The Program Curriculum
The Honors curriculum has evolved over time. The program required 18 honors credits until 2012, but as of September 2012 that number has increased to 24. Eighteen of these credits are in Core Education Program (CORE) courses required for all students. The list below identifies the CORE honors courses, all of which are three-credit courses.
- UNIV 112 – Focused Inquiry II
- UNIV 200 – Writing and Rhetoric
- ENGL 215 – Textual Analysis
- ENGL 388 - Writing in the Workplace
- PHYS 107 – Wonders of Technology
- SOCY 100 – General Sociology
In addition to the 18 core credits, students are required to complete three credits in their major.
- Art History: Art Historical Methods
- Fashion Design: Business of Design
- Graphic Design: Business of Design
- Interior Design courses: Business of Design
- Painting and Printmaking: Concepts and Issues (2 credits rather than 3)
Honors students may fulfill the remaining honors credits, to achieve a total of 24, in any combination of the following courses:
General Education courses:
- Art History Survey II
- Honors-Only Topics (when offered)
- Introduction to Contemporary Math
Courses in the major:
- Senior Seminar (capstone)
- Senior Studio (capstone)
- Senior Design Studio II (capstone)
The program offers two additional ways for students to earn honors credit:
First, students may work with a willing faculty member to develop an honors component in a course that does not already have an approved component. This is known as a non-honors-to-honors course contract. Students can earn a maximum of six credits with this option.
Second, students have the option of developing an Honors Independent Study and presenting it to a faculty member. Should the faculty member agree to work with the student in supervising and grading the work, and should the contract be approved by the VCUarts Qatar Honors Program coordinator and the VCU Honors College, the student may earn a maximum of nine independent-study credits, thus potentially capitalizing on unique study opportunities that might develop external to the honors curriculum.