Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar: Pre-Meeting Survey

UNIV 3784, Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar, is a 3 credit Honors credit grading basis course that has been offered in Stamford since 1993 with changing topics. The topic is often broad to accommodate an interdisciplinary line-up of guest speakers (see last fall 2020 topic and list for reference).

The role of this course, as offered in Stamford, is to bring together students in a community of scholars to help them apply their skills in an interdisciplinary setting and receive mentorship that facilitates their transition to “producers of knowledge” within their own fields. This course can jumpstart the Honors thesis or works as a standalone experience. Some remember the seminar as their most meaningful university experience.

Course structure: The course meets once a week and guest speakers present for approximately 10 of the 15 weeks, with the other weeks held for discussion between classmates about their projects and the course topic. 50% of the course grade is based on the open discussion in class with the guest speakers and classmates (and on HuskyCT) as well as the additional discussion of the topic of each student’s term project. The other 50% of the grade consists of a term paper or project on a topic in the student’s major under the supervision of a faculty member in their major. The student and faculty supervisor decide upon the topic and nature of the project so that students can progress in their area of interest; the faculty supervisor determines this portion of the grade in the course.

Course administration: The course has been taught every year since 1993, with Richard Watnick taking over in 2000 as primary instructor responsible for topic selection, recruiting guest speakers, leading class, and serving as instructor of record. Prior to that, there was a team approach to teaching the course with responsibilities split for coordination and teaching between 2-4 faculty members.

Other critical team members involved in the course include each of the guest speakers (responsible for topic and content for one week in the semester) and the faculty project supervisors (responsible for mentoring individual student(s) in their pursuit of their term paper/project and grading that portion). Teaching the course, serving as a guest speaker, and supervising a project have all been voluntary add-ons to date.

Role within Honors: Honors students (typically juniors or seniors) are able to add the course without a permission number and determine their faculty supervisor for their project after adding the course. It has been offered in fall or spring semesters depending on need, and most recently in fall semesters to support Honors juniors and those newly admitted to Honors over the summer as a first engagement opportunity with Honors.

Non-Honors students have always been invited to take the course with the support of a faculty member and via a permission number.

The course can be used toward the required 6 Honors credits each academic year and toward the 30 credits needed for University Honors Laureate, but it does not count toward the distribution requirement (disciplinary categories) since it’s interdisciplinary. The course has potential for counting toward Honors Scholar in the major (courses in or related to major); this decision is up to each Honors advisor to approve for their major.

Currently there are Honors students in the course from CLAS, ENGR, BUSN, and FINA and how the course is being approved will be showcased on Honors Preliminary Plans of Study (due around the time of this meeting).

We know that we have some new and seasoned Honors advisors, so please answer these questions to the best of your ability, knowing full well that your responses might evolve after our meeting.

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In your experience, how does this course add value to an Honors education at UConn Stamford?

As it is currently offered, does UNIV 3784 get approved as an “in or related to major” course for Honors Scholar in the major in your department?

Yes

I don't know

If yes, what are the critical components of the course that you rely on to count it?

If no, are there adaptations to the course that you would support that would allow it to count in Honors Scholar in the major?

If "I don’t know", what would you like to know more about the course?

What other courses (if any) will Honors students in your major take (or convert) to help them toward completing an Honors thesis? (List course subject and numbers if you know them and when they are expected to take them; Example: HIST 4997W in last semester)

When and how often would UNIV 3784 ideally be offered (fall or spring) if it is included in your Honors Scholar Plan of Study?

What ideas do you have for the course and its continued offering? (Could be related to teaching, funding, structure, student recruitment, revamping, etc)

What else haven’t we considered that we should?

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