Honors Curriculum

 

 

 

The Honors Program at the University of the Incarnate Word is a four-year program that begins in the fall semester of the freshman year and culminates in the senior year with an independent project within the student's major. Every honors student graduates cum laude, with at least a 3.5 GPA.

 

 

 

The Honors Experience

The honors experience includes five major components:

1. Nine advanced, customized courses fulfilling core curriculum requirements that look at the question: "What does it mean to be human?"

2. A senior project in the student’s major

3. A UIW-sponsored social justice trip for hands-on learning and community service

4. Supplemental activities for additional depth to the academic experience

5. Professional development experiences including leadership opportunities, internships, mentorships, workshops and luncheons with business and career professionals, formal academic presentations and student-driven service learning

In short, the program brings students together with faculty from across the university in a variety of academic and co-curricular programs. By the end of the program, students will have honed their analytical skills, experienced the meaning of social responsibility and gained confidence as citizen-leaders.

Honors Courses

The honors curriculum includes the senior project plus nine courses which explore the theme “What does it mean to be human?”  Courses fulfill university core curriculum requirements over a variety of academic disciplines; seven of those courses (16 credit hours) are required of all honors students with three others (10 credit hours) available as needed to meet graduation requirements. This flexibility allows us to welcome majors from all academic disciplines. Since they are upper level classes, honors courses may also be used to fulfill elective requirements in degree programs.

My favorite part of being in Honors is that the classes are really interesting. Our Intro to Philosophy is mind-blowing! --Megan

Honors level courses do not entail more assignments than a regular course, but do include a deeper level of thinking and analysis in classroom discussion and assessment. Our honors students do well in this environment because they find themselves supporting each other and working together in and out of the classroom. It's amazing to watch the community of honors students develop and evolve each year.

Honors Course Listing

• Introduction to the Honors Program* - exposure to the philosophy and the theme of the program through guest speakers, reflections and service learning opportunities.
• The Intellectual Quest* - an introduction to philosophy and its origin in wonder.
• Seminar on Social and Political Thought* - a focus on the social dimension of humanity and a reflection on the writings of great thinkers who have shaped our understanding of modernity.
• The Human Story through Literature - a close examination of various texts from a wide range of periods and societies to reveal literature as a cultural statement.
• Human-Dominated Eco-Systems - an examination of the ecological role that humans historically and currently play in their environment; uses a multidisciplinary approach that includes biology, chemistry, and environmental science. 
• Inquiries into the Modern World - an in-depth exploration of select historical elements of the human story within the last 500 years.
• Theological Anthropology* - a review of critical ideas and methods used in the contemporary study of religion and an examination how they may be both a foundation for human dignity and an inspiration for equality and social justice in the midst of human failings and suffering.
• Dimensions of Wellness* - an exploration of the integration of body, mind, and spirit: the essential information needed for becoming a well-educated citizen.
• Senior Project* - a capstone research project in the student's major.
• Communications Seminar* - a workshop for seniors to develop professional presentation skills in support of their senior projects.

*Asterisked courses are required of all honors students.

The final result of the honors curriculum? An improved capability to analyze information, express yourself articulately, and to research and perform to a professional standard. Those attributes will distinguish you among your peers after graduation when competing for graduate school or a job.

All my honors courses have such a higher level of thinking. It’s such a great experience to take part in those courses with other students who you can hold intelligent, intellectual conversations with, and get into topics that you wouldn’t get into otherwise. – Katie