Honors

Description of the Four Modes of Inquiry

At the heart of the act of knowing lie general “modes of inquiry” that organize the way scholars approach and frame the objects they seek to understand. The honors program curriculum at WCSU is designed to expose students to four broadly conceived modes of inquiry and to provide experience in how those modes shape the questions asked and ultimately the methods by which questions are answered. These modes of inquiry are “textual analysis,” “artistic creation and analysis,” “scientific and mathematical analysis,” and “historical, social and cultural analysis.” Below is a brief description of each.

 

Textual Analysis:

Inquiry to explore the various ways in which a text conveys meaning or people derive meaning from a text (a text is viewed broadly and may include such items as a written work, popular culture, ritual and symbol).

Scientific and Mathematical Analysis:

Inquiry that utilizes the scientific processes of induction or deduction or some type of logico-mathematical representation or modeling to understand some event or phenomenon.

Artistic Creation and Analysis:

Inquiry through the creation, performance or analysis of a work(s) of theater, art, literature, music, sculpture or other generative activity. Outcomes focus on the production of something artistic or the critical understanding of some type of creative activity.

Historical, Social and Cultural Analysis:

Inquiry that examines how an event or phenomenon is shaped by history, society or culture.


Special Access Honors Courses:

Honors Teaching Practicum (HTP) - HON 497

The Honors Teaching Practicum (HTP) allows junior and senior honors students to assist a professor in a class they have taken within the honors program, their major or minor. The central goals of the HTP are to give students experience with some of the issues involved in conveying knowledge to others and to reacquaint them with some of the central knowledge content of their field of study. In order to accomplish these goals, students may organize sessions, provide individual student tutorials, provide guidance with writing assignments, oversee group projects, organize class discussion sessions or oversee other related class activities. They are, however, prohibited from grading any of the activities they oversee or from performing purely administrative functions. Students are required to regularly attend the class in which they are assisting. Professors overseeing HTP students will provide students with related pedagogical materials within the area of the course and opportunities for them to reflect on these materials and their experiences in writing, such as in a journal or reaction papers. The number of credit hours is determined by the credit hours of the course where the practicum is taking place (e.g., 3 hours for a 3 credit hour class, or 4 hours for a course with a lab). An HTP may be repeated one additional time for credit and may not exceed a total of eight credit hours. For more information contact the Director of the Honors Program. Prerequisite: Minimum of 60 credit hours, permission of instructor, Department Chair and the Director of the Kathwari Honors Program.

Honors Research Practicum (HRP) - HON 487

The Honors Research Practicum (HRP) allows junior and senior honors students to assist a professor in a research endeavor related to the faculty member’s expertise. The main objectives of the HPR are to offer students opportunities to: develop research skills; collaborate with an expert in a given field; communicate in the professional language of their major discipline; and acquire intellectual acumen regarding sources of knowledge. In order to accomplish these goals, students will undertake quantitative and/or qualitative analysis, organize and/or participate in research teams, write a literature review, or engage in other research activities. Students will be required to meet weekly with their professors, actively participate in scholarly work, and submit a research log/summary to the professor. Professors overseeing HRP students will provide students with relevant research guidance and opportunities for them to reflect on their research experience in writing, such as in journals or reaction papers. Students will receive one to three hours of course credit for the HRP. The number of credit hours is determined by the number of research hours the student performs each week according to the following equation: one credit hour is equal to three work hours per week (i.e., 3 hours of research per week equals 1 credit hour; 6 hours of research per week equals 2 credit hours; and 9 hours of research each week equals 3 credit hours). A second HRP may be taken for credit, but a student’s total HRP credit hours must not exceed six. For more information, please contact the Director of the Honors Program. The deadline for submitting an HRP application is the end of the second week of the semester. Prerequisite: Minimum of 60 credit hours (or waiver from the Director), permission of the faculty member, Department Chair, the Director of the Honors Program and the Dean of the faculty member.