Proposing a Honors Colloquium
A guide for faculty
Basic Criteria and Information
- The Honors Colloquium is a one-time, three-credit course open only to current Honors students.
- The proposed course cannot replicate an existing or concurrently proposed/taught course at Tennessee Tech; the goal is to create a unique learning experience that would not otherwise be available. It is not an “Honors version” of another course.
- Instructors must have academic qualifications appropriate for a 4000-level course on the proposed topic.
- Enrollment is limited to about 20 students to ensure that the course is a seminar-style, interactive course, rather than a lecture, and that the students and faculty have meaningful and direct communication.
- The course should be intellectually challenging, but should be designed for Honors students from all disciplines. Honors Colloquia encourage Honors students to experience the complex questions of fields very different from their own, and to do so with neither oversimplification nor with penalty.
- All Honors Colloquia are subject to approval by the Honors Council. The Honors Council reviews proposals during the academic year on a rolling basis.
A proposal for an Honors Colloquium should include
- Proposed course title:
- Name(s) and department(s) of instructor(s):
- Verification that the course is not an “honors version” of an existing course, one that is planned to run concurrently, or that is under review. (Courses in the disciplines are very welcome to be offered, instead, as Honors sections in the faculty member’s department pending approval by that department.)
- Academic qualifications of the faculty member(s) to teach this course
- Description of the course, including (but not limited to) questions the course will address
- Goals: Why is this topic suitable and compelling for a group of students from diverse majors? Goals should reach for higher-order thinking, rather than being primarily focused on how-to skills or introductory information.
- Requirements, including proposed assignments, grading, and expectations: A full syllabus is not required in the proposal, but reviewers want to understand how students will be evaluated. Emphasis on quizzes and exams is
- Methods of instruction: Courses that are primarily lecture are not appropriate for colloquia. What will happen in the classroom?
- Preferred semester for teaching the course
- If the Colloquium is approved by Honors Council, are you planning to submit an application for an Honors Colloquium Creative Inquiry (EDGE) Grant? If so, the funds will be used to directly enhance the learning experience of the students enrolled during the semester in which the Colloquium is taught. It is not an application for five-year funding (the standard EDGE requirement) because of the fact that different Colloquia are offered each semester.
Send your proposal to LRRoberts@tntech.edu. Complete proposals that meet guidelines will be reviewed by the Honors Council. Thank you for your interest in the Honors Colloquium.
