STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
FOR THE AUBURN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
Strategic planning
Pres. Jay Gogue
“New model for the hoNors college”
“The Auburn Honors College needs significant help for
future growth of top academic students. There are many
different models for “honors,” and we should
incorporate some of the newer ideas into the Auburn
model. Some examples are the selective use of study
abroad, cultural tours, various types of capstone or
summary research projects, service learning, etc. Based
on a well-developed plan, with a Dean leading the
College, we must add additional support centrally.”
President Gogue’s Model
“Icing on the Cake”
Persisting AU Model
“Bread and Butter”
(Core)
Challenges for new model
• Should not add hours to a student’s program
• Should work for any major on campus
• Should not require significant additional
funding
• Support (“Buy-in”) from faculty and students
• Difficulties of transition from current model to
new model
• What to say to students/parents being
recruited for incoming class
THE
HONORS
PYRAMID
NEW VISION FOR
A 21ST CENTURY
PROGRAM
What’s the problem with the
“Old Honors”?
1. Too tied to the Core Curriculum
What’s the problem with the
“Old Honors”?
1. Too tied to the Core Curriculum
2. Too expensive to sustain for what is now an
enrollment of over 1,400 Honors students
What’s the problem with the
“Old Honors”?
1. Too tied to the Core Curriculum
2. Too expensive to sustain for what is now an
enrollment of over 1,400 Honors students
3. Doesn’t reflect well enough newest
ideas/concepts in undergraduate education
(research, study abroad, service learning,
cultural tours, capstone projects,
interdisciplinary studies, globalization)
What’s the problem with the
“Old Honors”?
1. Too tied to the Core Curriculum
2. Too expensive to sustain for what is now an
enrollment of over 1,400 Honors students
3. Doesn’t reflect well enough newest
ideas/concepts in undergraduate education
(research, study abroad, service learning,
cultural tours, capstone projects,
interdisciplinary studies, globalization)
4. Not enough students completing the “Old
Honors”
5 Critical Experiences
2.
1. Meaningful & sustained
relationships with faculty
3.
Independent
learning
Intellectual engagement
with the world beyond
classroom walls
5.
4.
Study abroad
Undergraduate
research
Classroom as launching pad
for involvement in the other avenues of Honors
Capstone
Courses
Enrichment
Courses
Foundation
Courses
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
Team-taught from different schools in the university and by guest lecturers
from business and industry, law, medicine, and other community areas—
Organized thematically but designed to cover broad range of material so
student is introduced to all areas covered by the University Core
UAB Model
•Founded 1983.
•Replaces Core Curriculum Requirements except for Math – has
no effect on disciplinary requirements.
•University Honors students have two options for completing their
33 hours in honors:
· 2 9-hour fall-term interdisciplinary honors courses plus 5
3-hour honors seminars (only two of which can be related
to the student’s major), or
· 2 9-hour fall-term inderdisciplinary honors courses, a
minimum of 2 3-hour honors seminars (not related to the
student’s major), and up to nine hours of honors
coursework within the student’s major (with the total
number of hours adding up to 33).
Dr. Michael Sloane
Director, UAB Honors
Spencer Honors House on UAB campus
“All students take the same course, listen to the same lectures, and do all the
same assignments. The only difference across students is what shows up on
their actual transcript. So it is really a cosmetic Issue. Typically we will
suggest for the natural sciences majors options in the arts and humanities
area since they will have lots of sciences from the perspective of graduate
or professional committees. Similarly we suggest science options for the arts
and humanities majors. The key is to integrate all aspects of the core in 2 fall
interdisciplinary courses and across the 5 seminars they select. Each is 3 credit
hours so students only select 3.”
Themes
for Interdisciplinary Courses
at UAB Honors
• 2002, “Origins”
• 2003, “Sightings: What We See and Why We
See It”
• 2004, “In Search of Human Nature”
• 2005, “It’s About Time”
• 2006, “Minds and Realities”
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
Team-taught from different schools in the university and by guest lecturers
from business and industry, law, medicine, and other community areas—
Organized thematically but designed to cover broad range of material so
student is introduced to all areas covered by the University Core
Must take
2 of these
6-hr courses
(typically fall
Freshman &
fall Sophomore)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
12 hrs
required
Team-taught from different schools in the university and by guest lecturers
from business and industry, law, medicine, and other community areas—
Organized thematically but designed to cover broad range of material so
student is introduced to all areas covered by the University Core
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
12 hrs
required
Team-taught from different schools in the university and by guest lecturers
from business and industry, law, medicine, and other community areas—
Organized thematically but designed to cover broad range of material so
student is introduced to all areas covered by the University Core
ALL 12 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
12 hrs
required
Year 1: Adapted from current Human Odyssey
Year 2 and after: Different theme each year
(students thus can take more than once)
Example topics:
•The Human Odyssey
•Technology and Civilization
•Towards a Sustainable World
ALL 12 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
12 hrs
required
Credits in Core:
•Depending on theme of course, credit given for
English Writing Core, World Lit Core, History Core,
Philosophy Core, Social Science I & II Core, or
Science Core (no credit for Math Core)
ALL 12 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
UAB MODEL
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
12 hrs
required
Credits in Core:
•Credit will be individualized, e.g., a student majoring in
Liberal Arts may receive 3 hrs credit in Science Core and 3 hrs
credit in Social Science Core, while another majoring in Science
may receive 3 hrs credit in World Lit Core and 3 hours in History
Core, though both are taking same Interdisciplinary course.
ALL 12 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Must take 3 seminars
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. hr)
Special topics, individually or team-taught;
student-elder book clubs
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
Honors Seminars at UAB
•
•
•
•
•
“Science, Morality, and Upheavals of Thought”
“Justice and Civil Society in America”
“Race, Class, and Gender in America”
“The Lives of Animals”
A Plague on All Our Houses: Emerging
Infectious Diseases as a Transnational Threat”
• “The Literature of Environmentalism”
• “Cinema as History”
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. hr)
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
*Special topics offered by individual faculty,
developed by two faculty from same college, or
co-developed by two faculty in different colleges
(e.g., Business/Engineering, Human Sciences/Architecture,
COSAM/Liberal Arts, Engineering/Agriculture)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. hr)
*Faculty of the Seminars will be designated “Honors Faculty,” as
will be those who teach the Interdisciplinary Courses.
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. hr)
*May also be taught by emeritus professors.
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. hr)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
GLOBALIZED STUDIES (1-6 cr.)
Study Abroad, Foreign Language,
Internationally Pertinent Courses,
Alternative Spring Breaks
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. Hr)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
The world awaits
STUDY ABROAD
“Alternative” Spring Breaks
Costa Rica
Paris
Yucatan
New York
Washington, D.C.
“Alternative” Spring Breaks
Sample: London Theatre Trip, March 2010
In cooperation with the Department
of Theatre, Department of Music, and
Department of History, the Honors College
will sponsor a multidisciplinary study trip
to London, England. Various options for
academic credit (up to 3 hours) will be
available to participating Honors students.
Trip cost will be in addition to tuition.
SOME HRS
MAY
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Minimum
6 hrs
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
GLOBALIZED STUDIES (1-6 cr.)
Study Abroad, Foreign Language,
Internationally Pertinent Courses,
Alternative Spring Breaks
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. Hr)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
SOME HRS
MAY
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Up to 6
hrs
Minimum
6 hrs
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
HONORS PARTICIPATION
(1-3 cr. hr)
Lecture series, colloquia, lyceums,
cultural tours/events, alternative
spring breaks (U.S.), service learning,
teaching assistantships
GLOBALIZED STUDIES (1-6 cr.)
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. Hr)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
SOME HRS
MAY
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Up to 6
hrs
Minimum
6 hrs
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
HONORS PARTICIPATION
(1-3 cr. hr)
Lecture series, colloquia, lyceums,
cultural tours/events, alternative spring
breaks, service learning teaching
assistantship
FOUNDATION
PROGRAM:
30 HRS IN HONORS
GLOBALIZED STUDIES (1-6 cr.)
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. Hr)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
ADVANCED PROGRAM:
9 HRS BEYOND FOUNDATION
SOME HRS
MAY
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Minimum
3 hrs
Up to 6
hrs
Minimum
6 hrs
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
RESEARCH
(1-3 cr. hr)
Advanced investigation
within major
HONORS PARTICIPATION
(1-3 cr. Hr)
FOUNDATION
PROGRAM:
30 HRS IN HONORS
GLOBALIZED STUDIES (1-6 cr.)
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. Hr)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Minimum
3 hrs
SOME HRS
MAY
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Minimum
3 hrs
Up to 6
hrs
Minimum
6 hrs
Minimum
9 hrs
12 hrs
required
CAPSTONE
(3 cr. hr)
ADVANCED PROGRAM:
9 HRS BEYOND FOUNDATION
RESEARCH
(1-3 cr. hr)
Advanced investigation
within major
HONORS PARTICIPATION
(1-3 cr. Hr)
FOUNDATION
PROGRAM:
30 HRS IN HONORS
GLOBALIZED STUDIES (1-6 cr.)
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. Hr)
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Capstone
•Thesis
•Portfolio
•Field experience, internship
•Public presentation
•Other
Portfolio
Honors graduate
Minimum
3 hrs
SOME HRS
MAY
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Minimum
3 hrs
Up to 6
hrs
Minimum
6 hrs
Minimum
9 hrs
CAPSTONE
(3 cr. hr)
ADVANCED PROGRAM:
9 HRS BEYOND FOUNDATION
RESEARCH
(1-3 cr. hr)
Advanced investigation
within major
HONORS PARTICIPATION
(1-3 cr. hr)
Lecture series, colloquia, lyceums,
cultural tours/events, service learning
GLOBALIZED STUDIES (1-6 cr.)
FOUNDATION
PROGRAM:
30 HRS IN HONORS
Study Abroad, Foreign Language,
Internationally Pertinent Courses
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. hr)
Special topics, Student-elder book clubs
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
12 hrs
required
Team-taught from different schools in the university and by guest lecturers
from business and industry, law, medicine, and other community areas—
Organized thematically but designed to cover broad range of material so
student is introduced to all areas covered by the University Core
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Honors graduate
Minimum
3 hrs
SOME HRS
MAY
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
Minimum
3 hrs
Up to 6
hrs
Minimum
6 hrs
Minimum
9 hrs
Distinguished university scholar
CAPSTONE
(3 cr. hr)
Thesis, Project,
Internship
ADVANCED PROGRAM:
9 HRS BEYOND FOUNDATION
RESEARCH
(1-3 cr. hr)
Advanced investigation
within major
HONORS PARTICIPATION
(1-3 cr. hr)
Lecture series, colloquia, lyceums,
cultural tours/events, service learning
GLOBALIZED STUDIES (1-6 cr.)
FOUNDATION
PROGRAM:
30 HRS IN HONORS
Study Abroad, Foreign Language,
Internationally Pertinent Courses
SPRING SEMINARS (3 cr. hr)
Special topics, Student-elder book clubs
FALL INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES (6 cr. hr)
12 hrs
required
Team-taught from different schools in the university and by guest lecturers
from business and industry, law, medicine, and other community areas—
Organized thematically but designed to cover broad range of material so
student is introduced to all areas covered by the University Core
ALL 21 HRS
COUNT
TOWARDS
CORE
ChemEng
Student
Course(s) A
Course B
Course C
Course D
Course E
Fall Fresh
(16 cr.)
Honors Interdisciplinary 1
(6 cr.):
•Core Writing I
•Core History I
MATH 1610
(4 cr.)
CHEM 1110/11
(4 cr.)
ENGR 1110
(2 cr.)
Spr Fresh
(17 cr.)
Honors Seminar 1 (3 cr.):
•Core Social Science 1
MATH 1620
(4 cr.)
CHEM 1120/21
(4 cr.)
PHYS 1600
(4 cr.)
Fall Soph
(18 cr.)
Honors Interdisciplinary 2
(6 cr.):
•Core Writing II
•Core History II
MATH 2630
(4 cr.)
CHEN 2100
(4 cr.)
PHYS 1610
(4 cr.)
Spr Soph
(16 cr.)
Honors Seminar 2 (3 cr.):
•Core World Lit I
MATH 2650
(3 cr.)
CHEM 2070/71
(4 cr.)
ENGR 2010
(3 cr.)
CHEN 2610
(3 cr.)
Fall Jr
(16 cr.)
BIOL 1020/21 (4 cr.)
CHEN 2080
(3 cr.)
CHEN 3370
(3 cr.)
CHEN 3600
(3 cr.)
CHEN 3620
(3 cr.)
Spr Jr
(14 cr.)
Honors Seminar 3 (3 cr.):
•Core World Lit II
CHEN 3650
(3 cr.)
CHEN 3660
(3 cr.)
CHEN 3700
(3 cr.)
CHEN 3820
(2 cr.)
Summer
(8 cr.)
Core Philosophy (3 cr.):
May be taken as Honors Seminar
CHEN 4860
(2 cr.)
CHEN Technical
Elective 1 (3 cr.)
Fall Sr
(14 cr.)
CHEN Technical Elective 2 (3 cr.)
CHEN 4170
(3 cr.)
CHEN 4450
(3 cr.)
CHEN 4460
(2 cr.)
Adv. CHEM elective
(3 cr.)
Spr Sr
(15 cr.)
Core Fine Arts (3 cr.) : May be taken
as Honors Seminar
Core Social Science II (3 cr.): May be
taken as Honors Seminar
CHEN 4470
(3 cr.)
CHEN Technical
Elective 3 (3 cr.)
Core Technical
Elective 4 (3 cr.)
COMP 1200
(2 cr.)
ElectEng
Student
Course(s) A
Course B
Course C
Course D
Course E
Fall Fresh
(16 cr.)
Honors Interdisciplinary 1
(6 cr.):
•Core Writing I
•Core History I
MATH 1610
(4 cr.)
PHYS 1600
(4 cr.)
COMP 1200
(2 cr.)
Spr Fresh
(16 cr.)
Honors Seminar 1 & 2 (6 cr.):
•Core Social Science I
•Core Writing II
MATH 1620
(4 cr.)
PHYS 1610
(4 cr.)
ENGR 1110
(2 cr.)
Fall Soph
(17 cr.)
Honors Seminar 3 (3 cr.):
•Core World Lit I
MATH 2630
(4 cr.)
MATH 2650
(3 cr.)
ELEC 2110
(3 cr.)
ELEC 2200 (3 cr.)
ELEC 2010 (1 cr.)
Spr Soph
(17 cr.)
CHEM 1030/31 (4 cr.)
MATH 2660
(3 cr.)
ELEC 2120
(3 cr.)
ELEC 2210
(3 cr.)
ELEC 2220 (3 cr.)
ELEC 2020 (1 cr.)
Fall Jr
(16 cr.)
Honors Interdisciplinary 2
(6 cr.):
•Core History II
•Core Fine Arts
ELEC 3310
(3 cr.)
ELEC 3600
(3 cr.)
ELEC 3700
(3 cr.)
ELEC 3030 (1 cr.)
Spr Jr
(16 cr.)
Honors Seminar 3 (3 cr.):
•Core World Lit II
ELEC 3800 (3 cr.)
ELEC 3320
(3 cr.)
ELEC 3400
(3 cr.)
ELEC 3500 (3 cr.)
ELEC 3040 (1 cr.)
Fall Sr
(15 cr.)
Core Social Science II (3 cr.): May be
taken as Honors Seminar
ENGR 2100 (3 cr.)
INSY 3600 (3 cr.)
Math/Science
Elective (3 cr.)
May be taken as
Honors Seminar
ELEC Elective (3 cr.)
Spr Sr
(15 cr.)
Core Philosophy—Busi Ethics (3 cr.):
May be taken as Honors Seminar
ELEC 4000 (3 cr.)
ENGR 2200
(3 cr.)
Elective (3 cr.)
May be taken as
Honors Seminar
ELEC Elective (3 cr.)
SAMPLE OF A STUDENT’S HONORS COURSEWORK
Course
Credit
Sample topic
Fall Freshman Year
Honors Interdisciplinary Course 1
6 hours
Core Writing I (3)
Core History 1 (3)
“In Search of Human Nature”
Faculty from Anthropology, Art,
Biology, Chemistry, English, History,
Human Sciences, Philosophy, and
Psychology
Spring Freshman Year
Honors Seminar 1
Honors Seminar 2
6 hours
Core Social Science I (3)
Core Writing 2 (3)
•“Moral Extremism: Saints, Martyrs,
and Revolutionaries”
•“The Art of Writing: The Family
Memoir”
Fall Sophomore Year
Honors Seminar 3
3 hours
Core World Lit 1 (30
“Shakespeare in Print and on Film”
Spring Sophomore Year
NA
NA
Fall Junior Year
Honors Interdisciplinary Course 2
6 hours
Core History II
Core Fine Arts
“Minds and Realities”
Faculty from Architecture, Biology,
Engineering, English, History, Music,
Philosophy, Physics, and Psychology
Spring Junior Year
Core World Lit II—optional Honors
Seminar
3 hours
If taught as Honors Seminar:
“The Literature of Modern
Environmentalism”
Fall Senior Year
Core Social Science II
3 hours
“Food Ethics and World Hunger”
Spring Senior Year
Core Philosophy—Business Ethics
3 hours
NA
SAMPLE OF ANOTHER STUDENT’S HONORS COURSEWORK
Course
Credit
Sample topic
Fall Freshman Year
Honors Interdisciplinary Course 1
6 hours
Core Writing I (3)
Core History 1 (3)
“In Search of Human Nature”
Faculty from Anthropology, Art,
Biology, Chemistry, English, History,
Human Sciences, Philosophy, and
Psychology
Spring Freshman Year
Honors Seminar 1
Honors Seminar 2
6 hours
Core Social Science I (3)
•“Consciousness in Humankind and
Machine”
•“The Lives of Animals”
Core Writing 2 (3)
Fall Sophomore Year
Honors Seminar 3
3 hours
Core World Lit 1 (3)
“Technological Themes in Classical
Mythology”
Spring Sophomore Year
NA
NA
Fall Junior Year
Honors Interdisciplinary Course 2
6 hours
Core History II (3)
Core Fine Arts (3)
“Minds and Realities”
Faculty from Architecture, Biology,
Engineering, English, History, Music,
Philosophy, Physics, and Psychology
Spring Junior Year
Core World Lit II—optional Honors
Seminar
3 hours
If taught as Honors Seminar:
“The Literature of Modern
Environmentalism”
Fall Senior Year
Core Social Science II
3 hours
“Our Nuclear Future?”
Spring Senior Year
Core Philosophy—Business Ethics
3 hours
NA
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
FOR THE AUBURN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
Strategic planning
Pres. Jay Gogue
“New model for the hoNors college”
“The Auburn Honors College needs significant help for
future growth of top academic students. There are many
different models for “honors,” and we should
incorporate some of the newer ideas into the Auburn
model. Some examples are the selective use of study
abroad, cultural tours, various types of capstone or
summary research projects, service learning, etc. Based
on a well-developed plan, with a Dean leading the
College, we must add additional support centrally.”
President Gogue’s Model
“Icing on the Cake”
Persisting AU Model
“Bread and Butter”
(Core)
New Vision: Honors Buffet?