Honors Program

By Adam Kempler

Contact

Director: Scott Balcomb
sbalcomb@sjcme.edu
207-893-7941

“The Honors Program is more difficult in the fact that there are many more critical thinking assignments. It’s less like ‘learn this and spit it back at me.’ It’s more like, ‘learn this and explain why this means this.’ It’s more work, but more rewarding. Also, Capstone allowed me to go to Italy, which was awesome.”
— Blake Edwards ’11
“The best part of the Honors Program is definitely the small class sizes and all the extra opportunities. I’ve been on trips to Boston, New York City, Quebec and Italy that I wouldn’t have otherwise.”
— Susan Muzzy ’11

The heart of Saint Joseph's College Honors Program is the Honors Core Curriculum which is a special Honors version of the core curriculum for the 21st century. In conjunction with the major and enhanced Honors programming, the Honors Core Curriculum provides a basis for lifelong learning and an enduring liberal education.

This Curriculum:

  • Emphasizes group, collaborative work in and out of the classroom;
  • Develops critical and reflective thinking;
  • Promotes close student interaction with some of the College's best faculty;
  • Provides an ethical and moral sense through its service learning projects;
  • Reflects on the fundamental problems of human existence;
  • Commits faculty and students to the search for truth and justice.

Honors Core of Knowledge, Understanding and Insight for the 21st Century (24 credits)

The common Honors Courses of the Inner Core:

  • Analyze the fundamental events, themes, and issues that have shaped the course of civilization in the west;
  • Explore the foundational issues of philosophy and theology;
  • Investigate the ecological challenges to the global environment;
  • Enhance crucial skills of writing, thinking, persuasion, and public speaking;
  • Interpret and study important texts of literature.

Concentration and Integration of learning (24 credits)

These elective Courses allow students to develop and deepen the knowledge, understanding, and insight they explore in the Inner Core.

Elective Courses (16 Credits)

  • English 1 course 4 Credits
  • Philosophy 1 course 4 credits
  • Mathematics 1 course 4 credits
  • Theology 1 course 4 credits

Additional Electives

  • English 4 credits
  • Fine arts 4 credits
  • History 4 credits
  • Language* 4 credits
  • Science 4 credits
  • Social Science 4 credits

* Students in a Bachelor of Science program may take one foreign language course for additional elective credit