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Honors Program

Honors Program Curriculum

The Honors Program offers a four-year, interdisciplinary curriculum that is integrated with a student's major area of study as well as the University's general education requirements. Students must complete a minimum of 25 Honors units for graduation with the Honors diploma. This is an average of one Honors course each semester. Students must also take at least two upper-division interdisciplinary team-taught courses, as well as complete one Applied Learning Unit, in the form of an internship or a course that applies what you've learned at USD in the real world.

All Honors courses must be taken for a letter grade. However, with the approval of the Honors Program director and the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, a student may take one Honors class pass/fail, excluding the senior colloquium.

The curriculum begins with the Honors Preceptorial (which introduces new students to the University and the Honors Program), and ends with a senior capstone experience: an optional independent study, a thesis, and participation in the Honors Senior Colloquium.

As students move through Honors courses during their first three years, they are strongly encouraged to consult closely with their preceptor, major/minor advisors, and the Honors Program director for assistance. Regular advising meetings insure that students can fulfill the requirements of the Program and their major in time for graduation.

PLANNING AN HONORS SCHEDULE

FRESHMAN YEAR
Fall Semester: Honors Preceptorial (4 units)
Spring Semester: Honors lower division elective (3 units)

SOPHOMORE YEAR
Fall Semester: Team-taught, interdisciplinary course (4 units)
or
Single-taught, single discipline course (3 units)
Spring Semester: Same as fall semester. All students should take
one team-taught course in the sophomore year.

JUNIOR YEAR
Fall Semester: Team-taught, interdisciplinary course (4 units)
or
Single instructor, single discipline course (3 units)
Spring Semester: Same as fall semester. All students should take
one team-taught course in the junior year.

SENIOR YEAR
Fall Semester: Independent Study (199H) in major field (1-3 units)
Spring Semester: Honors Senior Colloquium (3 units)

NOTE: Students studying abroad for one semester receive 4 Honors Program units toward the required 25 Honors units. These units do not count toward the 124 units required to graduate.

Honors courses are special because they are smaller, allowing professors to give more time to individual students. Lower-division courses focus on one discipline and are taught by one instructor. Upper-division courses may be taught by one instructor or, in the majority of cases they may be team-taught, interdisciplinary classes offered only to Honors students. Students receive 4 units for team-taught classes, which must be distributed between two subject areas. The distribution may be 1/3 or 2/2. If three subject areas are involved in the course, the distribution may be between two or three areas.