Honors Courses

The offerings and requirements of the JMU Honors Program bear a close relationship to those of the University. The honors curriculum is not harder courses with more work, but an increased opportunity to cultivate habits of critical thinking, communication, creative expression and independent thought through smaller classes taught by exceptional faculty. Four methods through which honors credits can be earned by honors students are identified as honors sections of regular university courses, honors seminars or colloquia, honors options in existing non-honors courses and the senior honors project. 

Honors courses appear in the Schedule of Classes with a normal departmental designator and number followed by an H (e.g., POSC 320H). Honors courses with a G prefix (e.g., GENG 102H) also meet general education requirements. Honors courses may count toward general education requirements, major requirements or elective credits. Taught by faculty dedicated to the honors experience, these classes are usually limited to 20 students. Honors scholars must take a nine-hour core of honors courses within the general education program.  

All honors courses have the essential content described in the university catalog, but also include a breadth of experience appropriate to honors study (e.g., greater use of primary sources, more fully developed theoretical background, some integration of interdisciplinary perspectives and more creative learning methodologies including added emphasis on discussion, writing, research and active learning experiences away from the classroom). These courses encourage creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and deeper intellectual inquiry.

Honors Seminars

Honors seminars are unique to the Honors Program. They explore complex topics that deal with contemporary issues in society, multicultural and comparative studies, and advanced applications in business and the natural and social sciences. 

Topics for honors seminars may be proposed by faculty, students or Honors Program staff and must be approved by the Honors Program Committee.  The seminars carry an HON prefix (e.g., HON 200B). They are offered at the 200 and 300 levels. It is assumed that 200-level seminars are approachable by all honors students and 300-level seminars demand some prior university academic experience. All of the seminars will be offered for three credits. Some may--with permission from the student's major adviser or program head--be substituted for an elective in the student's major. 

Seminars are designed to be fairly flexible small classes that may reflect unique, sometimes experimental, styles of teaching. Seminars are always interdisciplinary and may be team-taught by faculty from different departments or disciplines. The content of seminars may include extensive readings in original sources, creative writing, analysis of current information from various media, community involvement, trips off campus, involvement with guest speakers and artists and, most certainly, discussions. As defined, a seminar is "a small group of advanced students engaged in special study or original research." The seminar experience is the existential paradox where the individual confronts and is confronted by the group and both are changed.