INTRODUCTION TO HONORS
Learning Outcomes for the Introduction to Honors
As a result of taking this
course, Honors students will:
1. develop a personal plan for achieving both the university learning
outcomes and your personal goals (many of these will
overlap)
2. establish an initial format and collection of a learning portfolio
that will be updated throughout your college career
3. demonstrate their ability to think critically about various problems
and potential solutions in today’s world (e.g., poverty,
delivery of medical care, political systems, the role of the individual in being part of the solution, etc.), oftentimes using
knowledge and methods from the past to guide your thinking
4 exhibit effective communication skills through writing and
speaking
5 describe their perceived
role in community development (in the broadest sense) and begin to
enact those intentions
6 understand the range of opportunities that exist for senior
honors projects
Expectations of students
It will be expected that
students will do the following:
1. Read the assigned text prior to the beginning of the semester
and the course
2. Attend all class sessions as un-excused absences will negatively
impact your final grade for this class
3. Be an active and involved participant in class discussions
which will include leading discussions during all class periods
4. Develop an initial plan for your college career (courses,
activities, etc.); this plan will include both short term and long
term
goals
5. The college plan will be documented, reviewed, and revised
as necessary and will provide the foundation for continued
review and revision as you progress in your program
6. Begin the process of documenting your learning with the establishment
of a portfolio containing evidence of learning; this
portfolio will be turned in at the end of the semester for review (we also ask that, to the degree possible, provide the
Honors Office with electronic versions of the material contained in
the portfolio)
7. Complete all assignments in a timely and quality manner;
all written assignments must be completed at a high level for both
syntax and grammar; low quality work will be returned and must be
re-done until the appropriate level has been achieved
8. As a class group, engage in a community service project during
the semester; included in this activity will be a required
written documentation of your individual experience which must have
some self reflection as a part of the writing
Grades: Grades for this class will be determined by the degree to
which you fulfill the expectations outlined above. Two or more un-excused
absences from class will drop your final evaluation a full letter
grade. All written assignments must be completed at a level of B or
above; work that is at a level of C or below must be re-done to achieve
the minimum of a B. Class participation will be evaluated by the Instructor,
in consultation with the Course Assistant. In general, we expect all
students to contribute to class discussions and it will only be when
an individual consistently fails to be involved in class activities
that a negative outcome (dropping a grade level) will be invoked.