The Honors Curriculum

Life is not specialized. It is "interdisciplinary." Vocationally, we may be engineers or neurosurgeons or entertainers; but, at all times we are subject to the human condition and live our lives as generalists. Academic divisions are pragmatic ways of organizing fields of knowledge, and of training specialists for a specific domain. But the philosophy of Belmont's Honors Program is that to be educated liberally one must erase these imaginary boundaries and tear down the mental walls that hamper free access to fields of information. A holistic vision and appreciation of the human experience must be created. This philosophical commitment is best expressed in the organization of the Honors Program curriculum. In the courses that make up our program of study, teams of honors faculty members move beyond rigid compartmentalization and foster the synthetic worldview necessary to become a Belmont Scholar.

Honors Curriculum for the 21st Century (41-42 Hour Requirement)

Honors Intensive Track Studies

Honors Courses (HON)

HON 1517. World Traditions of Faith & Reason, (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An exploration of world traditions by which peoples and culture have utilized art, literature, politics, music, religion, philosophy, and history to explore faith and reason as ways of knowing.

HON 1520. Classical Civilizations (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An exploration of the humanities during the period of antiquity, examining the interconnectedness of art, literature, politics, music, historical events, religion, philosophy, and other fields of knowledge, with a focus on the birth and development of early cultures, cultural artifacts, and cultural value systems.

HON 1950-4950. Studies Abroad (3-18). Study in a foreign country. Individual course titles and locations are assigned for each course taken. See Studies Abroad program for details.

HON 2110. The Medieval World (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An exploration of the humanities during the period of the middle ages, examining the interconnectedness of art, literature, politics, music, historical events, religion, philosophy, and other fields of knowledge, with a focus on the origins of modern representative government, universities, languages and literature, science, and philosophies.

HON 2310. Analytics: Science Models (4). An examination of the techniques of critical reasoning utilizing scientific paradigms, with emphasis on the development of the art of such reasoning.

HON 2360. Sophomore Foundations (1). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. Directed research training in the student's major field of study in collaboration with a faculty tutor in that field, consisting of weekly one-hour meetings with the faculty tutor or an equivalent series of directed experiences.

HON 2400. Societies, Institutions, and Teams (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An examination of important and influential studies, writings, films and photographs, recordings, and other products from the humanities and social sciences, with an emphasis on essential works from the student’s field of study.

HON 2444. Masterworks (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. Directed research training in the student’s major field of study in collaboration with a faculty tutor in that field, consisting of weekly one-hour meetings with the faculty tutor or an equivalent series of directed experiences.

HON 2488. The Critical Eye (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An examination of important and influential works from the fields of music, art, literature, and drama, and the criteria by which those works have acquired their standing, with an emphasis on essential works from the student’s field of study.

HON 2520. The Age of Exploration (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An exploration of the humanities between the years 1500 and 1700, examining the interconnectedness of art, literature, politics, music, historical events, religion, philosophy, and other fields of knowledge, with a focus on the renaissance and the reformation.

HON 2600. Discovery & Revolution, (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An exploration of the humanities between the years 1700 and 1900, examining the interconnectedness of art, literature, politics, music, historical events, religion, philosophy, and other fields of knowledge.

HON 3000. Writing Workshop: LEAD, (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. This advanced course prepares students to communicate effectively as leaders.  In it they produce written communication in multiple formats (long and short) and conduct and communicate research related to their Senior LEAD project.

HON 3044. Writing Workshop: Thesis Track, (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An advanced writing course in which Honors program students will work to become more effective and powerful researchers and writers, as well as address the particular demands of the long-form, extensive research thesis.

HON 3088. Thesis Writing Workshop: Artist's Studio, (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An advanced writing course in which students in The Artist's Studio will work to use the written word more effectively and powerfully, with an emphasis on written products in the student's artistic field.

HON 3110. Globalization and Modernity (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. Honors Globalization and Modernity is a required, regularly-offered survey-style course designed to be taken after HON 2600. As the culmination of the Honors Core interdisciplinary course sequence, HON 3110 is a survey course that is international in context and uses methods in the social sciences and humanities to survey the modern period of the 20th and 21st centuries.

HON 3200. Honors Seminar (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. Honors Seminar is a required, regularly-offered seminar-style course designed to be taken after HON 2600. Topics differ each semester, but each course is based on an interdisciplinary theme. The approach used by the professor may be based in the social sciences, humanities, business, natural sciences, or other fields. Honors Seminar is comparative, disciplinary, or multidisciplinary in nature. Courses may be offered in a wide variety of fields including humanities, social sciences, business, economics, entertainment industry studies, theology, visual and performing arts, and other related fields.

HON 3310. Analytics: Math Models (4). An examination of the techniques of critical reasoning utilizing mathematical paradigms, with emphasis on the development of the art of such reasoning.

HON 3444. Theory & Interpretation (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An examination of theoretical orientations utilized in the humanities and social sciences, with an emphasis on providing the tools necessary to undertake research in the student’s field of study.

HON 3350. Junior Tutorial (1). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. Directed research training in the student's major field of study in collaboration with a faculty tutor in that field, consisting of weekly one-hour meetings with the faculty tutor or an equivalent series of directed experiences.

HON 3360. Thesis Prospectus Planning (1). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. Directed research in the student's major field of study leading to the development of a formal research proposal for the honors thesis, culminating in a formal presentation of the proposal to and official approval by the Honors Council.

HON 3400. Leadership and Advocacy (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An overview of principles for leading and changing societies, institutions, and teams, along with strategies for the planning and execution of large-scale projects and social movements, with a focus on principles of tactical and strategic planning, leadership concepts critical to operational success and group loyalty, and ethical principles necessary for courageous and inspirational leadership.

HON 3488. Beauty & Truth (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. An examination of the perception, and expression of the beauty and truth in  music, art, literature, and drama, with an emphasis on providing a framework necessary to undertake creative projects in the student’s field of study.

HON 4000. Team Project Coordination (1). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. The development of a working plan for a major team project of a scale large enough to require the involvement and integration of participants who are not members of the team - volunteers, contractors, performers, etc. - with an emphasis on the development and application of criteria for the formulation of a project best designed to utilize and demonstrate the skills and training of the students on the team.

HON 4350. Thesis Research (1). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. Directed research for the thesis or creative project in the student's major field of study.

HON 4360. Thesis Writing (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. Production of a research thesis or creative work in the student's major field of study, executed with the highest level of undergraduate research or artistic skill in that field and including both written documentation and public presentation of the research or creative product. Due to the fact that thesis writing is designed to extend beyond the semester of enrollment a grade of IP may be assigned at the end of the term of initial enrollment but must be completed by the end of the ensuing term. 

HON 4400. Team Project Execution (3). Prerequisite: Membership in Honors Program. The execution and successful completion of the major team project developed in HON 4000, demonstrating skills in large-scale project planning, applied research and analysis, problem-identification and solution-generation, communication and management techniques and practices, and reporting outcomes to appropriate audiences in both written documentation and public presentation.

HON 4820. Senior Honors Colloquium (0). An exploration of the transition from college to career, as well as discussion and monitoring of the student's execution of a thesis / community project as a culmination of the student's work in the Honors Program.