Courses, Add-Ons, And Independent Studies

Honors classes, Add-ons, and Independent Studies of 1-4 credits are open to the entire Skidmore Community. Beginning 2012, we are no longer granting Honors Forum credit for study abroad portfolios. Courses developed specifically for the Honors Forum expect a high degree of involvement from participants and present more sophisticated materials and assignments to provide a challenging academic experience. Opportunities also exist for Forum students to create a 1-credit Add-on to enhance any existing course, do collaborative research with faculty, undertake independent and interdisciplinary study at an earlier than usual point in their academic career, and to share their research and creative accomplishments with the wider Skidmore College community. Students wishing to pursue Independent Studies must submit a proposal to the HF Director by the first days of each term.

• Courses
• Add-Ons
• Independent Studies

Honors classes and Classes with designated Honors Add-ons are offered across the Skidmore curriculum.  For a list of Honors Forum classes, check out the course list below and the Master Schedule to see which courses are offered in a given semester.

100-Level Honors Courses and Add-ons

• “The British Empire,” HI 110H

Tillman Nechtman

CD

• “Calculus II,” MA 113H

David Vella or Daniel Hurwitz

• “Color”, HF 100 (Add-on)

Janet Sorenson

• “Ecology of Food,” BI 115H

Monica Raveret Richtor

• English 105H, Topics chosen by Instructor

The English Department

• “Honors Problem Solving,” MA 126H

David Vella or Daniel Hurwitz

• “Intensive General Chemistry,” CH 107H

Kimberley Frederick

• “Introduction to Microeconomics,” EC 104H

Lynda Vargha

• “Honors: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology,” AN 101W

Michael Ennis-McMillan

• “Introduction to Philosophy,” PH 101H

Reginald Lily

• "The Land of Absurdity," EN 105H

Martha Wiseman

• "Writing on Demand," EN 105H

Linda Hall

200-Level Honors Courses and Add-ons

• “Close Relationships,” SO 224H

Susan Walzer

• “The Enlightenment,” HI 224H

Erica Bastress-Dukehart

• “Galaxies and Cosmology,” PY 221H

Mary Crone Odekon

• “General Physics I Honors,” PY 207H

Andrew Skinner

• “Hindu Religion and Art,” HF 200 (Add-on)

Joel Smith

• “Honors Problem Solving,” MA 226H

David Vella or Daniel Hurwitz

• “Inorganic Compounds and Materials,” CH 207H

Steven Frey

• “Introduction to Medieval Literature,” EN 229H

Kate Greenspan

• “New England Begins,” AM 232H

Gregory Pfitzer

• "Peer Health Education," HF 215

J. McDonald

• Peer Mentor Seminar, ID 201H

Beau Breslin and David Karp

L

• "Problem Solving," MA 225H

• "Problem Solving," MA 325H

• Science Literacy Clusters, HF 200 Sections 003-019

• “Sociologic Imagination,” SO 211H

John Brueggemann

• “Stories of English,” EN 229H

Kate Greenspan

• “Citizen Studentship,” HF 203

Roy Rotheim

• "Thinking About Race-Ethnicity," HF 200

Jennifer Delton

• “Twentieth Century Art,” HF 200 (Add-on)

Katie Hauser

• “Van Gogh on Film,” HF 200 (Add-on)

Mimi Hellman

• “The Victorian Illustrated Book,” EN 228H

Catherine Golden

300-Level Honors Courses and Add-ons

• “Chaucer,” HF 300 (Add-on)

Kate Greenspan

• “Workplace Diversity," MB 336H

Pushkala Prasad

CD

• “French Revolution on Film,” HF 300 (Add-on)

Mimi Hellman

• “Honors Problem Solving,” MA 326H

David Vella

• “Illustrated Book,” HF 300 (Add-on)

Penny Jolly

• “Imaginaries of Travel:  India,” HF 300 (Add-on)

Aditi Chandra

• “Jane Austen in Bath,” HF 300, TX 300A (Travel Seminar)

Catherine Golden

• “Music in South Asia,” HF 300 (Add-on)

Gordon Thompson

• Nineteenth-Century Novel,” HF 300 (Add-on)

Catherine Golden

• “Paleoclimatology Practicum,” HF 300 (Add-on)

Amy Frappier“

• “Peer Tutoring Project,” EN 303H

Phil Boshoff or Martha Wiseman

L

• “Senior Research Project II,” PS 376H

The Psychology Department

• “Social Psychology Research,” PS 320H

Holly Hodgins

 

EW = Expository Writing

L = Leadership

CD = Cultural Diversity

Course Add-ons (1 credit)

One credit hour Add-ons are a great way to add intellectual challenge to a pre-existing course. Some courses have HF add-ons listed on the Registrar’s Master Schedule under “Honors Forum,” which students can choose to take in addition to the “parent” course. All students who wish to take a designated HF Add-on must enroll in the "parent" course. If there is no scheduled Add-on for a course you would like to take for Honors Forum credit, you can work with the professor to propose an independent study or a group independent study. These are usually extended studies of material covered in the course that the student(s) and professor would like to study in more detail. Proposing an Add-on is the same as proposing an independent study. You and your professor will need to submit the independent study proposal form, available on the Honors Forum website, to the Honors Forum Director for approval. Click the link for model courses and Add-ons (click here)

Independent Study

When it comes to Honors Forum independent studies, you have two options: HF271/272 (Fall/Spring) for first years and sophomores or HF371/372 (Fall/Spring) for juniors and seniors. Honors independent studies may be for 1-4 credit hours and be repeated with a different topic for credit; however, currently only a total of 3 credits will be counted toward the HF 3 course/ 7 credits.

The Process:

1. Find a faculty sponsor who will oversee your study.

2. Write a proposal with your sponsor, detailing what you will be doing during the semester in your independent study. Make sure to explain the work you will produce (e.g. paper, presentation, exhibition, research) and how this HF independent study will add to your intellectual development. Take time to compose a clear, specific, and well-written proposal.

3. Submit this proposal to the Honors Council via HF Director, for approval. The Director may request revisions before approving your course; not all proposals are deemed Honors-worthy.