Inver Hills Community College is committed to attracting and retaining academically talented students by providing quality, affordable, accessible honors education. The Honors Program provides the careful guidance, personal instruction, and learning environment needed to foster the achievement of individual goals and ambition. By challenging the college's best students, the Honors Program develops opportunities for students to expand their knowledge in greater depth and breadth to address better the contemporary challenges of today's world.
Honors courses are specially-designated sections of general and pre-major courses open to highly-motivated, academically talented students. Honors classes are designed to stimulate and challenge students while providing them with an opportunity to enrich and broaden their academic experiences. Students will take an active role in their learning by working closely with instructors and other students of similar abilities.
Enrollment in honors classes is limited to current Inver Hills and transfer students with a cumulative GPA of 3.2, or entering students with a high school GPA of 3.5. Honors courses are open to students in all majors and all programs of study.
Honors courses will provide you with exceptional opportunities to develop your intellectual abilities in an innovative classroom environment. Students taking honors coursework can anticipate smaller classes, close instructor-student interaction, intellectually challenging activities and projects, and unique opportunities for student research.
Not harder, necessarily, but more challenging. Honors students are encouraged to examine issues and themes from multiple and contrasting perspectives. Honors courses are taught as seminars, providing an ideal environment for developing effective communication and critical-thinking skills. Emphasis is placed on student initiative in discussion, research, and presentation.
The major difference between Honors courses and non-honors courses is not the amount of work required, but the level of work required. Honors courses emphasize enrichment over acceleration, meaning we define Honors more by the nature of the learning experience than by the amount of work assigned. Because an invitation to take honors courses at Inver Hills Community is based on strong academic preparation and outstanding performance in the classroom, honors students are expected to be curious, motivated, responsible, and serious about their education.
Honors courses will be noted on your transcripts and recognized at graduation.
Spring 2010 honors course offerings include Psychology 2250-91, Abnormal Psychology. Taught by Jason Kaufman, Honors Abnormal Psychology will explore the symptoms, causes, and treatment of the psychological disorders found in the human population. Pertinent theories and research will be discussed regarding such issues as the mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and substance-related disorders, and personality disorders. The class will consider real psychopathology in real people. Come prepared to read, to debate, and to learn!
Also available for Honors Credit this spring is Anthony Collins’ The Research Paper, a web-enhanced course designed for self-motivated learners comfortable with the Internet.
In addition these specially-designated honors sections, qualified students have the opportunity to take other college courses for honors credit. Before registering, contact instructors to inquire whether the class you want to register for is available for honors credit. Once you've received permission from the instructor, complete the Honors Contract (available at the registration office). Turn the form in when you register.
Under this option, enrollment in a section of a regularly offered class provides you with assignments that are more challenging and with more opportunities for self-directed learning, discussion, and interaction. If any student finds that he or she cannot do the work at the honors level, the instructor can arrange with the student to do the regular work for the course and earn regular credit. If you successfully complete the honors contract, the course is documented as "Honors" on your transcript. (Not all sections or courses are available for honors registration.)
If you have questions about the program, contact the Honors Program Coordinator at nnownes@inverhills.edu.