The Honors College

843.953.7154
The Honors College
Beth Meyer-Bernstein, Dean

The Honors College at the College of Charleston challenges bright, motivated students to make the most of the opportunities available to them and to become actively involved in their own education. In Honors classes, students take responsibility for their own learning through class discussions, interaction with other students and professors, and independent research. Honors classes are smaller, thereby allowing for a unique and personalized approach to deeper learning. Many of the courses are interdisciplinary, allowing students to develop the cognitive flexibility needed to approach problems from different perspectives and think creatively to find innovative solutions. They then apply these skills to their capstone project, the Bachelor’s Essay, in a manner tailored to their long-term career goals. Students in the Honors College have diverse academic interests and represent all eight academic colleges on campus. The Honors College provides students with a rigorous academic framework to help them identify a community of critical thinkers and chart their own path towards becoming engaged and informed citizens.

The Honors College consists of the Honors Scholars Program and the ARCH Scholars Program. The Honors Scholars complete a traditional 4-year curriculum, which culminates in a year-long research project. This program has specific GPA and curricular requirements that are outlined below. The ARCH Scholars complete specially designated freshmen seminars, have access to a cohort-based study abroad option, and are fully integrated into the Honors College community during their first two years at the College of Charleston, at which point they transition to the general college population.

Admission to the Honors College

The Honors College has additional requirements for admission and its own academic progress standards. Interested students must apply to and be accepted by both the College of Charleston and the Honors College. For instructions on the application process, visit The Honors College.

Honors Academic Progress Standards and Retention in the Honors College

To guide students toward meeting the cumulative GPA and course requirements, academic performance standards are in place. The Director of Honors Advising in consultation with the assigned Honors Advisor tracks the academic performance of each Honors College student, and notifies that student of his or her standing, as appropriate, at the end of each semester.

For a full explanation of academic progress standards, visit the Honors College HUB.

Note: Honors College graduates will be so designated on their transcripts and will receive special recognition during the awards and graduation ceremonies. Many students in the Honors College also qualify for departmental honors.

Program Goals

Students who are members of the Honors College will participate in curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular programming focused on Mind, Self and Society. They will

Develop an appreciation for the complexity of knowledge, the tools to critically analyze information, and the ability to integrate diverse and distinct perspectives (Mind)
Develop a deepened sense of self, an ethical framework characterized by empathy and justice, and a sense of responsibility to address the needs of others (Self)
Develop the communication, leadership, and professional skills to effect positive change in their careers and communities (Society)

Honors Scholars Requirements

Overview

Every student in the Honors College must complete all college-wide graduation requirements, including the requirements for a major. A student becomes an Honors College graduate by completing Honors Core and Honors Directed, and by achieving a 3.400 overall GPA.

“Honors Core” accommodates current general education, interdisciplinary study, and major requirements and “Honors Directed” is satisfied via immersion experiences, e.g., research and internships, typically in the major.

Honors Core

Students are required to take 22 HONS credit hours to satisfy the Honors Core.

First-Year Experience

Honors Academic Writing - An accelerated introduction to the writing, analytical and research skills necessary for composing college-level texts that address issues of academic and social importance in a number of genres.

Beyond George Street - Honors specific first-semester seminar that introduces students to the intellectual, professional, and leadership expectations and opportunities that define the Honors experience.

Honors Engaged - A year-long service learning program that immerses students in the work of a community organization. All Honors students must complete this during their first year in the Honors College.

Quantitative Literacy Requirement

Courses in quantitative literacy focus on honing the ability to reason and solve quantitative problems applicable in various contexts, to create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative analysis, and to communicate the findings to a broad audience.

Foundations of Knowledge and Methods of Inquiry

Courses in this category are grounded in disciplinary thinking and methodology, exposing students to the essential ideas and key concepts in a given discipline, the methodologies used to address them, and the tools necessary to understand them.

Exploring Complexity and Diversity Colloquia

Interdisciplinary colloquia that focus on a central and enduring question that has perplexed and engaged scholars through the ages. These courses are defined by critical dialogue that takes place in small group settings and that encourages students to develop a rigorous approach to processing information and deepening understanding. Through the study of foundational texts and sources that have shaped thinking on the focal question, students develop a capacity and propensity to approach new ideas and information critically and creatively throughout their lives.

Students choose courses from among the interdisciplinary thematic colloquia described below. Courses offered within these series vary across semesters. Typically taken in the second year. Students must complete at least one Foundations course before taking a course from this category.

Colloquium courses are writing and reading intensive, discussion-based, and interdisciplinary in nature.

Foundations of Western Civilization - Courses in this colloquium series relate the arts, literature, and philosophy of the Western world to their political, social, and economic contexts.

Values and Traditions in the Non-Western World - Courses in this colloquium series explore the visions, values, and practices by which people of the non-Western world have shaped their life experiences. Students will explore the issues and themes central to the study of the non-Western world and its peoples.

Ethics - This colloquium series will engage with enduring questions and critical issues in ethics, drawing on a number of fields within the humanities and social sciences.

History and Philosophy of Science - In this colloquium series, students will explore enduring questions as to how time, place, and context all impact scientific research, and how the role of philosophy has developed over time to delineate the boundary between science and pseudo-science.

Diversity and Sustainability - Courses in this colloquium series examine pressing 21st century problems related to the intersection of social, economic, and environmental systems. Students will make sense of and offer possible creative solutions to interlinked issues such as institutional sexism and racism, climate change, biodiversity loss, the tragedy of the commons, inequitable distribution of wealth, and queerphobia.

Self, Other, and Society - Courses offered in this colloquium series address enduring questions or critical issues related to the role of the individual in society. These courses address the range of factors - genetics, physiology, neurology, personality, cognition, emotion, experience, context - that distinguish human beings and contribute to the unique beliefs, values, and behaviors that characterize any given individual.

Inquiry, Discovery, and Innovation - Courses in this colloquium series focus on the discovery of knowledge and its transformation into new insights and innovative ideas. These courses encourage students to develop an interdisciplinary perspective on enduring questions or critical issues in math and science, work towards finding answers and innovations that allow for a greater understanding of the universe.

Elements of Human Culture and Expression - Courses offered in this colloquium series consider multidisciplinary approaches to enduring questions or critical issues in language, literacy, and cultural expression. Courses in this series may involve collaborative work in peer and community contexts, and conversational, hands-on engagement with materials and techniques that help us to better understand cultural literacies and creative arts.

Advanced Studies

The Advanced Studies requirement can be fulfilled by taking either an upper level Honors Special Topics Seminar or a non-foundation course within the discipline. They are defined by deep analysis of subject matter in a particular discipline or across disciplines that build upon foundational coursework. Courses are encouraged to provide opportunities for students to advance their ability to synthesize information from divergent sources to derive novel conclusions and innovative solutions

Honors Special Topics Seminar - The advanced Special Topics Seminar courses are typically taken in the third or fourth year and are taught at an advanced level for students who have completed at least one Honors Foundation Course and one Honors Exploring Complexity and Diversity Colloquium.

Honors Disciplinary Studies - The Disciplinary Studies non-foundational courses may be taken in sophomore year for students who have completed at least one Honors Foundation Course and any designated prerequisites. Students outside of the Honors College with a 3.400 GPA and recommendation of a faculty member may be granted permission by the Honors College Dean, in collaboration with the Department Chair of the discipline offering the course, to enroll in the course.

Honors Directed

All Honors students must satisfy the Bachelor’s Essay requirement. This requirement is usually completed within the major or minor, although truly interdisciplinary projects may utilize HONS 499A and HONS 499B . The Bachelor’s Essay is designed as a “high impact” experience where students deeply engage in disciplinary work to prepare them to contribute to a diverse and changing world. The product of this experience is a signature project that reflects a student’s integration and application of learning in ways that have meaning for their long-term goals and for society. Ideally, the signature project encourages the student to synthesize connections inside and outside the classroom leading to a deeper understanding of the field of study.

Honors Courses and Honors College Requirements

Students must complete at least 22 HONS credit hours from the Honors Core and additional coursework to complete the Honors Directed.
Any HONS courses used to complete Honors Directed do not count towards the 22 required hours for the Honors Core.
A student becomes an Honors College graduate by completing Honors Core and Honors Directed, and by achieving a 3.400 overall GPA.

Honors Core (at least 22 HONS hours)

First Year Requirement

To complete the Honors First-Year Experience, students complete HONS 100 and the one year Honors Engaged service-learning project embodied in HONS 103A and HONS 103B . The HONS 110 requirement must be satisfied in residence at the College of Charleston. For current CofC students who have been accepted into the Honors College after their first semester, this requirement can be satisfied by a grade of “B” or better in ENGL 110 taken in residence at the College of Charleston. Transfer students should consult the Dean of the Honors College regarding this requirement. Transfer students are placed into the Honors First-Year Experience based on their college transcript; this could modify the required hours in the Honors Core.

Quantitative Literacy Requirement

Complete one of the following courses:

Electives

Students are required to take courses in the following three categories:

Foundations of Knowledge and Methods of Inquiry

Complete a minimum of 3 hours from the following offerings:

Exploring Complexity and Diversity

Complete at least two courses from the following offerings:

Advanced Disciplinary Studies and Special Topics Courses

Complete a minimum of 3 hours from the following offerings:

Professional Enrichment Option

Students can choose to take up to 3 credits in this category to count towards the 22 required HONS credits.

Honors Directed

This requirement would be, in most cases, completed within the student’s major(s) and minor(s).

Bachelor’s Essay (6 credits)

A year-long research project tailored to the student’s area of concentration. Students will work closely with a faculty member to design and implement the project. A final written thesis is a required element of the Bachelor’s Essay. Students may also use ENGR 470 and ENGR 471 to satisfy this requirement.

If a student’s project does not align with a departmental offering, they may petition the Honors College to use one of the following HONS courses. These HONS hours do not count towards the 22 hours required in the Honors Core.

Notes:

No more than 3 credit hours from HONS 102 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours from HONS 230 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours from HONS 240 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours from HONS 245 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours from HONS 280 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours from HONS 380 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours from HONS 381 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours from HONS 382 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 9 credit hours from HONS 390 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours from HONS 395 may be applied towards the program requirements.
No more than 12 credit hours fromHONS 399 may be applied towards the program requirements.

Program Learning Outcomes