Of these, 45-54 credits are in the Honors Core. The Honors Core is devoted to obtaining a broad-based education in the liberal arts and sciences through courses that emphasize critical thinking and writing skills. It introduces students to ways of thinking analytically about science, politics, history, ethics, culture, visual images, and literature. Some core courses serve as introductions to a specific discipline. Others approach problems and themes in ways that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Good writing is inseparable from clear and coherent thinking.
Honors College courses are writing-intensive. The College's small class sizes allow students to receive individualized guidance in researching, composing, editing, and revising papers. Students do substantial writing in different disciplines and in formats as diverse as essays, research papers, lab reports, and debate briefs. A senior Honors thesis or the written component of a senior Honors project interweaves the research, analytical, and writing skills acquired in the first three years. In taking a course so designated, the student supplements the regular course work with a one-credit seminar that focuses on the student's writing, as well as issues pertinent to writing in the disciplines.