Foundations (3 or 4 Credits)
In their very first semester, all Honors students take a course that introduces them to the practices used when pursuing research questions at the university level and asks students to begin articulating the significance of their work. The course concludes with a research exhibition where students share their research projects with students, faculty, and staff from across the university.
Inquiry in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (12 Credits)
Students will complete a variety of coursework in the arts, humanities, and social sciences that emphasize collaboration, critical thinking, writing, and analytical reading skills. Each section approaches a different big idea or topic, asking students to engage deeply with specific questions developed by Mason's top faculty. AP/IB/Dual Enrollment Credit is accepted for many of these classes.
Civic Engagement (3 Credits)
Honors Civic Engagement courses explore our roles and responsibilities in society and address issues of public or community concern in a collaborative learning environment. Students have the opportunity to complete this requirement in experiential learning sections that place them at the center of partnerships that provide meaningful services to the greater Mason or Northern Virginia community.
Multi-Disciplinary Topics and Challenges (3 Credits)
Students have the opportunity to apply the skills they have learned throughout the curriculum to complex issues or problems that require consideration from the perspectives of multiple professions or fields. Students do this in topical seminars in which they develop multi-disciplinary research or in guided experiential learning classes, both of which continue to build collaborative skills. Courses involve working across academic disciplines, team-based problem solving, and the consideration of multiple perspectives.
Quantitative Reasoning, Science, and Honors Electives
Honors Quantiative Reasoning and Science requirements mirror the major. However, students may choose to take enriching and challenging Honors sections of many of the quantitative reasoning and science classes required for their degrees, as well as select classes in other disciplines such as business, economics, computer science, and many more