John Jay College Honors Program
The organizing theme of the John Jay College Honors Program is "the common good." This theme reflects the college mission statement and provides an intellectual framework for the honors curriculum. The program is designed to promote academic excellence and is inclusive of students in all majors at the college. The curriculum encourages students to explore research in their chosen disciplines that addresses contemporary community problems. Honors program students take between 17 and 29 credits in Honors courses, depending on their point of entry into the program. Students write a senior thesis and present their honors research at a national conference.
The year-long Honors Colloquium (HON 181 & HON 182) introduces new students to the 'common good' framework and its relevance to academic and civic life. Peer mentors lead groups of new students through a year-long community service project.
The final senior seminar (HON 401) brings the entire graduating class back together to present and discuss their various senior capstone projects and the relevance of these projects to the theme of the program. The seminar provides an opportunity for students to reflect on how the ongoing exploration of the common good has prepared them for their roles as scholars, practitioners, and citizens of a global community.
Learning Outcomes. Students will:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of the concept of the common good, and its relation to issues of social justice.
- integrate and communicate perspectives of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences in written and oral work, and in research endeavors.
- apply leadership skills to their research projects, community work and other professional endeavors.
- write and speak with competence in appropriate academic language.
- develop their own perspectives on ethical issues regarding community, society and the common good.
Credits Required. 17-29 (Freshmen entry requires 29 credits, Sophomore entry 23 credits, and Junior entry 17 credits)
Director. Raymond Patton, PhD, Associate Professor of History (646.781.5207, rpatton@jjay.cuny.edu)
Administrative Director/Advisor. Litna McNickle (212.237.8553, lmcnickle@jjay.cuny.edu)
Admission
Application required
There are three entry points into the Honors Program:
Entering Freshmen: admission is based upon the student’s high school average and combined Quantitative and Verbal SAT score
Sophomores: 30-45 credits completed with a cumulative 3.3 GPA
Juniors: 60-75 credits completed with a cumulative 3.3 GPA
Transfer students must meet the above-mentioned criteria and submit official transcripts from previous institutions with the application. Eligible students will be invited to apply to the program. For an application, please call 212.237.8553.
Required Courses for Freshman Entry
Freshman Year
ENG 101 Composition I (Honors Section)
ENG 201 Composition II (Honors Section)
FYS First Year Seminar (Honors Section)
HON 181 Honors Colloquium I (formerly HON 191)
HON 182 Honors Colloquium II (formerly HON 192)
OR
ENG 260 Grammar, Syntax, and Style: Writing for All Disciplines (Honors Section)
LIT 237 Literature as Witness (Honors Section)
FYS First Year Seminar (Honors Section)
HON 181 Honors Colloquium I (formerly HON 191)
HON 182 Honors Colloquium II (formerly HON 192)
Sophomore Year
HON 201 Intellectual Foundations I: What is the Common Good?
HON 202 Intellectual Foundations II: Leadership and the Common Good.
200-level Honors Discipline Course course in the major or HON 380 Special Topics
Junior Year
HON 301 The Idea of the Common Good Across Disciplines
2 x 300-level Honors Disciplinary Courses (HDC) or HON 380 Special Topics or 1 graduate course in the major AND 1 HDC or HON 380 Special Topics
Senior Year
HON 401 Honors Capstone Seminar: Research and the Theme of the Common Good
Required Courses for Sophomore Entry
Sophomore Year
HON 181 Honors Colloquium I (formerly HON 191)
HON 182 Honors colloquium II (formerly HON 192)
HON 201 Intellectual Foundations I: What is the Common Good?
HON 202 Intellectual Foundations II: Leadership and the Common Good
200-level Honors section course in the major or HON 380 Special Topics
Junior Year
HON 301 The Idea of the Common Good Across Disciplines
2 x 300-level Honors Disciplinary Courses (HDC) or HON 380 Special Topics or 1 graduate course in the major AND 1 HDC or HON 380 Special Topics
Senior Year
HON 401 Honors Capstone Seminar: Research and the Theme of the Common Good
Required Courses for Junior Entry
Junior Year
HON 181 Honors Colloquium I (formerly HON 191)
HON 182 Honors colloquium II (formerly HON 192)
HON 201 Intellectual Foundations I: What is the Common Good?
HON 301 The Idea of the Common Good Across Disciplines
2 x 300-level Honors Disciplinary Courses (HDC) or HON 380 Special Topics or 1 graduate course in the major AND 1 HDC or HON 380 Special Topics
Senior Year
HON 401 Honors Capstone Seminar: Research and the Theme of the Common Good