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 104H, ENGL 297H, ENGL 298H, HIST 297H, HIST 298H, IDS 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 Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDS 298H - Seminar in the Humanities and Social Sciences - Modern (Honors) | 3 credits | ||
ENGL 101H - English Composition I (Honors) | 3 credits | Writing, Research, Info Lit 1 | |
| ART 104H - History of Art: Renaissance to Modern (Honors) | 3 credits | Cultural 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 better | 3 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 better | 3 credits |
Semester 2
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen 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 better | 3 credits | Writing, 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 better | 9 credits |
Semester 3
Semester 4
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen 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 credits | Technological Competency | |
| ENGL 196H - Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences II (Honors) | ENGL 195H | 3 credits |
Minimum Credits Needed to Graduate:
61General 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.