Robert Donald Clark Honors College
The Clark Honors College provides curious and motivated students with a broad-based liberal arts education that combines challenging academic coursework with hands-on learning experiences, internships, research, and other opportunities that allow them to develop skills that will support their individual career goals. Our award-winning faculty and staff empower students and help them develop into critical thinkers, excellent communicators, and future leaders so they can help find solutions to some of the world’s most urgent issues.
Clark Honors College is a community rich with diverse perspectives and opinions, reflected in the make-up of faculty, staff, and students, and the content of curriculum and programming. We offer small, discussion-based classes where our students learn from a curriculum taught primarily by core faculty who are dedicated to teaching excellence, pedagogical innovation, and student success. Our interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, strong written and oral communication skills, collaboration, and problem-solving through coursework and special degree and course opportunities, and support for the research-informed pedagogy that teaches these skills.
Core Faculty
Rebecca Altman, Assistant Teaching Professor, Chemistry
Yalda Asmatey, Associate Teaching Professor, Social Sciences
Corinne Bayerl, Associate Teaching Professor, Comparative Literature, German/Scandinavian
Marcel Brousseau, Assistant Teaching Professor, Humanities
Ulrick Casimir, Associate Teaching Professor, Narrative
Milo Cummings, Visiting Instructor, Biology
Anita Chari, Professor, Political Science
Nicole Dahmen, Professor, Journalism
Nicole Dudukovic, Associate Teaching Professor, Neurosciences Major Director, Psychology
Jean Faye, Assistant Teaching Professor, Environmental Science
Ellen Fitzpatrick, Assistant Teaching Professor, Economics
Daphne Gallagher, Teaching Professor, Clark Honors College
Gantt Gurley, Associate Professor, German/Scandinavian/Judaic Studies
Tobin Hansen, Associate Teaching Professor, Anthropology
Lindsay Hinkle, Associate Teaching Professor, Clark Honors College
Trond Jacobsen, Instructor, Clark Honors College
Marissa King, Assistant Teaching Professor, Biology
John Leisure, Visiting Instructor, Social Sciences
Lizzy LeRud, Assistant Teaching Professor, Poetry and Poetics
Robert Mauro, Professor, Psychology
Brian McWhorter, Professor, School of Music and Dance
Christopher Michlig, Professor, Art
Michael Moffitt, Professor, School of Law
Kate Mondloch, Professor, History of Art & Architecture
Barbara Mossberg, Professor of Practice in Literature, Clark Honors College
Kristen Rahilly, Assistant Teaching Professor, Earth Science
Elizabeth Raisanen, Officer of Admin, Clark Honors College
Angela Rovak, Office of Admin, Clark Honors College
Casey Shoop, Associate Teaching Professor, Clark Honors College
Carol Stabile, Professor, Media History
Larissa Stiglich, Assistant Teaching Professor, Social Sciences
Courtney Thorsson, Associate Professor, African-American Literature
Lydia Van Dreel, Professor, Music
Jesse Wilson, Assistant Teaching Professor, Environmental Science
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Critical Reasoning: Apply and demonstrate critical reasoning through the use of appropriate evidence and methods
- Communication Skills: Use effective communication skills, both written and oral, by constructing coherent, logical, and persuasive arguments
- Research Competence: Develop research competence through inquiry, project-based and active learning based on students’ own questions
- Intellectual Engagement: Show initiative, independence and intellectual engagement in the classroom and in assessments
- Disciplinary Methods: Identify and appropriately apply disciplinary methods in the humanities, social sciences and the natural sciences
- Interdisciplinary Inquiry: Engage in interdisciplinary inquiry by integrating insights from more than one research approach and by synthesizing diverse perspectives and modes of thinking
- Intercultural Competence: Demonstrate intercultural competence through linguistic diversity and awareness of and appreciation for diverse cultural backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Academic Requirements
Requirements in the honors college satisfy the core-education requirements that other University of Oregon students meet for graduation. Honors college faculty and professional advisors advise honors college students concerning these requirements and mentor them concerning their academic choices. Students retain full responsibility for understanding and shaping their study programs.
Depending on test scores, students may use advanced placement or international baccalaureate credits as well as transfer credits from other higher education institutions toward honors college outside course requirements, second-language requirements, applicable major requirements, cultural literacy requirements, or university electives. To earn a BS degree, students must complete one year of college-level mathematics or the equivalent. Advanced placement, international baccalaureate, and transfer credits may help fulfill either such a math requirement or the language requirement.
HC-subject code coursework must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a C- or above to fulfill honors college requirements (with the exception of P* and independent study coursework). Coursework in other subject codes may be taken graded or P/N and must be passed with a C- or above to fulfill honors college requirements.
University and Major Requirements
Honors college requirements, which replace university core-education requirements, represent roughly one-third of a student’s total four-year schedule. Before graduating, Clark Honors College students must also meet the requirements, listed elsewhere in this catalog, of their major department or professional school. They must maintain a 3.00 or better cumulative grade point average (GPA).
Clark Honors College students who have completed the CHC core education requirements (HC 101H, 221H, 231H, 241H, and 301H; Area of Inquiry approved courses outside the CHC in Arts and Letters, Social Science, and Science (one course in each area); an approved quantitative reasoning course; and the CHC Colloquium and Electives requirements) have fulfilled the university’s Area of Inquiry requirements. Should a student leave the CHC after successful completion of all of these requirements, the student will retain their clearance of the university’s Area of Inquiry requirements.
Honors College Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations in Liberal Arts Inquiry | ||
| HC 101H | Liberal Arts: [Topic] | 4 |
| 200-level Disciplinary Requirements | ||
| HC 221H | Arts and Letters Inquiry: [Topic] | 4 |
| HC 231H | Social Science Inquiry: [Topic] | 4 |
| HC 241H | Scientific Inquiry: [Topic] | 4 |
| Research and Writing Requirement | ||
| HC 301H | Research and Writing: [Topic] | 4 |
| Outside Course Requirements | ||
| One course in quantitative reasoning or mathematics from the UO approved Bachelor of Science list | 4 | |
| One additional Science course from the UO approved Areas of Inquiry list | 4 | |
| One additional Social Science course from the UO approved Areas of Inquiry list | 4 | |
| One additional Arts and Letters course from the UO approved Areas of Inquiry list | 4 | |
| Cultural Literacy Requirements | 8 | |
| University cultural literacy requirement 1 | ||
| Colloquia Requirements | ||
| HC 421H | Honors College Arts and Letters Colloquium: [Topic] | 4 |
| HC 431H | Honors College Social Science Colloquium: [Topic] | 4 |
| HC 441H | Honors College Science Colloquium: [Topic] | 4 |
| Electives Requirement | 8 | |
| 8 credits from any of the following: | ||
Study abroad coursework or credit-bearing experiences | ||
Independent study coursework (401, 403, 405, 406, 409) taken within our outside the honors college 2 | ||
Coursework in a language other than English taken at the University of Oregon or through a University of Oregon study abroad or exchange program | ||
Internship credit (404) taken within or outside the honors college 2 | ||
Courses taken in person at the University of Oregon's OIMB or PDX campus | ||
| Thesis Requirements | ||
| HC 277H | Thesis Orientation | 2 |
| HC 477H | Thesis Prospectus 3 | 2 |
| Successful completion and defense of a thesis | ||
- 1
Designated honors college colloquia carry a supplemental course number if they satisfy one of the below categories—, Honors College Global Perspectives Colloquium: [Topic] (HC 434H), HC US: Difference, Inequality, Agency Colloquium: [Topic] (HC 444H)—or any approved UO courses may be used to satisfy the multicultural/cultural literacy requirement.
- 2
Independent study credits, including internship credits, may be taken P/NP, including when taken with an HC subject code
- 3
Course taken at least one term before intended graduation to formalize the thesis project.
Writing
The honors college is committed to excellence in writing. The core curriculum integrates instruction and practice in fundamental rhetorical skills—writing, reading, speaking, and listening—with the subject matter of the courses. If they choose to leave the honors college, students who pass HC 101H with the minimum grade of C- or P have completed the university's Writing 121Z requirement. Students who pass HC 221H with the minimum grade of C- or P have completed the university's Writing 122Z/23 requirement.
Four-Year Degree Plan
The degree plan shown is only an example of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways to navigate the CHC curriculum. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best path for them.The Robert D. Clark Honors College is not a major. Students who follow the honors college curriculum fulfill all of the University of Oregon’s core education requirements. Honors college requirements must be taken for a letter grade, unless pass/no pass is the only option. In addition, only courses passed with grades of C– or better will fulfill honors college requirements.
Bachelor of Arts
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
| HC 101H | Liberal Arts: [Topic] | 4 | |
| First term of first-year second-language sequence; also fulfills CHC electives requirement | 4 | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning Course | Non-HC course with >4 or >5 core education designation | 4 | |
| Elective or Major Course | 4 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Winter | |||
| HC 231H | Social Science Inquiry: [Topic] | 4 | |
| Second term of first-year second-language sequence; also fulfills CHC electives requirement | 4 | ||
| Arts & Letters Course | Non-HC course with >1 core ed designation | 4 | |
| Elective or Major Course | 4 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Spring | |||
| HC 221H | Arts and Letters Inquiry: [Topic] | 4 | |
| Third term of first-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
| Social Science Course | Non-HC Course with >2 core ed designation | 4 | |
| Elective or Major Course | 4 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Total Credits | 48 | ||
| Second Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
| HC 241H | Scientific Inquiry: [Topic] (HC Disciplinary Courses Complete) | 4 | |
| First term of second-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
| Science Course | Non - HC course with >3 or >4 core ed | 4 | |
| Elective or Major Course | 4 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Winter | |||
| HC 301H | Research and Writing: [Topic] | HC Research & Writing Complete | 4 |
| Second term of second-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
| Elective and Major Courses | 8 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Spring | |||
| Third term of second-year second-language sequence | Completion of HC second-language requirement | 4 | |
| HC 277H | Thesis Orientation | 2 | |
| Elective and Major Courses | 8 | ||
| Credits | 14 | ||
| Total Credits | 46 | ||
| Third Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
| HC 421H | Honors College Arts and Letters Colloquium: [Topic] | 4 | |
| Elective and Major Courses | 12 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Winter | |||
| HC 431H | Honors College Social Science Colloquium: [Topic] | 4 | |
| Elective and Major Courses | 12 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Spring | |||
| HC 477H | Thesis Prospectus | 2 | |
| Elective and Major Courses | 12 | ||
| Credits | 14 | ||
| Total Credits | 46 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
| HC 441H | Honors College Science Colloquium: [Topic] | 4 | |
| Elective and Major Courses | 12 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Winter | |||
| Elective and Major Courses | 16 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Spring | |||
| Thesis defense | Thesis defended | ||
| Elective and Major Courses | 16 | ||
| Credits | 16 | ||
| Total Credits | 48 | ||