Call for Honors Seminar Proposals

The WWU Honors Program invites proposals for not fewer than 20 seminars (3 credit-hour courses) to be offered during the 2020-2021 academic year. Honors Seminars are junior/senior-level courses and may be on any subject; interdisciplinary proposals are strongly encouraged. Seminars are small, highly interactive, with a limit of 15 students, focusing on discussion, composition, problem solving, or group projects. The Honors Board (comprised of faculty and students) will rank proposals in late January and the director will contact successful applicants and their department chairs to discuss schedules.

Proposals should not exceed two pages but may include in addition, sample syllabi, bibliographies, or other attachments. The Honors Board likes to know what students are to learn, how that learning will be assessed, and that the courses are designed to provide a three credit-hour experience. Instructors who have taught in Honors previously must include class evaluations for those classes or a representative sample. Faculty who have not previously taught an Honors class should include evaluations for similar classes, e.g., small, discussion oriented or problem-solving classes. 

WHERE:  Send proposals in electronic form only to Honors@wwu.edu.

WHEN:  Proposals are due not later than 5 pm on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020.

PLEASE NOTE:  An Honors Seminar is an excellent way to try out a new class and to teach a group of highly motivated, high-achieving students. Many Honors Seminars are born from the ideas of faculty who have always wanted to teach an experimental class, sometimes in the faculty member’s department, and sometimes in another, allied area, but the opportunity has not been available.  In many instances, Honors seminars become part of the faculty member’s suite of permanent course offerings. Faculty are limited to one seminar proposal per year, and no particular seminar will be taught in consecutive years, though a faculty member may teach different seminars in consecutive years.

QUESTIONS?  E-mail or phone the Honors Program Director at scott.linneman@wwu.edu or (360) 650-3446.