General Education
Requirements
Every Honors College member is expected to complete the following courses in general education (each course being 3-4 credits):
- 1 course in introductory writing
- 2 courses in the area of the arts and humanities
- 2 courses (lecture classes) in the area of the natural sciences
- 2 courses in the area of the social sciences
A student may propose substituting additional courses in one general education area for work in another if such a substitution would contribute in a meaningful way to the student's overall program. The expectation in most cases is that a student would use this flexibility to strengthen those general education areas not covered extensively by the student's major or majors.
For Honors College members, these requirements replace the University's Integrative Studies and Writing requirements. Honors students are expected to complete an enriched program of courses in the general education areas. All courses selected to meet these requirements must be approved by an Honors College Academic Specialist/Adviser from Eustace-Cole Hall and recorded on the Academic Progress Plan.
Some of these requirements may be met with Advanced Placement (AP) credits (each student must consult a Honors College Academic Specialist/Adviser about use of AP credit). Occasionally, some of the requirements may be met by taking Integrative Studies courses (for example, when Honors sections are offered or when a student is admitted to the Honors College after the first semester of the freshman year). However, Honors students will be expected to complete general education by and large with courses other than those offered as Integrative Studies.
Guidelines for Selecting General Education Courses
Because of the flexibility allowed in an Honors College program of study, no absolute rules about selecting general education courses or exhaustive lists of possible choices can be drawn up. A course which might be deemed appropriate for general education in one student's program might not be approved for another's program. To ensure that the freedom allowed in fulfilling these requirements is used effectively to enrich the general education experience, this component of a student's program must be carefully planned. The following guidelines should be kept in mind when choosing general education courses.
WRITING. Any student who has not earned advanced placement credit or waiver in writing (via an AP English exam) must complete a one-semester course in composition. Honors Tier I writing courses (AL 192H, WRA 195H) are available for students who are placed into Honors writing during the Academic Orientation Program. An Honors College member may satisfy the writing requirement by taking something other than a Tier I course provided the course chosen contains a substantial writing component. The Department of English offers several writing classes, and courses in areas such as history or philosophy often have an emphasis on writing and make acceptable choices. Foreign language composition courses, however, may not be used toward fulfilling the writing requirement.
ARTS AND HUMANITIES includes the areas of literature and language, history, philosophy, religious studies, and the fine arts. Some courses in these areas are considered "skills" courses and are not appropriate for general education. For example, foreign language courses which focus on learning vocabulary and grammar (usually the first two years of study) or on practicing composition or conversation are not suitable. Foreign language literature courses, however, make excellent general education selections for students who desire a third year of language study. Similarly, art and music courses which deal with techniques are not acceptable options, while art history and music history courses are appropriate choices. Most of the courses which are suitable for general education in the arts and humanities area are offered by departments in the College of Arts and Letters.
NATURAL SCIENCES includes the physical and biological sciences. Honors College members who elect to take departmental offerings in the natural sciences are not required to take one course in physical and one course in biological science, and, depending on the courses selected, are not necessarily held to a laboratory requirement. For those members, most of the courses suitable for general education will be found among offerings from departments in the College of Natural Science. Some are found in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, with a few found in the College of Social Science.
SOCIAL SCIENCES includes the social, behavioral, and economic sciences. Most courses in anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology make suitable general education classes. Courses focussing on research methods and data analysis normally are not allowable choices.
Using Advanced Placement Credit for General Education
Credit earned through College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams may be applied to the general education requirements as described below. Courses for which AP credit has been awarded will not be counted toward general education unless they have been recorded on the APP and approved by an Honors College Academic Specialist/Adviser. Any student who wishes to receive MSU credit through Advanced Placement exams must make certain that AP scores have been sent to MSU.
WRITING. A student who earns a score of 4 or 5 on an AP English exam (either Literature or Language) receives credit for a Tier I writing course and has fulfilled the writing requirement. Earning a score of 3 allows a student to waive the Tier I course; although no credit is awarded, the student's writing requirement is considered to be satisfied.
ARTS AND HUMANITIES. AP credit only earned via an American History, Art History, European History, or World History exam may be counted toward general education.
NATURAL SCIENCES. AP credit only earned in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, or Physics (any version of the exam) may be counted toward this area.
SOCIAL SCIENCES. AP credit only in Economics (Microeconomics or Macroeconomics), Government and Politics (American Government or Comparative Government), Human Geography, or Psychology may be used toward the social sciences requirement.
