Honors College Curriculum (for students enrolled after Fall 2026)
The Honors College offers highly motivated and high-achieving undergra
duates a liberal arts college experience within a large, urban, public research university. The Honors College is designed for students from all majors who want to transcend disciplinary boundaries, be innovative, and address challenging questions through the classroom and experiential learning. The Honors College prepares students to be skilled communicators, critical thinkers, creative visionaries, and problem solvers. Honors offers students opportunities to develop their understanding of language and culture locally and internationally, while also fostering an expansive perspective needed to succeed in the 21st century.
The Honors curriculum runs concurrently with a student’s program of study or degree requirements. Dedicated Honors advisors assist students in selecting courses that will fulfill graduation requirements and match students’ interests, while also providing guidance regarding experiences outside the classroom that will enhance their time at VCU.
Honors Core
The foundation of the Honors College curriculum is a series of courses that introduce students to the greater Richmond community, deepen our students’ ability to conduct research and creative scholarship, communicate their findings, and empower students to nurture their own well-being. The Honors College sparks students’ critical thinking and curiosity through individualized exploration and creative expression.
Research Writing and Critical Thinking
Most Honors students enter college with significant writing experiences. We want to build on those skills, working toward a true understanding of the critical thinking and reflection that must be a part of writing targeted toward professional audiences. Our program consists of:
- HONR 230 Intro to Academic Writing is taken by Honors students who do not enter VCU with credit for UNIV 111.
- HONR 240 Research Writing & Critical Thinking is taken by all first-year Honors students.
- HONR 340 From Problem to Solution: Advanced Research and Creative Scholarship is taken by continuing and transfer students.
Flourishing: The Applied Science of Wellbeing
College is a time of growth and exploration, but it can also be a time of intense pressure and stress, especially among students committed to high standards of excellence and achievement. Evidence-based theories and practices that promote personal wellbeing form the foundation of this class. Students in HONR 150 Flourishing: The Applied Science of Wellbeing will read primary research that illuminates the connection between emotional health, physical health, social relationships, mindfulness, and optimal daily functioning. Active exploration and personal application of specific wellbeing techniques and strategies are cornerstones of this experiential class. Students will learn to flourish by cultivating a healthy lifestyle throughout college and beyond.
In HONR 170 City as Text: Richmond, students work in small, diverse cohorts from the time they arrive on campus. Students study Richmond history, current social issues and inequities, and the concepts of community and community engagement. In the style of Humans of New York, cohorts interview Richmond area residents and post stories and photos to social media, with an eye toward better understanding the “danger of the single story” and the many aspects of community. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship among community engagement, social justice, and social change. They will communicate ethically, sensitively, and effectively with members of the campus and RVA communities.
After the first year, Honors students will deepen their understanding of their academic studies through Inquiry and Analysis coursework. Students may enroll in:
- Unique Honors seminars or modules (HONR 398, HONR 399, HONR 451)
- Honors sections or variants of discipline-specific courses
- Honors contracted discipline-specific courses
- Graduate-level courses
Honors students will engage in hands-on, “real world” experiences by participating in Honors Experiential Learning. Students may take part in:
- Immersive, interdisciplinary Honors coursework, such as HONR 460 Clash of Ideas
- Preceptoring for an Honors course (HONR 480)
- Honors study abroad opportunities (HONR 421)
- Honors Internship (HONR 493)
- Honors Independent Study (HONR 492)
- Honors Thesis Prep (HONR 498)
During their final year, Honors students will complete a Culminating Honors Experience through:
- Honors Senior Capstone (HONR 494)
- Honors Thesis (HONR 499)
- Approved departmental capstone projects