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.
ORCHARD HILL: Webster—Society & Leadership
ORCHARD HILL: Dickinson— Science, Innovation & Leadership
CENTRAL: Butterfield—Writing & Literature
CENTRAL: Van Meter—Culture & the Arts
ORCHARD HILL: Webster—Society & Leadership
Contemplations Honors RAP (Fall 09)
Phil 100H—Introduction to Philosophy—Gen Ed: AL---This course serves as an introduction to central themes in early, modern, and contemporary Western philosophy. Issues to be discussed include knowledge & justification, rational approaches to religion & science, the mind-body problem, personal identity, artificial intelligence, and the problem of free will and determinism. Class discussion will be emphasized
Honors 291G--Commonwealth Honors Seminar--is the first course in the two-part Honors Seminar Series. In this two-credit course, beginning honors students read a common text (chosen by upper-level Commonwealth College students; fall 09 book is 10 Little Indians by Sherman Alexie) as they are introduced to honors-level research, information literacy and communication skills. Students should plan to take the 291G Commonwealth Honors Seminar within their first two semesters in Commonwealth College, and continue on to the one-credit HONORS 391D, Advanced Honors Seminar.
IMPACT! Community Service Learning Honors RAP in Webster (Fall 09)
Students in IMPACT! Honors RAP will take the following two courses and participate in 30 hours of community service learning during each semester. This RAP continues into the spring 2010 semester. For further information please see IMPACT!
Honors 292D—American Diversity—Gen Ed: IU--- This course examines the questions, issues, and debates raised by the interaction of diverse groups of people in this country. We will explore the history of racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity in the U.S. as well as the social, intellectual, spiritual, and economic development resulting from that diversity. Some questions to guide our study might be: What forces construct and define difference? How should we approach the tension between celebrating difference and forging community identity? How do class, gender, and sexuality shape identity within social groups and across social groups? What is at stake in multiculturalism? How are American democratic institutions particularly adept at and particularly lacking in their ability to respond to diversity? In order to bring both breadth and depth to our examination of diversity, we will read and discuss texts from multiple disciplines, including literature, film, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and history, with particular emphasis on the legal decisions and acts that have defined American notions of race, immigration, and citizenship status.
Englwrit 112H-College Writing-Gen Ed: CW---This intensive course in expository writing satisfies the First-Year Writing requirement. It focuses attention on the writing process i.e, pre-writing, composing, and editing. Students work with peer editing and in-class publication. Required Text: Andrea Lunsford, The Everyday Writer: A Brief Reference and Marcia Curtis et al, The Original Text-Wrestling Book.
Spring 2010: Students will have a reserved section of the Honors 291G- Commonwealth Honors Seminar plus Honors 191T- IMPACT! Seminar.
Isenberg Honors RAP in Webster (Fall 09)
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—Gen Ed: SB---Introduction to the economics of markets and market economies. Basic concepts of demand, supply, production, prices, allocation of resources, and distribution of income. Public policy applications.
Englwrit 112H-College Writing-Gen Ed: CW---This intensive course in expository writing satisfies the First-Year Writing requirement. It focuses attention on the writing process i.e, pre-writing, composing, and editing. Students work with peer editing and in-class publication. Required Text: Andrea Lunsford, The Everyday Writer: A Brief Reference and Marcia Curtis et al, The Original Text-Wrestling Book.
Sch-Mgmt 191Z Global Business Seminar -- Business students must recognize that the global workplace is fluid, constantly moving in new directions with new challenges and issues every day. And that the world, as Thomas Friedman tells us, is truly flat. That the U.S. mortgage crisis can be felt in China, Europe, and Korea is testament to what we in the United States suspected but perhaps did not fully realize until now – the financial world is small, very small. 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. Regardless of their academic major, business school students must not only comprehend the magnitude of the decision making process of a multinational corporation but also the impact a small business located in Africa’s rural region has on the international economy and perhaps even on the political world. 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 2010: 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 Sch-Mgmt 191Z -Global Business Seminar.
Leadership Honors RAP (Fall 09)
Polisci 101H—American Politcis—Gen Ed: SB --- 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--is the first course in the two-part Honors Seminar Series. In this two-credit course, beginning honors students read a common text (chosen by upper-level Commonwealth College students; fall 09 book is 10 Little Indians by Sherman Alexie) as they are introduced to honors-level research, information literacy and communication skills. Students should plan to take the 291G Commonwealth Honors Seminar within their first two semesters in Commonwealth College, and continue on to the one-credit HONORS 391D, Advanced Honors Seminar.
Optional: Honors 397F--Front Page Seminar---Purpose: An opportunity to discuss current state, national, and global issues and events with talented faculty, distinguished community members, politicians, and influential alums. Class time will be devoted to vibrant and challenging discussions based on critical reading and analysis of newspaper articles on current issues Requirements: Reading the front page stories from the New York Times and the Boston Globe daily. Supplemental reading as needed. Objective: Training students as opinion leaders; to encourage them to be steadily engaged in the social, political and economic concerns of their time; to provide a context for interaction with experts and significant community members, and prepare them with verbal skills that are important in interviews for scholarships, graduate and professional schools, and employment.
Perspectives Honors RAP (Fall 09)
Soc 110H Introduction to Sociology—Gen Ed: SBU---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--is the first course in the two-part Honors Seminar Series. In this two-credit course, beginning honors students read a common text (chosen by upper-level Commonwealth College students; fall 09 book is 10 Little Indians by Sherman Alexie) as they are introduced to honors-level research, information literacy and communication skills. Students should plan to take the 291G Commonwealth Honors Seminar within their first two semesters in Commonwealth College, and continue on to the one-credit HONORS 391D, Advanced Honors Seminar.
Optional: Wost 187H—Introduction to Women’s Studies—Gen Ed: IU--- This class introduces basic concepts, perspectives, and key issues in Women's lives both historically and contemporaneously placing women's experiences at the center of interpretation. Students will have the opportunity to critically analyze and discuss current topics and issues from an inter-disciplinary and integrative focus as well as an overview of theoretical perspectives on gender and its intersection with other social constructs of difference, (race/ethnicity, class, disability, sexuality, and age), and to think about the ways in which these interlocking systems have shaped and influenced the historical, cultural, social, political, and economical contexts of our lives. The class will involve lots of discussion, conversations, and different ways of writing and doing theory. Students will also be involved in a community service project.
Rediscovery Honors RAP (Fall 09)
Classics 102H - Roman Civilization – Gen Ed: HS---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. This course requires regular attendance and participation in discussion. Evaluation will consist of a midterm examination, a final examination, three short papers (5 pages), and one final paper (10-12 pages).
Honors 291G--Commonwealth Honors Seminar--is the first course in the two-part Honors Seminar Series. In this two-credit course, beginning honors students read a common text (chosen by upper-level Commonwealth College students; fall 09 book is 10 Little Indians by Sherman Alexie) as they are introduced to honors-level research, information literacy and communication skills. Students should plan to take the 291G Commonwealth Honors Seminar within their first two semesters in Commonwealth College, and continue on to the one-credit HONORS 391D, Advanced Honors Seminar.
ORCHARD HILL: Dickinson— Science, Innovation & Leadership
Science & Math Honors RAP in Dickinson (Fall 09)
Choose one of the following; plus choose College Writing (if needed):
Phil 164H—Medical Ethics—Gen Ed: AT --- 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. Requirements: 3 analytical writing assignments, 3 in-class exams.
Chem 121H-Honors General Chemistry-Gen Ed: PS
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 131H—Calculus 1—Gen Ed: R2--- Honors version of Math 131. Topics of Math 131 will be covered in greater depth with more challenging problems. Recommended for First-years.
Math 132H ---Calculus 2—Gen Ed: R2---This 4-credit course will cover the standard subject matter, as given in the course syllabus, but in greater depth. This means that 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.
Englwrit 112H-College Writing-Gen Ed: CW---This intensive course in expository writing satisfies the First-Year Writing requirement. It focuses attention on the writing process i.e, pre-writing, composing, and editing. Students work with peer editing and in-class publication. Required Text: Andrea Lunsford, The Everyday Writer: A Brief Reference and Marcia Curtis et al, The Original Text-Wrestling Book.
Engin Honors RAP in Dickinson (Fall 09)
Students must be accepted into the College of Engineering in order to participate in Engineering Honors RAP. Choose one of the following; plus choose College Writing (if needed):
Chem 121H-Honors General Chemistry-Gen Ed: PS
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 131H—Calculus 1—Gen Ed: R2--- Honors version of Math 131. Topics of Math 131 will be covered in greater depth with more challenging problems. Recommended for First-years.
Math 132H ---Calculus 2—Gen Ed: R2---This 4-credit course will cover the standard subject matter, as given in the course syllabus, but in greater depth. This means that 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.
Englwrit 112H-College Writing-Gen Ed: CW---This intensive course in expository writing satisfies the First-Year Writing requirement. It focuses attention on the writing process i.e, pre-writing, composing, and editing. Students work with peer editing and in-class publication. Required Text: Andrea Lunsford, The Everyday Writer: A Brief Reference and Marcia Curtis et al, The Original Text-Wrestling Book.
CENTRAL: Butterfield—Writing & Literature
Creativity Honors RAP in Butterfield (Fall 09)
Located in Butterfield, this Honors RAP is appropriate for students interested in writing and literature:
Engl 254H-Writing and Reading Imaginative- Literature Gen Ed-ALU---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.
Englwrit 112H-College Writing-Gen Ed CW---This intensive course in expository writing satisfies the First-Year Writing requirement. It focuses attention on the writing process i.e, pre-writing, composing, and editing. Students work with peer editing and in-class publication. Required Text: Andrea Lunsford, The Everyday Writer: A Brief Reference and Marcia Curtis et al, The Original Text-Wrestling Book.
Optional Writing Butterfield Seminars
Reflections Honors RAP in Butterfield (Fall 09)
Located in Butterfield, this Honors RAP is appropriate for students interested in writing and literature:
CompLit 121H International Short Story: Film and Fiction ▪ GenEd: AL — In this class, we will discuss and write about short fiction and films from around the world, looking at the ways narratives are composed, the topics with which the) concern themselves, and how they seduce, teach, persuade, and surprise us. As this is a course in "international" literature and film, we will confront issues of translation, cultural gulfs and confluences, as well as the affinities and differences between short stories and films, between the written and the cinematic text. The class is designed as a collaborative project in which you and I explore texts together. As such, student participation is the backbone of the class. I will provide contexts, backgrounds and theoretical frameworks; however, it will be your ideas, observations, questions and discussions that fuel the course. Assignments: 5 short summaries of readings, two 2-4 page essays, 1 creative project; occasional in-class writing and written preparation for class, and an essay exam on the latter portion of the course; substantive, daily participation in class discussion.
Englwrit 112H-College Writing-Gen Ed: CW---This intensive course in expository writing satisfies the First-Year Writing requirement. It focuses attention on the writing process i.e, pre-writing, composing, and editing. Students work with peer editing and in-class publication. Required Text: Andrea Lunsford, The Everyday Writer: A Brief Reference and Marcia Curtis et al, The Original Text-Wrestling Book.
Optional Writing Butterfield Seminars
CENTRAL: Van Meter—Culture & the Arts
Explorations Honors RAP in Van Meter (Fall 09)
Psych 100H—Introduction to Psychology—Gen Ed: SB--- 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. The course will be limited to those first year students enrolled in Expressions Honors RAP in Commonwealth College. Students will be expected to attend class and be appropriately prepared for active participation.
Honors 291G--Commonwealth Honors Seminar--is the first course in the two-part Honors Seminar Series. In this two-credit course, beginning honors students read a common text (chosen by upper-level Commonwealth College students; fall 09 book is 10 Little Indians by Sherman Alexie) as they are introduced to honors-level research, information literacy and communication skills. Students should plan to take the 291G Commonwealth Honors Seminar within their first two semesters in Commonwealth College, and continue on to the one-credit HONORS 391D, Advanced Honors Seminar.
Expressions Honors RAP in Van Meter (Fall 09)
Music 150H-The Lively Arts-ALU---Students in the honors section must explore more deeply the material covered in the general course. In addition, the honors section adds an experimental dimension in photography, music, dance and multi-cultural arts. Honors students plan and present team project presentations. This course is intended for students who enjoy working in a less structured environment, are experimental minded, and are willing to take a risk. Students may also elect concurrently, honors colloquium for one additional credit. Enrollment in the colloquium requires completion of an approved, self-directed project.
Honors 291G--Commonwealth Honors Seminar--is the first course in the two-part Honors Seminar Series. In this two-credit course, beginning honors students read a common text (chosen by upper-level Commonwealth College students; fall 09 book is 10 Little Indians by Sherman Alexie) as they are introduced to honors-level research, information literacy and communication skills. Students should plan to take the 291G Commonwealth Honors Seminar within their first two semesters in Commonwealth College, and continue on to the one-credit HONORS 391D, Advanced Honors Seminar.
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.