Honors Program
Course Requirements
Requirements for the Honors Program Degree
- General Education Component: HMXP102H, CRTW201H (6 credit hours).
- Coursework Component: Completion of 15 credit hours of honors coursework with a minimum
of 6 credit hours in the major and 3 credit hours outside the major.
- Cultural Component: One honors symposium must be completed (1 credit hour).
- Independent Study Component: A senior thesis/project must be completed in the student's
major (may count as part of the 6 credit hours in the major or as HONR450H - Honors Thesis for 3 credit hours) and completion of HONR451H Thesis Symposium (1 credit hour) at the time the thesis is written.
In addition to the Honors Program Degree, Winthrop encourages honors students to participate
in international study abroad opportunities by offering an Honors Program Degree with International Experience.
Requirements for the Honors Program Degree with International Experience
- Same Components as described above for the Honors Program Degree.
- International Experience: Completion of an extended experience outside the U.S. in
a learning environment. A semester of study abroad in an exchange program, or other
university program, is the best and most common way to accomplish this. An equivalent
total duration comprised of multiple short experiences, each at least three weeks,
can also meet this requirement.
Distinguishing features of Winthrop's Honors Program courses
- Symposia which bring together talented students and exceptional teachers in a small
group setting.
- Interdisciplinary learning which often bridges seemingly disparate areas of study.
- Instructional alternatives such as team-teaching, guest lectures, or visits to sites
or events associated with the subject of study.
Honors Courses - Categories
- Honors sections of regular courses are smaller, more selective versions of standard
courses. For example, instead of a lecture class with standardized tests, honors sections
may consist of 15 students graded on the basis of in-depth essays and contributions
to class discussions.
- Special topics HONR courses are available for fulfilling general education requirements
including the areas of Natural Sciences, Humanities and Arts, Global Issues, Social
Sciences, and Historical Issues.
- Contracted honors courses allow students to earn honors credit in subjects for which
no formal honors courses are available. Any course is eligible, provided the student
contracts with the professor to do work of sufficient sophistication, either in place
of, or in addition to, the regular requirements of the course. A written agreement
must be drawn up within the first few days of the semester and approved by the Honors
Committee.
- Independent study, in the form of research or creative work, is required for an honors
degree at Winthrop. Prior to the beginning of the semester in which the work is to
be undertaken, a prospectus must be approved by the faculty project director, the
appropriate department chair and dean, and the Honors Committee. A creative project
will result in a public exhibition or recital. Student researchers are encouraged
to submit their findings to the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference, a meeting that brings together scholars from honors programs throughout the United
States, or to the Southern Regional Honors Council Conference, a meeting of honors programs in the Southeast.