Honors Program Courses

The Emerson College Honors Program is an intellectual and creative community which provides a four-year, interdisciplinary, collaborative learning experience for undergraduate students of exceptional ability. The program integrates an intellectually challenging liberal arts core curriculum with specialized study in professional fields of communication and performing arts through interdisciplinary seminars, collaborative research projects, and faculty-directed independent study.

The faculty of the Honors Program is committed to the following goals:

To introduce students to the interdisciplinary study of literature and cultural theory, while addressing issues of power, social action, and cultural diversity in various multicultural contexts and developing strong writing skills.
To introduce students to the arts, humanities, and behavioral and social sciences from an interdisciplinary perspective, with an emphasis on critical thought, modes of inquiry, and research methods, as well as consideration of the ethics of acquiring and producing knowledge.
To facilitate the completion of a capstone project which integrates students' theoretical and practical skills. This project prepares students for leadership in fields of advanced study and professional disciplines in a global environment.
To engage in critical thinking and to promote leadership through community service projects.

Honors Courses and Requirements

Course Code	Course Information
HS101	First-Year Honors Seminar 4.00 Credits The First-Year Honors Seminar introduces students to the interdisciplinary study of literature and cultural theory while addressing issues of power and ideology in various multicultural contexts. Fulfills General Education requirements.
HS102	First-Year Honors Seminar 4.00 Credits The First-Year Honors Seminar introduces students to the interdisciplinary study of literature and cultural theory while addressing issues of power and ideology in various multicultural contexts. Fulfills General Education requirements.
HS103	Honors Writing Symposium 4.00 Credits The Honors Writing Symposium is taken in conjunction with HS 102 and develops students' skills in research, critical thinking, and writing. The course stresses revision, relies on frequent workshops of student writing, and aims to sharpen students' ability to research, evaluate, and use evidence in a reasonable, convincing way. Each student will write an extended research paper on a topic related to HS 102. Fulfills General Education Communication core requirements.
HS201	Sophomore Honors Seminar 4.00 Credits The Sophomore Honors Seminar engages students in critical thinking and research about philosophical, cultural, and scientific methods of generating knowledge and their ethical implications. Different areas of inquiry are examined each year. Recent topics have included environmental ethics, evolution, astronomy, and epistemology. Fulfills General Education requirements.
HS202	Sophomore Honors Seminar 4.00 Credits The Sophomore Honors Seminar engages students in critical thinking and research about philosophical, cultural, and scientific methods of generating knowledge and their ethical implications. Different areas of inquiry are examined each year. Recent topics have included environmental ethics, evolution, astronomy, and epistemology. Fulfills General Education requirements.
HS301	Junior Honors Colloquium 0.00 Credits The Junior Honors Colloquium is a non-credit series of workshops and special events that provide mentorship while students concentrate on their majors.
HS302	Junior Honors Colloquium 0.00 Credits The Junior Honors Colloquium is a non-credit series of workshops and special events that provide mentorship while students concentrate on their majors.
HS401	Senior Honors Colloquium 0.00 Credits The Senior Honors Colloquium is a non-credit series of workshops and special events to provide mentorship while students complete their Senior Honors Thesis/Projects. In both terms, students share their works-in-progress with the Honors Program Director and other Honors Program students.
HS402	Senior Honors Colloquium 0.00 Credits The Senior Honors Colloquium is a non-credit series of workshops and special events to provide mentorship while students complete their Senior Honors Thesis/Projects. In both terms, students share their works-in-progress with the Honors Program Director and other Honors Program students.

Junior Honors Seminar
4 credits

The Junior Honors Seminar requirement is fulfilled with an upper level course in interdisciplinary studies (IN 200-level or above). The Junior Honors Seminar should prepare students, critically, theoretically, and/or methodologically, for the Senior Honors Thesis/Project. Students should begin a dialogue with the instructor regarding potential ideas and directions for the Thesis/Project. In the semester prior to taking the course, students must file a report with the Honors Program Office for approval of class choice.

Senior Honors Thesis/Project
0-4 credits

At the end of the Junior year, or after completing the Junior Honors Seminar, students file an Honors Thesis/Project Proposal with the Honors Program Director. This proposal consists of a brief statement of the proposed topic along with the signature of the faculty advisor. Forms for completion of this proposal may be obtained from the Honors Program Office. During the first term of the Senior year, students prepare a timetable and a bibliography for the project in conjunction with their thesis/project faculty advisor and the Honors Program Director. In April, students present their finished theses and projects in the Senior Thesis/Project Showcase to an audience of Honors Program faculty and students. Students may enroll for a Directed Study with an advisor from their area of study to obtain course credit for their thesis/project (HS 498 Senior Honors Directed Study), they may develop the thesis/project in conjunction with a course in their major, or they may develop the thesis/project independently of any course.

Semester Abroad: Kasteel Well, the Netherlands and Los Angeles, California

Students may also elect to complement their classroom experiences with a variety of special programs. Emerson offers international living and learning experiences through the semester-long study abroad program at Kasteel Well, the Netherlands. Other popular options include study at the Emerson College Los Angeles Center, and over 1,500 internships in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Each program offers students unique opportunities to explore the world, to develop an international understanding essential to the fields of communication and performing arts, and to challenge and establish themselves while working in their fields of interest.