The Honors Program is designed for students with excellent academic performance, broad extracurricular engagement, and leadership abilities. Honors students must pass no fewer than 33 academic units (including at least one intensive learning experience) and two one-quarter unit Health and Human Performance activities (or the equivalent). To graduate with the Honors Program designation, students must also complete the honors curriculum (described below) in place of the Intellectual Inquiry curriculum, complete an Honors Distinction Project with a grade of B or higher, maintain a 3.2 grade point average overall and in Honors core courses, and complete an Honors Portfolio. Credit for the Portfolio Seminar does not count toward the 33 academic units required for graduation. Students who fail to achieve a grade point average of 3.0 in any term will be evaluated by the Honors Program Director to determine whether they may continue in the program.
Honors Program requirements include:
Four * Semesters of Portfolio Seminar
HNRS 111, 112 Portfolio Seminar I (1/4 unit each)
HNRS 113, 114 Portfolio Seminar II (1/4 unit each)
*Students who enter the Honors Program after their freshman year are not required to take HNRS 111 and 112.
Two semesters of First Year Seminars
HNRS 110 Honors Seminar
HNRS 120 Living an Examined Life
Seven courses from disciplinary perspectives, which are satisfied by HNRS courses listed below. Students may also choose to substitute up to three disciplinary courses or INQ courses in place of equivalent HNRS requirements. A fourth substitution of an INQ course is allowed with permission of the Honors Program Director. However, students applying substitutions still must take at least one HNRS course in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics (HNRS 240, 241, 250, 251), one in the Social Sciences (HNRS 260), and one in the Humanities and Fine Arts (HNRS 270, 271). In addition, at least one of the 200-level HNRS courses or INQ substitutions must have a global perspective. Global courses are denoted with a G in the course section designation. Disciplinary substitutions for the global requirement are not allowed.
HNRS 240 Statistical Reasoning
HNRS 241 Mathematical Reasoning OR
HNRS 251 Scientific Reasoning II
HNRS 250 Scientific Reasoning I
HNRS 260 Social Scientific Reasoning (2 units required from different disciplines)
HNRS 270 Human Heritage I
HNRS 271 Human Heritage II
The capstone course
HNRS 300 Contemporary Issues
Honors Distinction Project
This requirement asks student to bring their academic, intellectual, cultural, and/or service interests to bear on a distinctive project that extends over at least two semesters. Projects may include elements of independent research, creative work, study away, internship, or service learning. Honors Distinction Projects culminate in a scholarly or creative product, and oral defense, and presentation on or off campus as appropriate. Project proposals must be approved by the Honors Program Advisory Group. Credit will vary.
Satisfactory completion of the Honors Portfolio
Proficiency in a foreign language through the intermediate level,
LANG 202
Health and Human Performance
HHP 160 Fitness for Life (1/4 unit)
HHP activity HHP 101-159 (1/4 unit)
One unit of Intensive Learning
Experiential Learning
Professor Grant, Director of Experiential Learning
At the heart of Roanoke College’s vision and mission statements is a commitment to being a model of experiential learning and preparing students for responsible lives of learning, service, and leadership. In pursuit of these ideals, Roanoke Pathways is a comprehensive program to enhance and support experiential learning opportunities.These include research, internships, study-away (Intensive Learning travel courses as well as semester-and year-long study abroad), service-learning, and creative/artistic works. Students participating in Pathways opportunities work closely with faculty in authentic, real- world contexts and are prompted to draw deliberate connections between knowledge gained through traditional modes of learning and that gained through these real-world experiences. Through intentional planning for the experiences, critical, guided reflection during the experiences, and public showcas-ing at the culmination, students test and refine academic knowledge and skills, experience personal and professional growth, and are better prepared to engage productively in our common civic life.Through Roanoke Pathways, the Office of Experiential Learning provides students with information and advice on available opportunities, financial support through a competitive grants program, and creative and technological support for showcasing their experiences. Students are encour-aged to visit the office, located in the Fintel Library, during their first semester to familiarize themselves with the wide array of opportunities available.