HONORS PROGRAM
Susan
H. Bagby, Director
The
Longwood Honors Program is designed to offer attractive and challenging
opportunities for intellectual growth to well-prepared and highly-motivated
students. The emphasis in any course designated as Honors is on teaching students to articulate an understanding of a
given field, to relate that field of knowledge to others, to think
independently, and to write and speak clearly and cogently. Honors classes are
generally smaller than usual and provide opportunities for intensive class
discussion and innovative teaching.
Some honors classes are specially designated sections of courses required
for general education; others are especially created for honors students and may
be team-taught and interdisciplinary in nature. Upper- level courses which do
not have prohibitive prerequisites may be designated as honors courses, and
students formally enrolled in the Honors Program can arrange for up to three
advanced courses in the major field to be enhanced for honors credit. Students
enrolled in the Longwood Honors Program, who also elect to undertake Senior
Honors Research, may count six hours of that work in place of two of the three
upper-level courses.
While the program is open to all entering students with SAT scores of at
least 1140 and a high school GPA of at least 3.50, the Honors Committee
recognizes that those scores are not the only or even the best predictors of
outstanding achievement. The Committee welcomes applications from any
second-semester or upperclass student who attains a cumulative grade point
average of 3.25 and from incoming transfer students with a grade point average
of 3.25. Any Longwood student who meets the qualifications for admission to the
Honors Program, but who does not wish to take a full range of honors work may
register for one or more classes.
Twenty competitive honors scholarships are available for those entering
the program and may be retained as long as students make satisfactory progress
in the program and maintain honors grades. To remain in the Longwood Honors
Program a student must maintain an average of 3.25 in honors courses and an
overall GPA of 3.25, both to be computed at the end of each year. Successful
completion of two courses in a single modern or classical language or American
Sign Language or two approved computer courses and of eight honors courses,
three of which must be at the 300-level or above, will entitle a student to be
graduated from the Longwood Honors Program. Honors graduates are recognized at
graduation and their honors standing is permanently recorded on their
transcripts.
Students enrolled in the Honors Program have available to them in their
first year placement in special sections of the Longwood Seminar and housing on
honors floors; upperclass students
may elect to stay on the honors floors or to move into the Academic Residence
Community, and they may apply for honors exchange programs on other campuses.
Longwood
Honors Courses
Honors
sections of many of the general education courses are offered frequently.
Introductory and upper-level courses in every academic discipline may be
offered, and from time to time interdisciplinary, team-taught, and special
topics courses are scheduled either in specific departments or as Honors 295 or
Honors 495.
Senior
Honors Research Program
This
honors program was inaugurated by the College in 1930 and modified in 1983; it
enables capable students to study intensively a subject of their choice, thereby
becoming acquainted with methods of research, organization of materials, and the
presentation of results in a scholarly manner. Such intensive study stimulates
initiative, resourcefulness, and original thought. Students in all departments
are eligible to participate in this program. The program is administered by the
Senior Honors Research Committee. Under this plan, the student is directed in
creative research by an instructor who has specialized in the field and who acts
as sponsor. The student enrolls in Honors Research 498 and 499 in the discipline
of their research, thereby gaining 6 credits toward graduation.
Senior
Honors Research Program Procedures
1. A junior or
senior who has a minimum grade point average of 2.7, with a 3.0 in his/her
major, may enroll in Honors Research 498 after receiving permission from his/her
sponsor, department chair, and the Senior Honors Research Committee prior to the
Registrar's deadline for adding courses after the semester begins.
2. To receive this
permission, students must submit a written proposal stating their thesis, the
method and scope of research, and a preliminary bibliography. Students are
encouraged to submit sufficient copies of their proposal early in the semester
prior to their beginning honors work. These copies shall be submitted to the
chairman of the Senior Honors Research Committee. After submitting the proposal,
students must meet jointly with their department chair, sponsor, and the Senior
Honors Research Committee to discuss their proposal.
3. If the proposal
has been accepted, the student will enroll in Honors Research 498 and an
examining committee to be composed of three members (excluding the sponsor)
proposed by the sponsor and approved by the department chair and the Senior
Honors Research Committee is to be assigned. The members of this committee will
be available for consultation.
4. With the
consent of his or her advisor, the student may register for Honors Research 499.
5. The student
shall follow an accepted style sheet. Four copies of the paper shall be
submitted to the Senior Honors Research Committee prior to the examination. Two
of these copies will be retained in the library and the other two will be
returned to the student.
6. An oral
examination will be administered by the examining committee. A member of the
Senior Honors Research Committee will be present and will report the
recommendations of the examining committee to the Senior Honors Research
Committee for final approval. The approval of at least two members of the
examining committee is necessary for the granting of honors. The Examining
Committee should be convened at least three weeks prior to commencement. The
Registrar must be notified no later than two weeks before graduation that a
student has completed the necessary work to be awarded honors. Candidates should
submit copies to the Examining Committee at least one week prior to the
scheduled oral examination.
7. Students who
complete Honors Research 498, 499 with a grade of “A”or “B”, who have
maintained the grade point average indicated above, who have passed an oral
examination in their research topic, and who have met any other requirements
which their major department may require for graduation, will be graduated with
honors in their major field.
HONORS COURSE
DESCRIPTIONS
HONORS 200.
Cross-Cultural Communication. This
course will explore the concepts of culture and its relevance to the identity
and communication patterns of individuals. Students will learn how to
communicate effectively with individuals from other cultures. 1 credit.
HONORS 201.
Education for Social Change. The
course will focus on the process of
building community and fostering participatory democracy. The course will
provide knowledge and skills that enable students to become effective
advocates/facilitators of community efforts towards social change. The course
design is based on the premise that learning occurs in a variety of ways
including direct experience, reflection, theory, and application. 2 credits.
HONORS 300.
Freudian Themes In Fairy Tales. An
exploration of fairy tales and related literature as a literary form. An
emphasis will be placed on the role of fairy tales in psychological development
through an examination of their structure, themes, motifs and symbols. Basic
elements of literary and psychological perspectives will provide a basis for
in-depth discussion and analysis of specific stories within their literary,
psychological, cultural, historical and personal contexts. 2 credits.
HONORS 400. The Civil
Rights Movement in Prince Edward County (1951-65). This lecture/discussion
class examines Prince Edward County’s place in the national civil rights
movement. The focus is on school desegregation issues, including the Supreme
Court’s Brown decision and the subsequent closing of public schools for five
years. Local participants in the events of this era will be guest lecturers.
Students will collect oral histories and use primary documents in their
research. 2 credits.
