Honors Program

Director: Dr. Edwin L. Goff
Office: 103 St. Augustine Center
Tel. (610) 519-4650
Website: http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/honors/
Course descriptions: http://www.artsci.villanova.edu/courses/honors.html

The University Honors Program is a comprehensive four year curriculum of small seminars designed to foster the free and open exchange of ideas among students and faculty. Honors courses emphasize extensive reading and writing, and attempt to develop the critical abilities of judgment and analysis. Innovative courses include team taught seminars and seminars given by visiting professors. All Honors courses are enriched by a variety of lectures, cultural events, and social activities.

Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may pursue the degree of B.A or B.S. Honors Program. The Honors Program Sequence in Liberal Studies (the Honors Program Interdisciplinary Concentration) is open to students in all colleges.

Acceptance: Admission to the University Honors Program is by invitation or by application to the Director. Members of the Program are expected to take Honors courses at least every third semester, and to maintain high academic standards (At least a 3.33 overall QPA). Individual Honors courses are open to all Villanova students who have at least a 3.0 overall QPA or will bring a special expertise to the course, contingent upon class size limitations. Admission to all Honors courses requires the permission of the Director.

All First Year Honors students are required to complete a two-semester Gateway Portfolio Project: HON 1996 Gateway Portfolio I; and HON 1997 Gateway Portfolio II.

All Second Year Honors students intending to pursue an Honors major, or the Honors Interdisciplinary Concentration are required to complete HON 1998 Gateway Portfolio III; and HON 1999 Gateway Portfolio IV.

Each Portfolio course is one-credit, and is graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory; the one-credit Portfolio course is taken in addition to each student’s normal course load each semester.

B.A.H. Degree: Twelve Honors courses, including

• the Humanities Seminar HON 2550, or
  the Social Science Seminar HON 2560;
• a five credit HON 6001 & HON 6002, or
  six-credit HON 6000 & HON 6002 senior thesis, and
• three upper level courses not used to fulfill core requirements.

Students receiving a Bachelor of Arts, Honors Degree will not receive another Bachelor of Arts Degree at Graduation. Any additional major will be listed on the student’s transcript.

B.S.H. Degree: Ten Honors courses, including

• the Natural Science Seminar, HON 2570,
• a five-credit senior thesis HON 6001 & HON 6002 , and
• three upper level courses which may be used to fulfill core requirements.

Honors Program Sequence (Concentration) in Liberal Studies:

1. the Humanities Seminar HON 2550, or
2. the Social Science Seminar HON 2560, or
3. the Natural Science Seminar, HON 2570

All Honors Program certifications require a minimum overall QPA of 3.33, and satisfactory completion of the four-semester Gateway Portfolio Project. Honors classes may be used to fulfill Arts and Science requirements and electives for students in all of the undergraduate colleges.

For first and second year students, the Program offers Honors seminars in place of the core curriculum introductory courses in the humanities and social sciences. Some students are invited to take multi-credit, team taught interdisciplinary seminars (HON 1000, 1050, 2000 series) which examine the major works of Western and World Civilization in place of regular core requirements. This Honors core for students pursuing the degrees, B.A.H or B.S.H. culminates with specially designed seminars on methodology, current issues, and ethical questions in the humanities (HON 2550), social sciences (HON 2560), or natural sciences (HON 2570).

On the advanced level, the Honors Program offers a variety of seminars that include traditional themes of enduring significance, timely issues of concern, and interdisciplinary studies not available elsewhere in the college. All have in common small student enrollment, active class participation, and intensive writing requirements. Specific offerings change from semester to semester to reflect the interests of faculty and students in the Program.

All upper-level seminars also fulfill major, concentration, and minor requirements in specific academic disciplines.


See the website address above for more information.