CSU Honors Program
Recommendations for Preparation of Honors Lower Division Courses
Thank you for agreeing to teach a lower division course for the CSU Honors Program. The course
you teach may be the first honors course our students encounter, so it will need to reflect the goals of
the honors program while showcasing your discipline. I have prepared the following information to
help you prepare your course which includes a general description of lower division courses and
overarching learning outcomes for the honors program.
Lower Division Honors Courses
Honors courses in the lower division should be distinguished from typical courses by the both the
depth of topics covered and the higher level of interaction between and among instructors and
students. The program strives to offer small classes devoted to learning via academic discourse and
engagement with professors and peers, rather than passive listening in large lectures. While limited
numbers honors classes may be cross-listed with regular courses, the interaction may be achieved
through group projects, team presentations, and introductory undergraduate research.
Instructors are encouraged to conduct field trips or arrange creative experiences that can enhance
the course. The Honors Program has a limited budget to support these activities and will assist you
with permissions and logistic arrangements provided that you request in writing (email is acceptable)
within two weeks of the beginning of the semester and at least 30 days prior to the activity. You may
also choose to work with other instructors the honors program to develop interdisciplinary field or
research experiences. The Honors Program office will assist you in coordinating any of these
activities.
When preparing to teach honors courses, instructors have the flexibility to design courses within their
discipline that fit within this vision of lower division honors courses and help achieve the overall
mission and learning outcomes of the Honors Program. The mission statement and program learning
outcomes are provided for your information. As you prepare learning outcomes in your course,
please consider how they align with the overall program goals. You need not address all learning
outcomes since lower division courses are only one component of the Honors Program.
As part of the Honors Program assessment process, you will be asked to submit your syllabus
containing learning outcomes and complete a course evaluation form along with your students at the
end of the semester. The evaluation forms are attached for your information. Please note this
assessment will not be used to evaluate your individual course or instruction, but will be used in
conjunction with assessments of other program components to assess the program’s ability to
address all of its anticipated learning outcomes. Information related to specific instructors or courses
will not be shared outside the Honors Program without your permission.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact me at your convenience.
Dr. Cindy Henning
Director, Honors Program
Revised Fall 2010
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Mission Statement
The mission of the CSU Honors Program is to attract a diverse community of highly capable and
motivated individuals who challenge each other in the life-long pursuit of learning. The program
nurtures intellectual growth by interweaving cultural, professional, and scholarly experiences across
all academic disciplines and cultivates future leaders for our global community.
Program Learning Outcomes
Honors program graduates will:
 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking through independent inquiry.
o Honors program should develop students who think independently, engage in selfcritique, and aspire to learn about the world around them. While nurturing their
intellectual growth, students should develop a propensity for learning for the sake of
learning. Students achieve this outcome through research, professional or creative
experiences that are mentored by faculty members.
 Employ effective oral and written communication to persuade, critique, and inform others in
and beyond their discipline.
o The honors program should develop students who exhibit poise, self-confidence, and
skills of rhetoric that enable them to share their passion to those outside their discipline
and engage in intellectual discussions within their discipline.
 Utilize historical, cultural and global perspectives to analyze connections between academic
disciplines.
o Honors students should realize that scholarly work is not restrained or limited by the
boundaries of disciplines or areas of study. They should recognize how their chosen
fields are interconnected with other disciplines and be challenged to study and explore a
wide variety of academic topics from multiple perspectives.
 Exhibit propensity for leadership and civic engagement.
o As academic leaders of our student body, Honors program participants recognize the
importance of civic responsibility and have the opportunity to share their talents with their
collegiate and local communities. Honors students should have to confidence to assume
leadership roles, participate in service learning, and engage community activities.
Revised Fall 2010
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