How are university honors courses different from other courses? Are they harder?
Honors courses or seminars typically focus on cross-disciplinary and compelling topics. They appeal to students from every major. Most courses use active learning approaches over lectures; assign primary source readings and incorporate opportunities for independent, outside research. Generally, Honors courses are not “harder” than other courses. They are just formatted differently. The small class size allows for deeper discussion and critical thinking. Typically, the professor serves as coach or facilitator and provides students with regular feedback and assessment. Most faculty encourage students to take intellectual risks, meet with the faculty member individually, and involve them in making certain decisions regarding class direction.
