Honors Program

Leanne Doherty, Director

Valerie Geary, Program Coordinator

The Simmons Honors Program is an interdisciplinary studies program that develops holistic thought leaders for the 21st century through rigorous curricular and experiential programming. The Honors Program engages motivated students, enhancing the undergraduate experience of students in all majors by guiding them through complex intellectual tasks and problems. All Honors students are advised to seek depth in their major discipline and to enhance this knowledge through exploration of other departments and programs.

Students in the Honors Program are part of a “community of scholars” and offered an enriched curriculum that is presented in small seminars and team-taught courses. This community includes professors who are teacher/ scholars, bringing their own research and community engagement into the classroom and creating intellectual settings that challenge Honors students to push themselves beyond what they thought possible. Outside of the classroom, the Honors Program gives opportunities for students to expand their knowledge through study abroad opportunities, access to undergraduate research programs, connections to Honors alumnae/i, and engagement with the city of Boston.

Honors Program Requirements – Non-Nursing Students

Year One

The Boston Learning Community Course (Fall)

8

The Simmons Course: Explore (Fall)

2

The Honors Leadership Course (Spring)

4

HON 190Talking in the 21st Century

1

HON 190: Spring

Year Two

HON 290Lead Others / Lead Ourselves

1

The Simmons Course: Experience (Fall or Spring)

1

HON 290: Fall

All students in the Honors program are required to fulfill their Global Cultural Key Content Area in their second year. This is an honors only class and typically two are offered each semester so that students can have an opportunity to fill the requirement in either the fall or spring.  One of the three remaining Key Content Areas (Scientific Inquiry; Social and Historical; Aesthetic, Literary and Artistic) must be completed through an Honors Designated Course.  

Year Three

The Simmons Course: Excel (Fall or Spring)

1

3D–Design Across Diverse Disciplines (third and fourth years, 12 credits)

12

Two of the three 3D courses must be at the 200 level

Year Four

HON 395Honors Capstone Project

1

Capstone within Major

4-8

HON 395: Fall or Spring

Honors Program Requirements – Nursing Students

Year One

The Boston Course (Fall)

4

The Simmons Course: Explore (Fall)

2

The Honors Leadership Course (Spring)

4

HON 190Talking in the 21st Century

1

HON 190: Spring

Year Two

HON 290Lead Others / Lead Ourselves

1

The Simmons Course: Experience (Fall or Spring)

1

HON 290: Fall

All students in the Honors program are required to fulfill their Global Cultural Key Content Area in their second year. This is an honors only class and typically two are offered each semester so that students can have an opportunity to fill the requirement in either the fall or spring.  One of the three remaining Key Content Areas (Scientific Inquiry; Social and Historical; Aesthetic, Literary and Artistic) must be completed through an Honors Designated course.  

Year Three

The Simmons Course: Excel (Fall or Spring)

1

3D–Design Across Diverse Disciplines (third and fourth years, 12 credits)

12

Two of the three 3D courses must be at the 200 level

Year Four

HON 395Honors Capstone Project

1

Capstone within Major

4-8

HON 395: Fall or Spring

Honors Courses

See Honors Course Descriptions

HON 190Talking in the 21st Century

1

HON 290Lead Others / Lead Ourselves

1

HON 395Honors Capstone Project

1

Honors Seminars

HON 203Islam and the West

4

HON 204Dialogues Culturels: France & the Francophone World

4

HON 206Islamophobia

4

HON 211Balance, Harmony, and Happiness: A New Look At Classical China

4

HON 212Colonial Legacy of South Africa: Africa In Film and Literature

4

HON 214Encountering South Asia

4

HON 224BRICS and the Global Economy

4

HON 301Disability and Society

4

HON 302Sexuality, Nature, and Power

4

HON 303Hiv/Aids Intersections of Science and Society

4

HON 307Creator, Patron, Muse: Roles of Women in Music

4

HON 308Energy & Global Warming

4

HON 309Discovering the Science of Data

4

HON 315Public Policy, Behavioral Sciences & Law

4

HON 320Boston's Past: Introduction to Public History

4

HON 325Political Economy of U.S. Capitalism

4