students to develop their research skills and research projects utilizing primary, secondary and tertiary sources.
• Innovative and Experimental Teaching Techniques, Interactive Methods and Variety of Learning Styles
  An honors course has a variety of experimental and innovative teaching techniques and interactive methods such as field trips, debates, oral presentations, interviews, guest speakers, collaborative learning and service learning projects. Professors often use instructional technology to encourage student interaction on every level.
• Emphasis on Critical Thinking and Intellectual Approach
  An honors course encourages expansion of critical thinking skills by offering and stressing analysis, theory development, reasoning, and synthesis of knowledge in a discipline-specific perspective.
  An honors course exposes students to cutting edge discipline-based knowledge, presents views and theories not available in non-honors courses, and encourages applications of different theories.
  Honors courses shouldn’t be added work extended onto a traditional course, but rather extended thinking within similar traditional assignments.
• Diversity Issues with a Comparative Perspective Element
  An honors course emphasizes the diversity aspects of the course discipline and societal values whether the focus of the course is world culture, literature, science or history.
• Instructional Technology Usage
  Students are required to use instructional technology such as PowerPoint presentations, chat rooms discussion, and internet tools.  Instructional technology is used to do research, present projects and foster group interaction.
• Evaluation Standards
  Methods of evaluation of the students’ progress should be based on standards demonstrating a commitment to interactive pedagogy with at least 33% of the final grade based on projects, presentations, writing and/or performance. Assignments are measured by the students’ creativity and critical thinking skills.