DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM
Wayne Hobson
DIRECTOR, HONORS AND SCHOLARS SUPPORT SERVICES
Ryan Alcantara
PROGRAM OFFICE
Pollak Library (North Wing) 120
INTRODUCTION
The University Honors Program at California State University, Fullerton offers a select group of students academically challenging courses, enriching co-curricular programs, and research opportunities to create a unique collegiate experience. Honors students join an intellectual and social community featuring small class sizes (15-student maximum in most honors seminars) that cultivates habits of critical thinking, independent analysis, creativity and collaboration.
The University Honors Program seeks to expand its students' intellectual horizons and to foster a sense of social awareness and responsibility for service to society.
Honors Program students work closely with faculty throughout their undergraduate careers, whether completing general education requirements or working on individualized senior projects. The Honors and Scholars Center, located on the first floor of Pollak Library, fosters a strong sense of community among honor students. It provides a place to study and to socialize with fellow honor students, as well as a place to obtain academic and other advice.
Benefits
The University Honors Program provides benefits that include:
- Priority registration
- Honors notation on official transcript
- Individual attention from faculty
- Honors credit earned while studying abroad
- Social activities with fellow honors students
- Community involvement through service projects
- Opportunities to learn more about honor societies and scholarships
- Close mentoring relationships with faculty and staff members
By actively participating in this strong scholarly community, students gain leadership experience. Honors students have the option of participating in the administration and development of the Honors Program, which allows them to become active partners in their education and provides opportunities to help nurture the growth of the University Honors Program.
Admission Criteria
Entering freshmen who have achieved a 3.5 grade point average in college preparatory course work in grades 10, 11 and the first semester of their senior year are eligible to apply to the program. Transfer students who have completed honors course work at their transfer institution and have earned a minimum CSU transferable grade point average of 3.3 are also eligible. For additional information on applying, please contact the University Honors and Scholars Center, Pollak Library North 120, at (714) 278-7440 or univhonors@fullerton.edu.
Maintaining Eligibility
To maintain eligibility, students must be enrolled full-time, participate in the Honors Program's curricular and extracurricular activities, and achieve:
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 at the end of the first academic year.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 at the end of the second academic year.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 for University Honors recognition at graduation. Additionally, University Honors graduates must have accumulated 24 units of honors course work and completed a senior honors project. (For transfer students, at least 12 honors units must be completed through the University Honors Program at Cal State Fullerton.)
CURRICULUM
Honors Seminars Meeting General Education requirements (15 units required)
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101A |
Critical Thinking (3) |
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101B |
Oral Communication (3) |
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201A |
American Institutions & Values to 1900 (US History requirement) (3) |
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201B |
American Institutions & Values since 1900 (US Government requirement) (3) |
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210A |
World Civilizations to 1500 (3) |
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210B |
World Civilizations Since 1500 (3) |
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301T |
Selected Topics in Natural Science and Mathematics (3)
Globalization and the Environment; History of Life |
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302T |
Selected Topics in Arts and Humanities (3)
Theatre and Issues in American Society; Native North American Art and Culture; World Cinema |
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303T |
Selected Topics in Social Sciences (3)
History and Philosophy of American Mass Communication; The Global Economy; History, Culture, Power; The Middle East; Minority Group Relations; War, Peace and Conflict |
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304T |
Selected Topics in Lifelong Learning (3)
Existential Group; Science, Technology and Society |
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305 |
Evolution and Creation (3) |
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306 |
Women in American Society (3) |
Honors Colloquia and Senior Honors Project (9 units required)
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300A |
Junior Honors Colloquium (1) |
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300B |
Junior Honors Colloquium (1) |
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400A |
Senior Honors Colloquium (1) |
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400B |
Senior Honors Colloquium (1) |
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497 |
Senior Honors Project (5-6) |
All honors students must complete a senior honors project, enrolling both semesters of the senior year. Each student will work closely with a faculty member in his/her major field to design and execute an individual project of the student's choosing. Students may elect to contract a departmental capstone seminar and/or departmental independent study to fulfill part of this requirement.
Optional
499 Honors Independent Study (1-3)
Study abroad experience may be used to substitute up to 3 units per semester of honors course work (to a maximum of 6 units). Any substitution must be requested in advance.
HONORS COURSES
Courses are designated as HONR in the class schedule. All honors courses are restricted to students enrolled in the University Honors Program.
| HONR 101A Honors Seminar in Critical Thinking | | Description: Seminar for first-year Honors Program students. Emphasizes the development of critical thinking skills. Interpretation, analysis, criticism and advocacy of ideas encountered in designated Honors Program activities. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 101B Honors Seminar in Oral Communication | | Description: Seminar for first-year Honors Program students, emphasizing oral communication skills. Construction, presentation and critical analysis of oral presentations related to the ideas encountered in designated Honors Program activities. Instruction in effective oral communication and critical thinking. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 201A Honors Seminar: American Institutions and Values to 1900 | | Description: Critically examines the historical development of American institutions and values, including American political culture and constitutional system. Specific attention to cultural diversity, particularly race, ethnicity, gender, and class, exploring the interaction, conflict, and cooperation of diverse groups in historical context. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 201B Honors Seminar: American Institutions and Values since 1900 | | Description: Critically examines the historical development of American institutions and values, including American political culture and constitutional system. Specific attention to cultural diversity, particularly race, ethnicity, gender, and class, exploring the interaction, conflict, and cooperation of diverse groups in historical context. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 210A Honors Seminar: World Civilizations to 1500 | | Description: Prerequisite: enrollment in the University Honors Program. Integrative, holistic introductory survey of the historical development of civilization within a global context. Explores the impact of Western institutions and ideas upon non-Western societies and cultures and the influence of non-Western cultures and peoples upon Western societies and cultures. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 210B Honors Seminar: World Civilizations since 1500 | | Description: Prerequisite: enrollment in the University Honors Program. Integrative, holistic introductory survey of the historical development of civilization within a global context. Explores the impact of Western institutions and ideas upon non-Western societies and cultures and the influence of non-Western cultures and peoples upon Western societies and cultures. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 300A Junior Honors Colloquium | | Description: Prerequisite: junior standing in the University Honors Program. Required of all junior honors students. Interdisciplinary examination of selected topics. Guest lecturers from the university and community. | Units: (1)
| | HONR 300B Junior Honors Colloquium | | Description: Prerequisite: junior standing in the University Honors Program. Required of all junior honors students. Orientation to advanced research and creative activity, including the senior honors project. | Units: (1)
| | HONR 301T Honors Seminar in Natural Science and Mathematics | | Description: Prerequisite: completion of General Education category III.A.1. or III.A.2. Interdisciplinary seminar that examines selected topics in natural science and mathematics. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 302T Honors Seminar in Arts and Humanities | | Description: Prerequisite: completion of General Education category III.B.1. or III.B.2. Interdisciplinary seminar that examines selected topics in arts and humanities. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 303T Honors Seminar in Social Sciences | | Description: Prerequisite: completion of General Education category III.C.1. Interdisciplinary seminar that examines selected topics in social sciences. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 304T Honors Seminar in Lifelong Learning | | Description: Prerequisite: completion of 9 units in General Education category III (Disciplinary Learning). Interdisciplinary seminar that examines selected topics in lifelong learning. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 305 Honors Seminar: Evolution and Creation | | Description: Prerequisite: completion of General Education category III.A.1. or III.A.2. Interdisciplinary study of evolutionary biology’s impact on culture in the context of religious doctrines of creation. Examines both evolutionary theory and religious and philosophical reactions to it from Darwin to the present, including relevant educational and legal contexts. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 306 Honors Seminar: Women in American Society | | Description: Prerequisite: completion of General Education category III.C.1. Socio-cultural history of women and women’s movements in American society. Examination of cultural models of American womanhood – maternal, domestic, sexual, social – their development and recent changes. | Units: (3)
| | HONR 400A Senior Honors Colloquium | | Description: Prerequisites: Honors 300B and senior standing in the University Honors Program. Required of all senior honors students. Preparation for advanced academic and professional study: Senior honors project and the graduate and professional school admission process. | Units: (1)
| | HONR 400B Senior Honors Colloquium | | Description: Prerequisites: Honors 400A and senior standing in the University Honors Program. Required of all senior honors students. Presentation and evaluation of senior honors projects. | Units: (1)
| | HONR 497 Senior Honors Project | | Description: Prerequisite: senior standing in the University Honors Program. Supervised individual research or creative activity. Students will be working toward completion of an honors project, which is required in order to graduate with University Honors. May be repeated once for credit. | Units: (2-3)
| | HONR 499 Honors Independent Study | | Description: Prerequisite: junior or senior standing in the University Honors Program. Study of special topic(s) in consultation with and completed under the supervision of a member of the honors faculty, or other faculty upon approval of the director of the Honors Program. | Units: (1-3)
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