Honors Program FAQ
What course work is expected of Honors students at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State Trumbull?
Students who enter Honors as first-year students at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State Trumbull should take the Freshman Honors Colloquium (HONR 10197 and 10297). They are advised to take one other Honors course during their freshman year, two Honors courses during their sophomore year, and one each during their junior and senior year.
Must Honors students take any courses beyond the number required by Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ for graduation?
Students in Honors are not required to take any additional courses to graduate. Rather, they take specially enhanced courses that help them meet their normal Liberal Education Requirements and the requirements for their major.
How many Honor classes must a student take in order to graduate with Honors distinction?
A student must complete 24 credit hours of Honors courses at an undergraduate level to graduate with Honors distinction.
What is the Freshman Honors Colloquium?
The Colloquium is the cornerstone of the Honors program. It seeks to develop in students the skills in careful reading, informed discussion, and effective writing that they will need in other Honors courses during their University career and throughout their professional lives. Students in the Colloquium read fiction, poetry, drama, and works in the history of ideas that explore a shared perspective or theme, and reflect on these readings as members of a community of learners. Students enroll in the Honors Colloquium for both the fall and spring semesters. The Colloquium takes the place of the University's two-semester freshman composition requirement.
What are Honors classes like?
Although Honors classes may range from art to zoology, they share several special emphases. They value critical thinking, writing as a way of discovering and communicating ideas, and dialogue as a way of learning. Honors classes are characterized not so much by the amount of work assigned as by the achievement of rigorous standards, the exploration of areas in depth, and the use of creative ways for students to join in the adventure of learning. Classes in Honors bring together some of the best students and faculty members in the University; they are limited in enrollment so that students can work closely with each other and directly with the instructor.
What are Honors students and professors like?
Honors students are chosen on the basis of their intellectual curiosity, commitment to high standards, and desire to contribute to the discovery of knowledge or to creativity in the arts. Instructors are chosen on the basis of their expertise in teaching, scholarly achievements, and willingness to make learning a truly communal enterprise.
What is the relationship with the Honors College at the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Campus?
The Honors program at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State Trumbull is an opportunity for regional campuses students that parallels the course of study in the Honors College at the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Campus. The Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State Trumbull program allows for seamless transition to the Honors College at the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Campus, or students may complete their Honors work at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State Trumbull. Honors courses taken at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State Trumbull count toward the total needed for graduation from the Honors College.
What are the benefits of being an Honors student?
- Priority Registration- Honors students may schedule classes before most other students.
- Excellence in education- Students enjoy challenging courses, small classes, and specially chosen instructors.
- Community - Students gain the opportunity to work closely with their peers and professors.
- Special educational opportunities - Students in the Honors College at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ can apply to study for a year or semester at Leicester University in England or Ulster University in Northern Ireland. They may also apply to live in Honors residence halls if they are enrolled at the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Campus. The year-long Senior Thesis/Project offers students the opportunity to work closely with an experienced faculty member on what is often the most rigorous and advanced work that they will do in the major.