Honors College: Areas of Emphasis

Honors students have the option of linking their Honors seminars together in a three-semester area of emphasis sequence. This provides you with a concentration in an interdisciplinary field of study that integrates traditional academic study and experiential, real-world learning.

An area of emphasis provides you with a wonderful opportunity to:

• Develop advanced knowledge and skills in leadership, research, creativity, global studies, or service that advance long-term personal goals and interests
• Distinguish yourself from others when you enter the job market, apply to graduate school, or explore other post-graduate opportunities
• Incubate ideas and forge faculty connections for the Honors capstone project
• Realize the benefits of experiential learning coupled with classroom learning

For students in pre-professional programs, the areas of emphasis also provide fantastic opportunities to amplify distinctive skills.

Completion of the area of emphasis will appear as a special designation on your transcript when you complete the three course sequence in a given area.

Take two honors seminars that include the area of emphasis flag for your chosen area. These seminars can be taken at any time, but we recommend linking them together in back to back semesters if possible. 

After completion of the seminars in your area, you will pursue a practicum in your chosen area. This final component of the area of emphasis is a self-designed, experiential learning project that enables students to further develop skills in the selected area. These experiences are student driven and are often, though not necessarily, extensions of the second seminar experience. A faculty member will mentor your practicum experience.

Learn more about the practicum.