Curriculum

Applicable for students starting Fall 2025 and beyond

Overview

The Honors Program offers a stimulating and enriching academic experience designed for students who seek to move beyond traditional classroom learning. Honors courses emphasize interdisciplinary thinking, active learning and real-world engagement.

All Honors courses

• Fulfill Liberal Arts and Sciences Core requirements
• Count toward graduation in the student’s major
• Remain valid even if a student later exits the Honors Program

To complete the Honors Program, students must fulfill both academic and co-curricular requirements.

Course Requirements

Academic Requirements

18 Honors Credits Total

Students must complete 18 credits of Honors courses, structured as follows:

1. Mandatory Honors Courses

These courses are required for all Honors students:

• LAS498H – Professional Portfolio, 0 credits
  A structured e portfolio documenting academic work, leadership development, co-curricular engagement, and professional growth throughout the Honors experience.
• LAS499H – Honors Interdisciplinary Capstone, 3 credits
  A faculty supervised interdisciplinary project addressing real world challenges.
  The capstone culminates in
  – a scholarly written output
  – a public presentation

Note: These courses are typically completed in the senior year.

2. Artificial Intelligence Requirement 3 credits required

All Honors students must complete one AI designated Honors course:

• LAS211H – Artificial Intelligence
  This course builds AI literacy, ethical awareness, and critical engagement with emerging technologies.
  This is a program requirement, not an elective.

3. Change Makers Pathway minimum 3 credits required

Students must complete at least 3 credits from Change Makers designated Honors courses.
These courses focus on societal challenges, sustainability, ethics, wellbeing, leadership, and applied problem solving.
Available courses include:

• LAS201H – Water Security
• LAS202H – Sustainable Food Systems
• LAS204H – Technology, Ethics, and the Global Society
• LAS205H – Digital Cultures
• LAS206H – Minds and Machines
• LAS207H – Introduction to Migration Studies
• LAS208H – Wellbeing Matters
• LAS209H – Doing Gender, Contextual Approaches
• LAS301H – Debating Sustainability
• LAS302H – Inquiry for Innovation

Additional Change Makers courses beyond the minimum also count toward the 18 Honors credits.

4. LASC Core Courses in Honors Sections 0 to 6 credits

Some students may complete part of their Liberal Arts and Sciences Core as Honors courses.
When taken as Honors sections, these courses count toward the 18 Honors credits:

• ENG202H – Advanced Academic English
• COM203H – Art of Public Communication

Students in the School of Engineering and the School of Architecture and Design may be required to take both courses as Honors sections.
Students should confirm with their Honors advisor.

5. Honors Eligible LASC Courses

remaining credits to reach 18

To complete the total 18 Honors credits, students may select additional Honors designated LASC courses across disciplines.
These may include:

• Additional Change Makers courses
• Honors courses from the humanities, social sciences, arts, and sciences

Co-Curricular Requirements

Honors Workshops and Experiential Learning

In addition to academic coursework, the Honors Program includes a mandatory co-curriculum designed to develop students’ essential soft skills for academic, professional, and personal success.

The Honors co-curriculum focuses on:

• Emotional intelligence
• Communication and debate
• Leadership and change
• Career development
• Wellbeing and life balance
• Resilience and purpose

Students engage in workshops, service learning, and leadership experiences.
All co-curricular activities are documented in the Professional Portfolio (LAS498H).

Workshop Requirements

Minimum 3 workshops required

Students must complete at least three Honors workshops from the approved list below. Workshops cover diverse topics and are offered throughout the academic year.

Approved workshops include:

• WRK202H – Life Balance
• WRK203H – Skills of Debate
• WRK205H – Steer Your Career I
• WRK207H – Leadership and Change
• WRK208H – Comm U nicate
• WRK209H – Ace Your Interview
• WRK210H – Own the Stage How to Deliver More Impactful Presentations
• WRK216H – Developing Stronger Relationships through Emotional Intelligence
• WRK219H – Pitching in Public
• WRK222H – Learning Agility
• WRK225H – Meaning and Purpose Discovery
• WRK226H – Meaning Purpose and Well Being
• WRK227H – Finding Optimism in Challenging Times
• WRK228H – Guideposts to Choice and Conscious Decision Making
• WRK229H – How to Undergo a Meaningful Fulfilled Life
• WRK230H – The Values Workshop
• WRK231H – Building Life Resilience through Meaning
• WRK232H – Navigating Disruptive Tech The Role of Human Leadership
• WRK233H – Falling Forward
• WRK234H – Time Management and Productivity Mastery
• WRK235H – The Power of Positive Thinking Unlock Your Potential for Success
• WRK236H – Connecting Academia to Community Amplifying Your Voice for Social Engagement

Additional workshops may be approved and announced during the academic year.

Applicable for students who started prior to Fall 2025

Students enrolled in the Honors Program before Fall 2025 follow earlier requirements. Please consult with your Honors advisor for applicable courses, workshops, and completion guidelines.