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Honors Program Courses 2008-2009

Course lists from previous catalogs are available at the Registration Services Catalog page.

HNRS 100 The Gateway 3 credits
Through the Gateway students are introduced to different ways of knowing thereby laying the foundation for the further development of a liberal arts education. Students enhance their capacity for informed analysis, responsible evaluation and effective argument construction leading to the ability to base actions and decisions upon the former. The students are encouraged to recognize value in varying epistemologies and engage in an active and intellectual exchange of ideas as part of an academic community formed via students’ and instructors’ co-investigation of various topics and disciplines. The course culminates with student-chosen and directed group presentations. Prerequisites: admission to the Honors Program and participation in the Honors Orientation program.

HNRS 101 Honors Colloquium 1 credit
A complement to courses offered outside of the Honors program. Through formal arrangement between a course instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor and student develop an additional course project(s) to allow the Honors student enrolled in the class deeper engagement with the course material. Honors students who successfully complete both the Colloquium and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. May be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Colloquium project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 197 Special Topics 1-3 credits

HNRS 200 Honors Forum 1 credit
An application of the core principles of the Honors Program including active learning, interpretation, integration and collaborative learning. Students engage in active investigation and intellectual exchange of ideas and information surrounding a theme or topic agreed upon by all students in the class. The entire class determines an appropriate vehicle for a public presentation of their work and must demonstrate coherent understanding of the selected issue or topic rather than presenting a collection of separate insights. Prerequisites: HNRS 100, and sophomore standing.

HNRS 201 Honors Colloquium 1 credit
A complement to courses offered outside of the Honors program. Through formal arrangement between a course instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor and student develop an additional course project(s) to allow the Honors student enrolled in the class deeper engagement with the course material. Honors students who successfully complete both the Colloquium and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. May be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Colloquium project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 202 Service Learning in Honors 1-2 credits
Service Learning in Honors complements college course offerings by adding a hands-on service learning component with a community organization or community project. Through formal arrangement between an instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor meets with Honors students enrolled in the class to help provide specific disciplinary insights on issues affecting local communities, providing students with an opportunity to apply concepts, theories, and methods to practical real-world issues. Students gain familiarity with social problems and social responses, learn about communities as informed citizens, and gain expertise about the relationship between their roles as students and citizens. Honors students who complete both the Service Learning and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. Service Learning may be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Service Learning project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 240 Writing Center Workshop 2 credits
Students investigate methods of the writing process and study personal communications of tutoring. Strategies include studying the learning styles of all students. Prerequisites: instructor recommendation and an interview with the Writing Center Director.

HNRS 297 Special Topics 1-3 credits

HNRS 301 Honors Colloquium 1 credit
A complement to courses offered outside of the Honors program. Through formal arrangement between a course instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor and student develop an additional course project(s) to allow the Honors student enrolled in the class deeper engagement with the course material. Honors students who successfully complete both the Colloquium and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. May be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Colloquium project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 302 Service Learning in Honors 1-2 credits
Service Learning in Honors complements college course offerings by adding a hands-on service learning component with a community organization or community project. Through formal arrangement between an instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor meets with Honors students enrolled in the class to help provide specific disciplinary insights on issues affecting local communities, providing students with an opportunity to apply concepts, theories, and methods to practical real-world issues. Students gain familiarity with social problems and social responses, learn about communities as informed citizens, and gain expertise about the relationship between their roles as students and citizens. Honors students who complete both the Service Learning and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. Service Learning may be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Service Learning project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 303 Honors Field Experience 1-2 credits
Honors students develop field experiences outside the classroom to complement courses without specified field experiences or to develop a more in-depth project for disciplinary-based field experiences. Through formal arrangement between the instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor meets with Honors students enrolled in the class to develop a specific field experience related to the course material. Honors students who successfully complete both the Field Experience and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. May be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Field Experience project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 304 Introduction to the Great Conversation 1 credit
An introduction to the ongoing discussion of the timeless and universal ideas that are the foundation of Western Civilization. Students pursue the study of these ideas through guided reading of selections taken from the range of Western intellectual history. Prerequisites: HNRS 100, and junior standing, or instructor permission.

HNRS 305 City as Text 2-3 credits
Provides Honors students with opportunities to integrate experiences of theory and observation with place, time and self through a site-specific active learning experience. Students participate in a series of orientation sessions and complete associated assignments in preparation for a site visit. The class travels to a selected site city and explores the concept of “extending text’ and mapping the site from a variety of multi and inter-disciplinary perspectives. Modeled on the National Collegiate Honors Council City as Text program. Prerequisite: junior standing.

HNRS 396 Writing Center Assistantship 1-3 credits
Students apply knowledge obtained in HNRS 240 in directed field experiences in Writing Center tutoring. Prerequisite: HNRS 240.

HNRS 397 Special Topics 1-3 credits

HNRS 400 Oxford Tutorial 1 credit
Honors students come together as autonomous learners in a supportive academic community to investigate a mutually decided upon theme or topic relating to a liberal arts education and constructive citizenship. Students are expected to illustrate a mastery of the goals promoted by the Honors Program and a liberal arts education including the rigorous application of analysis resulting in a coherent and integrated understanding of the selected theme or topic. Provides an opportunity to engage in larger philosophical inquiry and debate. Prerequisite: HNRS 200, HNRS 304 and senior standing or instructor permission.

HNRS 401 Honors Colloquium 1 credit
A complement to courses offered outside of the Honors program. Through formal arrangement between a course instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor and student develop an additional course project(s) to allow the Honors student enrolled in the class deeper engagement with the course material. Honors students who successfully complete both the Colloquium and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. May be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Colloquium project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 402 Service Learning in Honors 1-2 credits
Service Learning in Honors complements college course offerings by adding a hands-on service learning component with a community organization or community project. Through formal arrangement between an instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor meets with Honors students enrolled in the class to help provide specific disciplinary insights on issues affecting local communities, providing students with an opportunity to apply concepts, theories, and methods to practical real-world issues. Students gain familiarity with social problems and social responses, learn about communities as informed citizens, and gain expertise about the relationship between their roles as students and citizens. Honors students who complete both the Service Learning and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. Service Learning may be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Service Learning project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 403 Honors Field Experience 1-2 credits
Honors students develop field experiences outside the classroom to complement courses without specified field experiences or to develop a more in-depth project for disciplinary- based field experiences. Through formal arrangement between the instructor and the Honors Program, the instructor meets with Honors students enrolled in the class to develop a specific field experience related to the course material. Honors students who successfully complete both the Field Experience and the course to which it is linked receive Honors credit for both. May be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Completion of the Honors Field Experience project form in consultation with supervising faculty and the Honors Director.

HNRS 492 Independent Study 1-3 credits
An opportunity for Honors students to undertake detailed study and/or research into a unique topic or issue stemming from the Honors Core curriculum under supervision of the Honors Director and appropriate regular faculty. May be taken for a maximum of three credits in one semester. Maximum credit toward Honors Program is three credits. Prerequisies: minimum junior sanding and/or Honors Director approval.

HNRS 495 Thesis 1-4 credits
The student is required to complete a written thesis based on advanced study in a self-designed research project and present his/her findings to the Honors Council in a public forum. The project must be supervised by a faculty member from a field of study relevant to the student’s thesis. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing; good standing in the Honors Program; and successful completion of at least nine hours in Honors, including HNRS 100.

HNRS 497 Special Topics 1-3 credits



  • Assistant:
    Leslie Osgood
    970.943.2030
    losgood@western.edu
  • Program Director:
    Heather Thiessen-Reily
    970.943.7128
    hthiessen@western.edu
  • Address:
    Honors Program
    Crawford Hall 102
    Western State College of Colorado
    Gunnison, CO 81231