Honors RAPs
Each Honors RAP offers a unique set of courses in a unique setting. To view the current list of courses associated with individual Honors RAPs, simply click on the RAP name below. To learn more about each residence hall and its area, follow the link to the Housing Services website.
Honors RAP Choices
You can choose from among Honors RAPs built around courses with a common theme.
During the first semester, you'll take two of these courses with approximately twenty
other honors students living on your floor. Each of these communities is located in a building which is designated as a Residential First Year Experience Hall.
Central: Butterfield, Van Meter
Orchard Hill: Webster, Dickinson
Northeast: Crabtree
Located in Butterfield Hall (in the Central residential area of campus):
Creativity in Writing Honors RAP
- Engl 254H – Writing and Reading Imaginative Literature - Analysis of issues of form, elements of genre, style, and development of themes of stories and poems, written by class members and in class texts. Students will examine problems of form, content, and development in fiction and poetry. Students will also write in the various models of fiction, poetry, drama, and essay.
- Honors 291G – Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Located in Van Meter Hall (in the Central residential area of campus):
Creativity in the Arts Honors RAP
- Music 150H -The Lively Arts -Weekly lectures by guest artists and faculty, small group discussions in residence halls, attendance at Fine Arts Center Performing Arts Series events and guided visits to University Gallery exhibitions of sculpture, painting, and photography. Presents an international perspective emphasizing cultural and social diversity. Topics include elements and styles of Western European "classical" music; artistic expression of African-American culture in jazz, spirituals, gospel and contemporary music; styles, choreography and production of dance; photography and photojournalism; theater; sculpture and modern art; a walking tour of campus site sculpture. Each topic illustrated by an exhibition or performance to which the Fine Arts Center provides tickets. The honors section adds an experimental dimension in photography, music, dance and multi-cultural arts. Honors students plan and present team project presentations.
- Honors 291G - Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Located in Webster Hall (in the Orchard Hill residential area of campus):
IMPACT! Honors RAP
Students in the year-long IMPACT! Honors RAP combine living together, learning together in two courses each semester, and making a difference through 30 hours of community service each semester at local community organizations such as the Amherst Survival Center, Capacidad After-School Program, and The Literacy Project. This RAP continues into the spring 2011 semester. Courses are listed below. For further information please see IMPACT! (link to honors.umass.edu/IMPACT)
- Honors 292D - American Diversity -
this interdisciplinary course uses educational theory of social justice, draws on historical movements in the United States and abroad, and gives students an opportunity to reflect about themselves and the diverse society in which we live. In this course, we will explore important questions, such
as: How are we socialized into our current belief systems and how does that impact our understanding of diversity and oppression? What is the difference between diversity and social justice? How does oppression play out on individual, cultural and institutional levels? Can community service be used as an effective learning tool in understanding these issues? How does knowledge of self enhance our capacity for learning and service?
- Englwrit 112H – College Writing - College Writing is a 3-credit, college-level course designed to give students practice in meeting the literacy demands of their future academic, professional, civic, and personal lives. It is the only course at UMass Amherst that satisfies the University's first-year writing requirement. The goal of College Writing (ENGLWRIT 112) is to help students develop their abilities to write–not only for their classes here at UMass Amherst but for their careers, their relations with others, and their own personal growth. College Writing is based on the assumption that students are writers and that writing is an activity inextricably embedded in context.
Investigating Politics and Law
- Polisci 101H - American Politics - If asked to describe our system of government, most people will reply, "We live in a democracy". If pressed further to define democracy, most people will simply say, "A government where the people rule." What does it mean to live in a system where the people rule but, by many measures, often appear not to want to? What is the status of politics as a separate sphere of action? Taking this as a central question we will explore the development of democracy in the United States. We will study the development of the American political system as well as the detailed workings of our main institutions. Underlying all of our questions, efforts, and arguments is an examination of the myriad ways in which government and politics matters in our daily lives. We will also pay particular attention to the impact of elections, especially the 2008 election, on policy and civic life in America.
- Honors 291G - Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Investigating Society and Law
- Sociology 110H - Introduction to Sociology - This course covers an introduction to the sociological perspective. Using primary texts and classic readings in the discipline, students will learn some of the major theoretical approaches and methods in the study of society and social life. Key sociological concepts such as culture, social stasis and social change, interaction, the social construction of reality, gender, inequality, and power will be explored and applied to the study of various central parts of social life, such as community, family, the workplace, religion, and organizations, as well as to an analysis of contemporary social issues.
- Honors 291G - Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Concepts in Philosophy
- Phil 100H - Introduction to Philosophy - An introduction to philosophy through a survey of some major philosophical questions, such as: Does God exist, and is this something we can know independently of revelation? What makes us the same person from moment to moment? What is justice, and how should society be organized to treat everyone fairly?
- Honors 291G - Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Concepts in Civilization
- Classics 102H – Introduction to Roman Civilization - This course will introduce students to the significant literary sources of the early Roman Empire from the period of Augustus to Trajan. These sources will include historical works, Roman poetry, Roman literary prose, personal letters, and selected works of modern Classical scholarship. Cultural and artistic material will also be presented periodically. Students will be expected to read significant passages for Tuesday discussions, and absorb historical and analytical material from Thursday lectures.
- Honors 291G - Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Isenberg Honors RAP
This program is for students who have been accepted to Isenberg School of Management. The theme of this Honors RAP is Global Business. Students will be enrolled in the following courses:
- Econ 103H – Introduction to Microeconomics -Going beyond standard introductory economics courses, this honors course shows the overall logic, structure, and societal implications of neoclassical economic theory. It explains that theory's grand vision for society and how and why it connects to humanism. It also introduces its most severe critics: Marx and Keynes.
- Englwrit 112H - College Writing - College Writing is a 3-credit, college-level course designed to give students practice in meeting the literacy demands of their future academic, professional, civic, and personal lives. It is the only course at UMass Amherst that satisfies the University's first-year writing requirement. The goal of College Writing (ENGLWRIT 112) is to help students develop their abilities to write–not only for their classes here at UMass Amherst but for their careers, their relations with others, and their own personal growth. College Writing is based on the assumption that students are writers and that writing is an activity inextricably embedded in context.
- SCH-MGMT 191Z - Global Business Seminar Global Business Seminar - Business students must recognize that because the global workplace never stands still it fosters connections - some unlikely, some tenuous, some very strong - among organizations throughout the world. One of the goals of the Isenberg School of Management is to prepare our students for this world and to challenge them to be proactive, independent, socially responsible business leaders. Students in this seminar will explore the issues relevant to business in a global environment.
For more information about Isenberg School of Management, and the Isenberg Honors RAP, please visit their website:
www.isenberg.umass.edu/undergrad/For_Prospective_Students
/Living_Options/Global_Business_RAP/
Spring 2011: Students will have a reserved section of the Commonwealth Honors Seminar plus reserved space in Accounting 221 – Introduction to Accounting 1 (offered with an Honors Colloquium). Students will also be expected to continue the Global Business Seminar.
Exploring Ethics Honors RAP
- Phil 160H – Introduction to Ethics - This course provides an introduction to ethics by way of a discussion of theories and argument in two central areas of moral philosophy: The Normative Ethics of Behavior and Value Theory. Other topics in moral philosophy are discussed along the way. In every case the focus is on careful formulations of theories and arguments. The goals are: to understand the theories and arguments; to develop the ability to evaluate the theories and arguments; and to develop the ability to extract well-formulated, interesting arguments from serious philosophical texts
- Honors 291G - Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Perspectives in Psychology Honors RAP
- Psych 100H – Introduction to Psychology - The course is designed to provide the undergraduate with an introductory overview of the field of psychology. Theoretical bases and pragmatic application of research in the various areas of psychology will be emphasized. As this is an honors course, significant writing will be required. Assignments will include weekly papers, oral presentations, a designated reaction paper, and written exams. Required readings will include a course textbook, a readings book, and a contemporary paperback related to a relevant psychological issue. Students will be expected to attend class and be appropriately prepared for active participation.
- Honors 291G - Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Located in Dickinson Hall (in the Orchard Hill residential area of campus):
Health Science Honors RAP
- Phil 164H – Medical Ethics - This course will provide an advanced introduction to some of the most challenging ethical issues that arise in the context of medicine and health care. Topics will fall into five main categories: (1) the doctor-patient relationship, (2) medical research on humans and animals, (3) reproductive rights and technologies, (4) medical decisions at the end of life, and (5) the allocation of scarce medical resources.
- Honors 291G - Commonwealth Honors Seminar
Science and Math Honors RAP
- Chem 121H - Honors General Chemistry - Basic Principles of chemistry. Microscopic nature of atoms and molecules; macroscopic properties of chemical systems. Topics include stoichiometry, atomic and nuclear structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, gases, and intermolecular forces. Includes laboratory. More extensive lecture treatment of advanced topics and laboratory work than CHEM 111.
- Math 127H - Calc Life-Soc Sci I- Basic calculus with applications to problems in the life and social sciences. Functions and graphs, the derivative, techniques of differentiation, curve sketching, maximum-minimum problems, exponential and logarithmic functions, exponential growth and decay, and introduction to integration. Prerequisite: proficiency in high school algebra, including word problems. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Math 131H – Calculus 1 - Continuity, limits, and the derivative for algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmic, exponential, and inverse functions. Applications to physics, chemistry, and engineering. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. Prerequisites: high school algebra, plane geometry, trigonometry, and analytic geometry. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Math 132H – Calculus 2 - The definite integral, techniques of integration, and applications to physics, chemistry, and engineering. Sequences, series, and power series. Taylor and MacLaurin series. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. Prerequisite: MATH 131 or equivalent. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged. Recommended for Freshmen, Sophomores; Majors, Non-majors.
- Math 233H - Multivar Calculus - Techniques of calculus in two and three dimensions. Vectors, partial derivatives, multiple integrals, line integrals. Prerequisite: MATH 132, or 136. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Englwrit 112H – College Writing - College Writing is a 3-credit, college-level course designed to give students practice in meeting the literacy demands of their future academic, professional, civic, and personal lives. It is the only course at UMass Amherst that satisfies the University's first-year writing requirement. The goal of College Writing (ENGLWRIT 112) is to help students develop their abilities to write–not only for their classes here at UMass Amherst but for their careers, their relations with others, and their own personal growth. College Writing is based on the assumption that students are writers and that writing is an activity inextricably embedded in context.
Engineering Honors RAP
- Chem 121H - Honors General Chemistry - Basic Principles of chemistry. Microscopic nature of atoms and molecules; macroscopic properties of chemical systems. Topics include stoichiometry, atomic and nuclear structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, gases, and intermolecular forces. Includes laboratory. More extensive lecture treatment of advanced topics and laboratory work than CHEM 111.
- Math 127H - Calc Life-Soc Sci I- Basic calculus with applications to problems in the life and social sciences. Functions and graphs, the derivative, techniques of differentiation, curve sketching, maximum-minimum problems, exponential and logarithmic functions, exponential growth and decay, and introduction to integration. Prerequisite: proficiency in high school algebra, including word problems. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Math 131H – Calculus 1 - Continuity, limits, and the derivative for algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmic, exponential, and inverse functions. Applications to physics, chemistry, and engineering. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. Prerequisites: high school algebra, plane geometry, trigonometry, and analytic geometry. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Math 132H – Calculus 2 - The definite integral, techniques of integration, and applications to physics, chemistry, and engineering. Sequences, series, and power series. Taylor and MacLaurin series. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. Prerequisite: MATH 131 or equivalent. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged. Recommended for Freshmen, Sophomores; Majors, Non-majors.
- Math 233H - Multivar Calculus - Techniques of calculus in two and three dimensions. Vectors, partial derivatives, multiple integrals, line integrals. Prerequisite: MATH 132, or 136. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Englwrit 112H – College Writing - College Writing is a 3-credit, college-level course designed to give students practice in meeting the literacy demands of their future academic, professional, civic, and personal lives. It is the only course at UMass Amherst that satisfies the University's first-year writing requirement. The goal of College Writing (ENGLWRIT 112) is to help students develop their abilities to write–not only for their classes here at UMass Amherst but for their careers, their relations with others, and their own personal growth. College Writing is based on the assumption that students are writers and that writing is an activity inextricably embedded in context.
Located in Crabtree Hall (in the Northeast residential area of campus):
Engineering Honors RAP
- Chem 121H - Honors General Chemistry - Basic Principles of chemistry. Microscopic nature of atoms and molecules; macroscopic properties of chemical systems. Topics include stoichiometry, atomic and nuclear structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, gases, and intermolecular forces. Includes laboratory. More extensive lecture treatment of advanced topics and laboratory work than CHEM 111.
- Math 127H - Calc Life-Soc Sci I- Basic calculus with applications to problems in the life and social sciences. Functions and graphs, the derivative, techniques of differentiation, curve sketching, maximum-minimum problems, exponential and logarithmic functions, exponential growth and decay, and introduction to integration. Prerequisite: proficiency in high school algebra, including word problems. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Math 131H – Calculus 1 - Continuity, limits, and the derivative for algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmic, exponential, and inverse functions. Applications to physics, chemistry, and engineering. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. Prerequisites: high school algebra, plane geometry, trigonometry, and analytic geometry. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Math 132H – Calculus 2 - The definite integral, techniques of integration, and applications to physics, chemistry, and engineering. Sequences, series, and power series. Taylor and MacLaurin series. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. Prerequisite: MATH 131 or equivalent. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged. Recommended for Freshmen, Sophomores; Majors, Non-majors.
- Math 233H - Multivar Calculus - Techniques of calculus in two and three dimensions. Vectors, partial derivatives, multiple integrals, line integrals. Prerequisite: MATH 132, or 136. Students expected to have and use a Texas Instruments 86 graphics, programmable calculator. There will be some emphasis on the underlying theory, that more applications will be included, and that some attention will be paid to history. Active student participation will be encouraged.
- Englwrit 112H – College Writing - College Writing is a 3-credit, college-level course designed to give students practice in meeting the literacy demands of their future academic, professional, civic, and personal lives. It is the only course at UMass Amherst that satisfies the University's first-year writing requirement. The goal of College Writing (ENGLWRIT 112) is to help students develop their abilities to write–not only for their classes here at UMass Amherst but for their careers, their relations with others, and their own personal growth. College Writing is based on the assumption that students are writers and that writing is an activity inextricably embedded in context.
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