Honors Program

• Information for Summer Orientation Students and Advisors

  Honors Program Advisor (Tricia Sweet) is available every day from 12:00-1:00 on Zoom during Summer Orientation to meet with Honors Program students (including students who are interested in the Honors Program, but who haven't applied yet).

  Honors Program Director (Jason Nice) is available to answer questions every day during Summer Orientation and can be reached by email, on Discord (Jason Nice#2072), or on Zoom (by same-day appointment).

  Students interested in applying to the Honors Program should learn more about the program, and apply as soon as possible.  Ideally, students should apply before Summer Orientation, but the Honors Program Director will review same-day applications during Orientation.  On the day of Summer Orientation, students must apply by 1:00pm in order to sign up for Honors courses during the afternoon course registration session (2:30-4:15).

  Transfer students can earn Honors in General Education by completing upper-division GE courses with three Honors (HNRS) courses.  We are accepting applications from transfer students, but transfer students should wait until Spring 22 to take an HNRS course for upper-division Area B, and then complete Areas C and D with our two-course capstone sequence in Fall 22 and Spring 23.  Beginning in 22-23, we will have two different capstone sequences for studnets to complete Areas C and D: one sequence will focus on undergraduate research and creativity and culminate in a thesis or creative project; and the other sequence will focus on leadership, power, and change (both theoretically and in practice).  So, for new transfer students admitted to the Honors Program, it is very important that you do not enroll in any upper-division GE courses in Fall 21: please save these courses for Spring 22, Fall 22, and Spring 23.

  For first-time students, when selecting/advising Honors classes for Fall 21, it is important to remember that our courses can fulfill multiple GE areas: students can choose the GE Area that best fits into their major/schedule. These are the lower-division courses available for Fall 21 (click on the next dropdown for more information about the class (course title, professor, etc.):

  HNRS 198 (in person: this course meets GE Area C2)

  HNRS 200CW, 200DW, and 200EW (online: this a 9-unit course, and students must have all three courses in their shopping cart in order to enroll, and it meets three of the following GE Areas: A2, C1, C2, D, or E)

  HNRS 201W (in person: this course can meet one of the following GE Areas: A2, C1, C2, or E)

  HNRS 202 (online: this course can meet one of the the following GE Areas: B1, B2, C2, or E)

  HNRS 203W (in person: this course can meet one of the following GE Areas: A2, C2, D, or E)

  What classes should first-time students take in addition to at least one Honors class the first semester? We recommend students consider enrolling in CMST 131 or CMST 132 to satisfy A1, History 130, Political Science 155, a quantitative reasoning class to satisfy A4 (B4), and/or a course in their major. We encourage students to save GE areas C, D, and E for Honors classes in future semesters. This recommendation is especially important for those students who find it impossible to enroll in an honors class their first semester. 

  Ethnic Studies? The Honors Program is so excited about this new GE requirement for first-time students. If you are interested in completing the Ethnic Studies requirement within the Honors Program, then don't sign up for an Area F Ethnic Studies course in Fall 21, and consider taking a new Honors course (Ethnic Studies Methodologies) in the spring semester. 

• Updated June 1: Fall Semester Honors Courses (in-person, online, etc.)

  FULLY IN-PERSON (in accordance with health and safety guidelines):

  HNRS 198, "On Memory," taught by Heather Altfeld (Professor of Poetry and Literature). The course meets on campus on Tuesdays and Thursdsays from 9:30-10:45am.  This course fulfills GE Area C2.

  HNRS 201W, "Beauty," taught by Professor Heather Altfeld (specializing in Poetry and Literature) and Professor Ed Pluth (specializing in Philosophy). This course meets on campus on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00-5:15pm. This course can fulfill either of the following GE Areas: A2, C1, C2, or E. Contact the Honors Advisor to identify the most appropriate GE Area for your degree plan.

  HNRS 203W, “Justice,” taught by Professor Lateasha Meyers (specializing in African-American / Black Studies). This course meets on campus on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00-2:15. This course can fulfill either of the following GE Areas: A2, C2, D1, D2 or E. Contact the Honors Advisor to identify the most appropriate GE Area for your degree plan.

  HNRS 399, section 1, "Thesis," taught by Professor Heather Altfeld (specializing in Poetry and Literature). This a two-semester capstone course for students in their final year of the program, and is intended for students intending to write a thesis that relies mostly on qualitative data: e.g., Arts and Humanities and Social Science theses that use less numerical data.  This course meet on campus on Mondays from 12:00-12:50pm. This course can fulfill any Upper-Division GE Area: contact the Honors Advisor to identify the most appropriate GE Area for your degree plan.

  IN-PERSON OR ONLINE: 

  HNRS 399, section 2, "Thesis," taught by Professor Bailey (specializing in Mathematics and Education).  This a two-semester capstone course for students in their final year of the program, and is intended for students intending to write a thesis that relies primarily upon quantitative data and experiments: e.g. STEM and Social Science theses that use more numerical data.  This course meet on campus on Mondays from 11:00-11:50pm and will be broadcast synchronously on Zoom.  This course can fulfill any Upper-Division GE Area: contact the Honors Advisor to identify the most appropriate GE Area for your degree plan.

  FULLY ONLINE

  HNRS 200CW, 200DW, and 200EW, "Honors Survey of Civilization," taught by Professors Kirk Monfort (specializing in Philosophy) and Tricia Sweet (specializing in Literature).  This nine-unit, fully online course, meets on Zoom on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00-11:50am.  This course can fulfill three of the following GE Areas: A2, C1, C2, D1, D2, or E.  Contact the Honors Advisor to identify the most appropriate GE Areas for your degree plan.

  HNRS 202, "Nature," taught by Professor Tricia Sweet (specializing in Literature).  This fully online course meets on Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:45pm.  This course can fulfill either of the following GE Areas: B1, B2, C2, or E. Contact the Honors Advisor to identify the most appropriate GE Area for your degree plan.

  HNRS 320, "Science and Human Values," taught by Professors Kristen Mahlis (specializing in Women's Studies) and Don Miller (specializing in Biology).  This fully online course meets on Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30-1:45pm.  This course can fulfill either Upper-Division GE Area B or C. Contact the Honors Advisor to identify the most appropriate GE Area for your degree plan.

  All Spring 2022 Honors Courses are currently being scheduled fully in-person, in accordance with health and safety guidelines.

The Honors Program, also called Honors in General Education, adds value to a Chico State degree and enhances opportunities after graduation by providing an innovative, inclusive, and challenging interdisciplinary arts and sciences education that culminates in an integrative capstone project. The program attracts and supports an inquisitive and diverse group of first-year, transfer, and international students through personalized advising, engaged faculty, and intentional community.

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Benefits of the Honors Program

The Honors Program offers students a special way to complete requirements for graduation. There are no additional costs or fees to participate in the Honors Program, but students who complete the program receive special recognition that makes their degree from Chico State even more valuable.

• Greater involvement in the cultural, intellectual, and social life of the University
• Opportunity to work with great professors and motivated students
• Priority registration until graduation
• Recognition at graduation with a medallion and certificate
• Recognition on your diploma and transcripts
• Personalized academic advising and guidance
• Opportunity to live in Honors Housing