Honors sections satisfy University Core requirements. Great Expeditions is an Honors course that includes a two-week guided class journey at home or abroad as a culmination of reading and discussing the journal of an expedition. After the journey is completed, students present a public symposium highlighting the results of their expedition. Additional opportunities for independent study are available through Honors contracts, which are taken primarily at the upper-division level. Contracts allow students to work with a specific faculty member, either in a class, small groups, or individually, on research projects.
Contracts often prepare students to accept the special challenges and benefits of an Honors thesis.
Finally, selected upperclass students may qualify to undertake supervised study under a program of reading tutorials. Participants in the University Honors Program benefit from the individualized instruction and class discussion that are characteristics of the program. In addition, Honors students are eligible for Honors scholarships and have been unusually competitive in the award of other scholarships for further study, both in the United States and abroad. Special attention is given to preparation for professional and graduate schools. Extracurricular, outdoor, and social activities are an important feature of the daily life of the program.