Curriculum

As an Honors College student, you are required to complete a set of Honors courses prior to graduation. The majority of these credits count towards general education requirements—meaning they will count toward both your degree and Honors College requirements. There are three main types of Honors requirements:

• Colloquia: All Honors College freshmen are enrolled in a two-part colloquium with a specific theme centered around the Honors College ideals of innovation and entrepreneurship. These will take place in the fall and spring semesters of your freshman year.
• Signature Honors Project: Students are asked develop their own thesis or creative portfolio and present their research through the Signature Honors Project. This can be done at any point prior to graduation. If your discipline offers a similar capstone project, students are allowed to double-count these projects.
• Seminars: Seminars are interdisciplinary courses that allow students to pursue a variety of interesting topics in a discussion-based setting. Seminars count for Honors credit and many will also satisfy university foundations credit. Chancellor’s Fellows are required to complete two seminars at any time during their undergraduate career. Centennial Fellows are required to complete one seminar at any time during their undergraduate career. We ask top faculty to propose unique and interesting topics and the best are chosen as seminar offerings for our students. (Interested faculty can click here to propose a seminar.) Past seminars have included:
  • Breaking Down the Barrier of Race in America: Developing Race Relations Solutions for East Carolina University
    Faculty: Dr. Eric Bailey (Department of Anthropology)
    Seminar Description: The improvement of race relations and social progress is not created by sitting, but by acting. This seminar utilizes the active approach by working with students in order to work towards researching race relations solutions via collecting background information, interviewing other North Carolina university administrators throughout the state, and discussion of said solutions and race issues. The course will culminate with participating students presenting race relations solutions to the Chancellor’s Office at East Carolina University.
  • The Psychology of Trauma
    Faculty: Dr. Heather Littleton (Department of Psychology)
    Seminar Description: Through fires, storms, disease, attacks, accidents, and war, humanity has illustrated time and time again what makes us human — resiliency. Humans are survivors, but the tragedy sometimes lingers. Trauma psychology is an issue that has been gaining professional traction in this recent age, and this seminar addresses the theory behind the condition as well as treatment approaches, and unique issues related to trauma.