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.
• Service Learning Component: A service learning class/project must be completed.

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.