Honors Program
The Honors Program at Fairfield University is an interdisciplinary course of study open to invited students from the College of Arts and Sciences and all of the University's undergraduate schools. The program consists of a curriculum of team-taught courses and small seminars and it is highly selective. Students who pursue Honors study at Fairfield are highly motivated, passionate about learning, and willing to engage their professors and fellow students in lively discussions. Honors students at Fairfield also are invited to attend intellectual and cultural events outside the classroom and faculty-led colloquia on a variety of topics.
Students who complete the Honors Program in good standing have their achievement noted on their final transcripts. Students who complete an honors thesis have the designation “Honors Program with Honors Thesis” on their final transcripts.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Honors Orientation | ||
| ENGL 1001 | Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition (Honors-Only Sections) | 3 |
| HONR 1101 | Enduring Questions | 3 |
| Honors Exploration | ||
| Select three seminars in different disciplines: | 9 | |
| Honors Seminar | ||
| Honors Capstone | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 1-3 | |
Honors Mini-Seminar | ||
Honors Thesis | ||
| Total Credits | 16-18 | |
Honors and the Core Curriculum
HONR 1101 Enduring Questions satisfies the Interdisciplinary signature element requirement of the Magis Core. Other Honors courses may fulfill signature elements of the core at the same time that they fulfill Magis Core and Honors Curriculum requirements, if the honors course has that signature element designation.
For team-taught classes (HONR 1101 and any team-taught sections of HONR 2202), faculty teaching the course will collegially determine which Magis core area the course will fulfill, and they will then follow the established approval process(es) for the relevant discipline(s).
Each section of HONR 2202 Honors Seminar satisfies a designated Magis Core requirement based on the discipline of the course. In the case of History, Mathematics, Philosophy, and Religious Studies, the seminar may satisfy a Magis Core requirement in either the Orientation Tier or the Exploration Tier.
Students may take additional sections of HONR 2202 beyond the three required, with the permission of the program directors.
Honors Capstone
Honors Mini-Seminar
Faculty-Designed: A seminar of no more than 10 students that meets five times during the semester. Single instructor or team-taught, 1 credit. Students register for HONR 4990 Special Topics Honors.
Student-Designed: A self-selected group of 5-10 students will design, in conjunction with one or two faculty mentor(s) that the students themselves will recruit, a seminar that meets five times during the semester. Single instructor or team-taught, 1 credit. Students register for HONR 4990 Special Topics (Shell).
Transcript Designation: Honors Graduate
Honors Thesis
Students register for an Independent Study through the advisor’s department. Single instructor, 1-3 credits.
Transcript Designation: Honors Graduate with Honors Thesis
Magis Core Signature Elements
Honors Program courses may fulfill signature elements of the core at the same time that they fulfill Magis Core requirements.
All team-taught Honors Program courses (i.e. HONR 1101, HONR 2201, and HONR 3301) fulfill the Interdisciplinary Signature Element requirement.
Progress in the Honors Program
Students entering must remain in good academic standing in order to remain in the Honors Program.
HONR 1101 Enduring Questions 3 Credits
Attributes: MSID Magis Core: Interdisciplinary
This team-taught course explores major questions persistent throughout human history. It provides an interdisciplinary opportunity to ask about the nature of humanity and reality, the meaning and purpose of existence, and the relationship between the individual and the wider world. Previously HR 0104.
HONR 2201 Emerging Questions 3 Credits
Attributes: MSID Magis Core: Interdisciplinary
Prerequisite: HONR 1101.
This course explores new questions emerging in changing modern contexts. It invites students to consider how new paradigms change human relations, how new discoveries change our understanding of the world, and how these changes are shaping our future. Previously HR 0204.
HONR 2202 Honors Seminar 3 Credits
Prerequisite: HONR 1101.
This seminar, offered in one of the traditional disciplines, seeks to cultivate the skills of critical thinking, cogent argumentation, and effective writing, all by attending to a particular subject matter. Honors students earn nine credits in HONR 2202 by completing three seminars throughout their studies. Previously HR 0202.
HONR 2990 Independent Special Topics 1-3 Credits
This course offers an in-depth investigation of a significant topic or question. The professor(s) teaching the course choose(s) the topic. This course is generally limited to sophomores, with exceptions made as needed. Department permission required.
HONR 3301 Finding Answers 3 Credits
Attributes: MSID Magis Core: Interdisciplinary
Prerequisite: HONR 2201.
This team-taught course offers a survey of theories of knowledge, research methodologies, data collection practices, and analytical methods from disciplines across all undergraduate fields. It aims to arm students with a wide array of techniques for engaging in their own original research. Previously HR 0304.
HONR 4990 Special Topics Honors 1-3 Credits
Prerequisite: HONR 2201.
This course offers an in-depth investigation of a significant topic or question, conducted in a seminar format. The professor(s) teaching the course choose(s) the topic. This course is generally limited to juniors, with exceptions made as needed. Previously HR 0398.
HONR 4997 Honors Thesis 1-3 Credits
HONR 4998 Student-Designed Honors Mini-Seminar 1 Credit
A self-selected group of (at least) 5 students (and no more than 10 students) would design (in conjunction with one or two faculty mentor(s) that the students themselves would recruit) a seminar that meets 5 times during the semester (single instructor or team-taught; 1 credit).
HONR 4999 Faculty-Designed Honors Mini-Seminar 1 Credit
A seminar of no more than 10 students that meets 5 times during the semester (single instructor or team-taught, 1 credit).