XXX 189 - Introduction to the University Honors Program
Learning Outcomes for the Introduction to Honors
As a result of taking this course, Honors students will:
Develop a personal plan for achieving both the university learning outcomes and your personal goals (many of these will overlap)
Establish an initial format and collection of a learning portfolio that will be updated throughout your college career
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
Exhibit effective communication skills through writing and speaking
Describe their perceived role in community development (in the broadest sense) and begin to enact those intentions
Understand the range of opportunities that exist for senior honors projects
Expectation of Students
It will be expected that students will do the following:
Read the assigned text prior to the beginning of the semester and the course
Attend all class sessions as un-excused absences will negatively impact your final grade for this class
Be an active and involved participant in class discussions which will include leading discussions during all class periods
Develop an initial plan for your college career (courses, activities, etc.); this plan will include both short term and long term goals
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
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)
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
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.
