Liberal Arts — Honors

Description:

The Honors curriculum is designed to serve students who plan to advance into professional life through demanding undergraduate and graduate programs in competitive colleges and universities. Honors prepares its graduates to be exemplary students at their transfer institutions by training them to excel in their mastery of the subtleties of intertextual interpretation, and to understand the role of theory in academics, including knowledge of a range of standard theoretical orientations in the Liberal Arts. Courses in the Honors curriculum stress practice in formal academic presentation in both speaking and writing, and practice in the conventions of academic discourse and behavior.

The Honors curriculum is designed to encourage students to be self-reflective about their own intellectual processes and to become more aware of the requirements of different academic discourses in the humanities and social sciences. The courses required in the Honors curriculum are designed to be transferable to other colleges and universities.

Program Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this program graduates will be able to:

  • Apply academic modes of reading and writing to the interpretation of texts.
  • Apply professional speaking and listening skills to participation in verbal academic discourse.
  • Demonstrate comprehensive analysis and critical thinking skills in relation to various academic modes and across disciplines.
  • Describe and utilize various academic approaches with particular attention to diverse issues related to race, gender, class, sexuality, culture, and time period.
  • Work constructively to shape discourse and build knowledge in a cohort model

Program Entry Requirements:

This program is open to all interested students at the time of entry to the College. Students are required to take the College’s placement tests at their time of entry. Those students identified as needing developmental course work will be provided with a faculty and/or current Honors student mentor. These students must satisfactorily complete the appropriate Developmental English courses before taking Honors courses. All Honors students must satisfactorily complete the appropriate English and mathematics courses as a part of their degree program. Before registering for Honors classes for the first time, students must attend an informational session with the Honors faculty.

Program of Study and Graduation Requirements:

To qualify for the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree in Liberal Arts-Honors, a student must complete a minimum of 61 credit hours as prescribed (27 credits of which must be in Honors designated courses, including 2 Honors writing courses) and maintain a 3.0 GPA.

Typically, students in this program complete two full time semesters (15 credits each) as indicated below. Alternatively, students may select one-15 credit block and 12 additional Honors designated credits to equal the required 27 credits in Honors designated courses. Students will work with Honors faculty advisors to select coursework.

Interdisciplinary Analysis and Critical Reasoning Proficiency Certificate:

In addition to the Associate in Arts degree, students may also elect to earn a credential called the Interdisciplinary Analysis and Critical Reasoning Proficiency Certificate. By earning 18 credits of designated honors courses, students will earn the proficiency certificate. Aimed at students who might not be on track to graduate with the LAHP degree due to chosen major or pathway or completed credits, this certificate aims to recognize the skills that students have gained by engaging in Honors-specific pedagogical teaching and learning. Students do NOT need to graduate with the LAHP degree to earn the proficiency certificate.

Honors Designated Courses:

Honors Courses are typically offered together in blocks and cannot be taken individually.

Some Honors courses are only offered in 15-credit course blocks: ART 103H, ART 104HENGL 297H, ENGL 298H, HIST 297H, HIST 298HIDS 297H, IDS 298H, PHIL 297H, PHIL 298H

Some Honors courses are only offered in 9-credit and 6-credit course blocks: ART 101H, EASC 111H, HIST 103H, HUM 101H, IDS 299H, PHIL 101H, POLS 111H, PSYC 101H, PSYC 215H, SOC 101H

Honors writing courses are offered in 15-credit, 9-credit, and 6-credit course blocks.

ENGL 101H, ENGL 102H, ENGL 195H, ENGL 196H

Sample Program Sequence:

The following grid represents a student taking general education courses in the first and fourth semesters and 15 Honors credits in each of their second and third semesters. However, students interested in a part time schedule can enroll in six credit blocks of Honors designated courses for 12 of their Honors credits, but must take one 15 credit block in order to graduate

Course Sequence:

Semester 1

Course Number and NamePrerequisites and CorequisitesCreditsGen Ed Req.
IDS 298H - Seminar in the Humanities and Social Sciences - Modern (Honors) 3 credits 

ENGL 101H - English Composition I (Honors)
 3 creditsWriting, Research, Info Lit 1
ART 104H - History of Art: Renaissance to Modern (Honors) 3 creditsCultural Analysis and Interpretation
PHIL 298H - Philosophy in the Context of Intellectual History: Modern (Honors)ENGL 101 or ENGL 101H with a grade of "C" or better3 credits 
ENGL 298H - Literature in the Context of Intellectual History: Modern (Honors) or 
HIST 298H - Intell Hist: Modern Honors
ENGL 101 or ENGL 101H with a grade of "C" or better3 credits 

Semester 2

Course Number and NamePrerequisites and CorequisitesCreditsGen Ed Req.
IDS 297H - Seminar in the Humanities and Social Sciences: Ancient and Medieval (Honors) 3 credits 
ENGL 102H - Th Research Paper (Honors)ENGL 101 or ENGL 101H with a grade of "C" or better3 creditsWriting, Research, Info Lit 2
Directed Electives (Choose 3):
ART 103H - History of Art: Ancient to Renaissance (Honors) or
PHIL 297H - Philosophy in the Context of Intellectual History: Ancient and Medieval (Honors)  or
HIST 297H - Intellectual History: Modern (Honors) or
ENGL 297H - Literature in the Context of Intellectual History: Ancient and Medieval (Honors)
For ENGL 297H, HIST 297H, and PHIL 297H: ENGL 101 or ENGL 101H with a grade of "C" or better9 credits 

Semester 3

Course Number and NamePrerequisites and CorequisitesCreditsGen Ed Req.
ART 101H - Visual Communication (Honors) or
HIST 103H - United States and Pennsylvania History: The 20th Century (Honors) or
HUM 101H - Cultural Traditions: Ancient to the 13th Century (Honors) or
HUM 102H - Cultural Traditions: 14th century to the Present (Honors) or
PHIL 101H - Introduction to Philosophy (Honors) or
POLS 111H - American Government (Honors) or
PSYC 101H - Introduction to Psychology (Honors) or
SOC 101H - Introduction to Sociology (Honors)
For ART 101H, PHIL 101H, and POLS 101H: ENGL 101 or ENGL 101H, which may be taken concurrently3 credits 
FNMT 101 - Quantitative Reasoning or
FNMT 118 - Intermediate Algebra (or higher) or
MATH 150 - Introductory Data Analysis *
FNMT 017 or FNMT 019 completed or FNMT 118 (or higher) placement3 creditsQuantitative Reasoning
ENGL 195H - Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences I (Honors)ENGL 101 or ENGL 101H with a grade of "C" or better3 credits 
BIOL 106 - General Biology I or
BIOL 108 - Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology or
CHEM 105 - Inquiry into Chemistry or
PHYS 101 - Revolutionary Concepts in Physics or
PHYS 105 - Survey of Physics
For PHYS 105: FNMT (or higher) placement or a passing grade in FNMT 017 (or higher)4 creditsScientific Reasoning
ENGL 115 - Public Speaking or
ENGL 205 - Creative Writing
 3 creditsOral Communication/Creative Expression

Semester 4

Course Number and NamePrerequisites and CorequisitesCreditsGen Ed Req.
EASC 111H - Environmental Conservation (Honors) or
PHYS 108 - Descriptive Astronomy
 3 credits 
World Language 101 or 
General Elective**
 3 credits 
PSYC 215H - Developmental Psychology (Honors) or
IDS 299H - Interdisciplinary Seminar: Comprehensive Timeline or Thematic Approach (Honors)
For PSYC 215H: PSYC 101 or  BIOL 109 or PSYC 101H
and Corequisites: One Honors Writing course (ENGL 101H, ENGL 102H, ENGL 195H, ENGL 196H
For IDS 299H: Grade of "B" or higher in at least one Honors course and/or Approval of Honors Coordinator
3 credits 
CIS 103 - Introduction to Information Technology 3 creditsTechnological Competency
ENGL 196H - Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences II (Honors)ENGL 195H3 credits 

Minimum Credits Needed to Graduate:

61

* Some colleges and universities require a mathematics course above FNMT 118. In that case:

  • Students who are FNMT 118 ready should take MATH 150 instead of FNMT 101 or FNMT 118.
  • Students who are FNMT 118 ready who intend to transfer to Temple University should take FNMT 118, which is the prerequisite for MATH 161.
  • Students with a math placement score above FNMT 118 should take MATH 161 or a higher-level math course.
  • Please visit the transfer agreements web page for more information and consult with an advisor when selecting a quantitative reasoning course.

** Depending on the student's major, many, but not all, transfer institutions require some knowledge of a world language (from one semester to two years of study at the college level or equivalent). Students should consult with their advisors about appropriate courses to meet specific transfer needs. Depending on the combination of Honors courses they choose, students will take a minimum of three and a maximum of seven general electives.

General Education Requirements:

All general education requirements necessary for graduation are met through the courses in the program as indicated above. Students who wish to take courses that differ from the general education courses indicated above must complete a course substitution request form. To access the form, login to the MyCCP portal, and in the Student tab, under Electronic Forms, click on the Records and Registration Forms link, then choose Request For Course Substitution Of Graduation Requirement link. A more detailed explanation of the College's general education requirements is also available.

For More Information, Contact:

The Division of Liberal Studies, Room BR-21, 1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, Telephone (215) 751-8450; or the College Information Center (215) 751-8010.