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The McKendree Honors Program is comprised of two parts. The first is an integrated, interdisciplinary series of courses organized around a broad theme. The second is a thesis based on research activity or a creative product in the student’s major field completed during the junior and senior years.
 

All students in the program are required to enroll in the honors courses each semester except in unusual circumstances as approved by the Honors Council. Each honors seminar will require extensive outside reading coupled with frequent writing assignments and active discussion participation. One or two of the first four interdisciplinary courses in the Honors Program may fulfill the Integrated Studies linked class requirements, provided that the Honors course clearly meets the intent of the topic of the linked courses, including Western Tradition, Global Diversity, Individual and Society, or Science and Technology.

 

Planning Sheets:

 

This course fulfills the same purpose as English I, but uses as the basis for writing assignments a specific topic examined from the point of view of several disciplines, usually within the humanities. The topic concerns a particular aspect of culture or a number of aspects of a particular culture. Reading and writing assignments are directed toward improving the student’s ability to think analytically and creatively and to write accurate and effective prose. .Students will also be introduced to the use of library resources and will develop basic research skills. Each semester.

 

This course fulfills the same purpose as English II, with a similar emphasis on reading and writing about literature. The topic of the course concerns some aspect of the relationship of individual persons to culture. The topic is examined through literature and from the point of view of at least one other discipline. Reading and writing assignments are directed toward improving the student’s ability to read critically, to discuss varying points of view, and to write effective critical essays. Students continue to develop their abilities to use library resources, applying research techniques to a research paper. Annually, Spring.

 

This seminar will examine the influence of the environment and of technology on social structures and values. Readings and discussion will focus on examples of the interdependencies of society, technology and the natural environment. The role of political and economic systems within cultures may also be explored. Annually, Fall.

 

This seminar will examine the influence of biological development and other elements of the physical world on individual identity. Readings and discussion will focus on particular examples of the interrelationship of biology and psychology with some attention to additional relevant topics such as artificial intelligence. Annually, Spring.

 

 

Annually, Fall.

 

Same as senior thesis course within the major field where acceptable. Annually, Spring.

 

The student may enroll in up to four hours of thesis research for which a grade will be assigned upon completion of the thesis. Each student will make an oral presentation of the thesis project on campus during the spring semester of the senior year. This course may be the same as a thesis course designated within the major field. With concurrence of the discipline involved, credit hours for HON 400 may be counted toward the total required for a major. The transcript title will be listed as Honors Thesis in (Major). Annually, Fall.

 

Annually, Spring.

  

The Honors Program extends through the junior and senior years with a series of seminar courses which preserve both the group identity and the interdisciplinary emphasis of the program.

The second major part of the program consists of the completion of a thesis based on research activity or a creative product in the major field of each student. Requirements for this thesis project differ according to major, but each project must be approved in advance by the major adviser and the director of the McKendree Honors Program. Each student will select a faculty mentor from his/her field and submit a thesis proposal to that mentor by the close of the second semester of the junior year.

 

Honors Program students have the option of earning credit in their major (or minor) for HON 302 and HON 400. Students seeking to earn credit in major for HON 302 HONORS SEMINAR IV: THESIS PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT (1) Should sign up for 480 Independent Study (1) in their major. The course will be designated as [major] 480/HON 302 (example: ENG 480/HON 302). (Exceptions to this are Biology and Chemistry, which already have courses equivalent to HON 302: BIO 461A and CHE 493A [Note: Honors students should list CHE 493A as CHE 493A/HON302]). To earn credit in major the course must be approved by the faculty mentor in the major (or minor) who is supervising the student’s research. In certain majors, such as English, where the Honors Thesis may be completed during a research course (e.g. Eng 490), HON 302 may be waived. In such cases, the Thesis Proposal would be completed as part of the research course. Divisions may exercise discretion in awarding major credit for Honors 302.

Similarly, students may earn credit in major (or minor) for HON 400 HONORS THESIS (2-4). Certain majors have research course requirements, which may be taken for credit to complete the Honors Thesis: for example, ENG 490 Seminar in English and HIS 410 Senior Thesis in History. Students may enroll in these courses for major credit and HON 400 credit by designating them ENG 490/HON 400 or HIS 410/HON 400. Or students may earn credit hours in their majors by enrolling in [major]/480/HON 400 or another course in the major as appropriate (e.g. PSI 490/HON 400). (Again, Biology and Chemistry already have equivalent courses for HON 400: BIO 461B (2) and CHE 493B (2-4). [Note: Honors students should list CHE 493B as CHE 493B/HON 400.]) To earn course credit in major for HON 400 the research project must be appropriate for the course and is subject to the approval of the faculty mentor and the instructor of the course if the course is a regular course other than 480. Students not wishing to enroll in HON 402 THESIS PRESENTATION (1) have the option, subject to the approval of the faculty mentor, of taking an incomplete in the HON 400 equivalent course until the Honors presentation is completed, at which time a grade for the course will be assigned. In addition to courses in Biology and Chemistry already mentioned, the following courses have been identified as possible of being used for HON 400 credit: HIS 410, ENG 490, SOC 495, PSI 490, and PSY 465. Check with your faculty mentor in your major to find out if additional courses may count as HON 400 credit.

 

Students who do not wish to earn major credit for Honors courses but who still wish to do an Honors Thesis should enroll in the appropriate Honors courses (HON 302, HON 400, and HON 402). (Education majors do not have the option of earning credit in Education with an Honors project.)