Program Description
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey
The General Education Honors Program is a course of study to provide academic challenges and enhanced learning for highly motivated students at Sacramento State. Honors students take most of these courses in their freshman and sophomore years. There is an additional nine-unit upper division Honors sequence that students take to earn an Honors certificate upon graduation. The Honors courses fulfill almost all Sacramento State General Education requirements.
The guiding principles of the Honors Programs are active learning, global subject matter, study of primary texts, and an interdisciplinary orientation. Specially selected faculty provide challenging and stimulating learning experiences in small class settings. The cornerstone experience of the freshmen and sophomore years is a three semester Honors seminar, in which students will read some of the great books of the civilizations of the world and discuss some of the issues raised by these authors.
Honors students have access to a lounge and central administrative office, where they can relax, study, meet with advisors, and talk with one another. The program is open to qualified entering freshmen; all others interested should contact the Honors Director.
For further information and application instructions, visit the Honors Web site at www.csus.edu/honorsprogram.
Academic Program
Contact Information
Lee M. A. Simpson, Director
Rheena K. Muñoz, Administrative Support Coordinator II
Kaitlyn Ehrmantrout, Administrative Support Coordinator I
Academic Resource Center 4002
(916) 278-2804
www.csus.edu/honorsprogram
How to Read Course Descriptions
HONR 1. Global Education, Self-Examination, and Living. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open only to students enrolled in the GE Honors Program.
General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Critical Thinking (1-B)
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Exploring comparative ideas about education and self-development across cultures and time, the course develops critical thinking skills by providing a systematic approach to its process and components. Students will learn about problem solving, decision-making, and logical and creative thinking as applied to education.
HONR 2. Foundations and Legacies of Arts and Ideas of Premodern Global Cultures. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open only to students enrolled in the GE Honors Program who have completed HONR 1 and HONR 5 or consent of the Honors Program Director.
General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Humanities (3-B)
Term Typically Offered: Fall only
Exploration of the legacy of arts and ideas as expressed in oral narratives and myths, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and art from premodern cultures around the world.
HONR 3. Foundations and Legacies of Arts and Ideas of Modern Global Cultures. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open only to students enrolled in the GE Honors Program who have completed HONR 1 and HONR 2.
General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Humanities (3-B)
Term Typically Offered: Spring only
Exploration of some of the most influential works of literature, philosophy, history, religion, and art from cultures around the world in the modern era. Students will gain knowledge of different cultural traditions, explore ways to criticize and to learn from different forms of cultural expression, examine their own concepts and ideas, and practice skills of critical thinking in dialogue with challenging works.
HONR 5. Academic Writing Through World History. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open only to students enrolled in the GE Honors Program.
General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: English Composition (1-A)
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Exploring topics in world history, students will engage in reading, writing, discussion, and research to promote intellectual curiosity, and personal academic growth. Skill development will include collaboration, critiquing, and revising writing appropriate to a variety of contexts and audiences.
HONR 8. Honors Environmental Science. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open to students enrolled in the GE Honors Program only.
General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Biological Science (5-B)
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Study of the earth as an ecosystem composed of biological, chemical, and physical systems. Focus is on the interaction of these systems with each other and with human populations, technology, and production leading to a scientific understanding of the ecological implications of human activities. Specific topics include energy flows, nutrient cycles, pollution, resource use, climate change, species diversity, and population dynamics.
HONR 101. Science and the Public Good. 3 Units
General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Biological Science (5-B)
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
This course examines how scientists employ information derived through the scientific method and statistical analyses to form conclusions. The methodology of science is applied to public policy debates relating to climate change, the use of DNA, Creationist/evolutionist issues, water conservation, land use zoning, energy, mineral resources, and other topics.
HONR 102. The Public Good Through the Visual and Performing Arts. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Upper division status in Honors Program; Junior standing; a WPJ Portfolio score or ENGL 109M or ENGL 109W.
General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Writing Intensive Graduation Requirement (WI), Arts (3-A)
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
This course explores the role of the arts as a catalyzing and infinitely variable means of pursuing the public good. Students will engage with the artistic process as well as learn how works of art have successfully upheld and challenged ideological conventions and helped change social and political systems. Strategies of making art will be examined in the form of specific visual and performativity methodologies, the context of the artist, and the public perception of various art forms.
HONR 103. Civic Engagement, Service Learning: Pursuing the Public Good. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Must be admitted to Honors Program
General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Social and Behavioral Sciences (4-A)
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Students to be an active participant in his/her own learning process through a service learning experience and participation in a corresponding seminar. Students are offered a reciprocal opportunity to acquire knowledge and develop skills while providing service and assistance to the community. Students will have the opportunity to assess the circumstances of an organization and provide feedback on their situation. The student will evaluate and assess his/her service learning from three perspectives: the physical universe and its life forms, social issues and social science research, and the arts.
Note: An international experience can be substituted for a local service learning experience. See Honors Program Director for more information.
HONR 120. Honors Global Perspectives Seminar. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open only to students enrolled in the GE Honors Program or with permission of the Program Director.
Term Typically Offered: Fall only
Seminar dedicated to exploring global perspectives on issues shaping the lives of students in the modern world. Topics to be selected annually by the instructor. Open to students in the Honors Program and by permission of the program director.
HONR 150. Leadership Seminar. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open only to Honors students.
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Seminar dedicated to exploring the principles of effective leadership.
HONR 195. Community Fieldwork and Internship. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open to students in the Honors Program with permission of the program director and advanced approval of project goal and objective.
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Supervised service-learning experience with a community partner. This experience focuses on application of the interdisciplinary approach of the General Education Honors Program while affording students direct, hands-on experiences.
Credit/No Credit
HONR 196. Honors Senior Thesis. 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Open only to students enrolled in the GE Honors program with permission of the program director.
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Honors research seminar in which students will complete a research paper in the discipline of their choice based on original research. Recommended for the student's final semester of study.
HONR 199. Independent Study. 1 - 3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Student must be enrolled in the GE Honors Program.
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Open to students enrolled in the General Education Honors Program. Individual projects and directed reading for students seeking to explore topics and issues not covered in the standard curriculum. Requires approval of the Honors Program Director and Honors faculty member under whom the independent work is to be conducted.