Junior Year Common Experience

This Honors Signature course, designed especially for juniors*, covers an interdisciplinary topic of broad interest. The current course investigates the “Big Ideas” that have changed, and are currently changing, disciplinary fields and areas of great importance that are impacting our social, political, economic, and cultural lives. The format is innovative, with each lecture given by a faculty member from a different department, so students get to know faculty across disciplines and find possible topics for honors theses.

As you start concentrating on your major during your junior year, there are fewer opportunities for the exchange of ideas with CHC students or faculty members outside your discipline. The Junior Year Common Experience provides an opportunity to expand your intellectual and analytical explorations in the company of CHC students and faculty members from a range of academic interests. 

The topic of this interdisciplinary course varies, but each option will consider a thought-provoking topic from multiple perspectives, including humanities, arts, science and social science. While this course is not required, it is strongly encouraged.  

This 4-credit course also fulfills the university-wide U.S. Diversity (DU) requirement and Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB) requirements. 

* Although designed for CHC juniors, the course may be taken by CHC seniors. Sophomores who are planning to study abroad or have other extenuating circumstances may take this course with permission from the instructor.