Current Honors Course and Seminar Offerings

The list of honors course offerings is always being improved to meet the needs of our CHP students in a variety of programs. Below is a list of the courses and seminars available for the upcoming Summer and Fall 2024 semesters. Click here to see who can sign up for Honors courses, and for contact information.

Summer 2024 Honors Seminar

HUM 291 Honors Seminar in Postmodern Studies

Professor Engin Atasay

This interdisciplinary humanities course introduces postmodern theory as it applies to contemporary popular art, architecture, literature, philosophy, music, film, and the Web. Considered as both a reaction to modernism and an extension of American civil rights and counterculture movements, postmodern texts challenge culturally oppressive notions of Absolute Truth through the practice of deconstruction. Students create a final project that may be showcased at a state-wide conference. Practitioners may include The Beatles, Jorges Luis Borges, Caryl Churchill, Don Delillo, Jacques Derrida, Matt Drudge, Philip Glass, Michael Graves, Marshall McLuhan, Camille Paglia, Suzi-Lori Parks, Art Spiegelman, and Andy Warhol. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the Commonwealth Honors Program or permission of the instructor. Three hours of lecture per week. Instructional Support Fee applies. Gen. Ed. Competencies Met: Ethical Dimensions and Multicultural and Social Perspectives. 3 credits.

Fully online asynchronous.
Register for: HUM 291.HON – CRN #61132.

Fall 2024 Honors Courses and Seminars

COM 104 Fundamentals of Public Speaking

Professor Ricardo Rebello

Discover the public speaker in you. Learn how to speak like a leader while studying the secrets of the greatest speakers in history. Experience the joy of creating and producing a professional quality video. Practice delivering oral presentations in a safe and supportive environment. Techniques to address public speaking apprehension, critical thinking, information literacy, technology skills, verbal and nonverbal communication, and active listening are included in this dynamic course. Prerequisite: A passing score on the College's Reading and English placement tests; or C or better or concurrent enrollment in ENG 091 or ENG 092. Three lecture hours per week. Competency met: Oral Communication, Humanities 3 credits.

Hybrid in Fall River, Mondays 9:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Register for: COM 104.HON – CRN #94573.

HST 114 U.S. History after 1877

Professor Robyn Worthington

With the recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, more Americans have been thinking about the ways that the court impacts the rights of U.S. citizens and society at large. In this fully online course, we will examine U.S. History from 1877 through the lens of landmark Supreme Court cases to discover how the court has shaped the nation we live in today. Together we will assess how the power of the court has affected civil rights, justice, free speech, voting rights, freedom of religion, due process of law, and more. This course will use only free materials easily accessible online. Prerequisite: A passing score on the college's reading and writing placement tests or, C or better or concurrent enrollment in ENG 091 or ENG 092. 

Fully online asynchronous.
Register for: HST 114.HON – CRN #90380.

ENG 102 Composition II: Writing About Literature

Professor Chris Yokel

What is it about fairy tales and myths that makes them stick around? Why are we still reading and retelling stories written hundreds, sometimes thousands of years ago? In this class, we're going to explore the ways such stories get told and retold, from European fairy tales and myths to modern day comics, films, and plays. We'll also explore some of the literary theory around folklore and mythology. Prerequisite: ENG 101. Three lecture hours per week. Instructional Support Fee applies. Competency met: Critical Thinking, Written Communication 3 credits.

Fully online asynchronous.
Register for: ENG 102.HON – CRN #93328.

BIO 121 Fundamentals of Biological Science I

Professor Mary Rapien

Honors Bio 121 focuses on three areas of contemporary biological science including selected topics in chemistry as necessary for more advanced courses such as cell biology, immunology, and microbiology; the structure and function of cells with emphasis on reproduction, membrane functions, and cell energetics; and the molecular mechanisms of genetic control and patterns of inheritance. Student scholars will read and discuss peer-reviewed papers describing research underpinning current biological knowledge and will delve into deeper areas of discussion that are not typically addressed in a standard BIO121 course. Unlike a traditional course where the instructor is the "sage on the stage," scholars will be given the opportunity to propose and lead discussions related to the structure and physiology of cells and will be required to produce scholarly writings on biological topics. Between the lecture and laboratory, scholars will enhance their research skills; develop their ability to reason scientifically; and construct scientifically sound responses to questions in order to explain biological phenomena. Prerequisite(s): One year of high school biology or chemistry with labs with a grade of C or better, or CHM 090 with a grade of C or better. Three lecture hours and three laboratory hours per week. Instructional Support Fee applies. Competency met: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery 4 credits.

Tuesday/Thursday Lecture 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. and Thursday Lab 11 a.m. - 1:50 p.m. in Fall River
Register for: BIO 121.HON – CRN #92808.

PSY 295 Honors Seminar in Community Leadership

Professors Lisa Delano-Botelho and Erin Smith

In this interdisciplinary course, students review the scholarly literature on leadership to gain a concise grounding in major leadership concepts and theories, including a contemporary approach for leadership in groups, communities, and organizations. Students will practice problem-solving strategies and leadership skills by developing a project plan to help an organization provide a service needed in the community and assessing the project and their personal growth using guided-reflection techniques. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the Commonwealth Honors Program or permission of the instructors. Three hours of lecture per week. 3 credits.

Wednesdays online synchronous 4 - 5:15 p.m. 
Register for: PSY 295.HON – CRN #93282.

SCI 251 Moments of Revolutionary Discovery

Professors Zach Wolfson and Emily Brown

This course is a broad overview of some of the latest discoveries and leading perspectives in contemporary science, as well as their potential impact on society, culture, education, and public policy. Topics covered in the course may include quantum physics, chaos, and fractal theory, epigenetics, cosmology, consciousness studies, neurobiology, artificial intelligence, and others. The course is also cross-disciplinary in that it explores the potential impact of these discoveries on contemporary society, culture and the environment. Three lecture hours per week. Prerequisite: Open to Commonwealth Honors Program students only. 3 credits.

Thursdays, 7 - 9:40 p.m. in Fall River.
Register for: SCI 251.HON – CRN #93277.

ACC 102 Principles of Accounting II

Professor Vivien Ojadi

This course is designed to continue with the study of financial accounting. The course covers inventory costing systems, fixed assets and intangible assets, corporations, bonds payable, cash flows and financial analysis. Additionally, the course introduces students to managerial accounting topics, including internally generated reports used to direct operations and make decisions. Computer applications are integrated into the course in a variety of ways, including in a computerized lab setting.

Tuesday/Thursday 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. and Thursday lab 12:30 - 1:20 p.m. in Fall River
Register for: ACC 102.HON – CRN #90526.

HON 260 Culminating Honors Project (If you are graduating in December, take this course!)

Professor Kimberly Newton

This one-credit honors experience is open only to students in the BCC Honors Program and should be taken during the student’s final semester. A student develops project activities and objectives with a faculty mentor who oversees the project. A contract describing the project must be submitted to the Honors Program for approval. Students are encouraged to present honors projects at appropriate conferences. Each culminating honors project will be unique, focusing on an area of particular interest to the individual student. The number of class meetings per week will vary by contract. Prerequisite: current enrollment in the Honors Program. 

Mondays, Online 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. (or will work with your schedule),
Register for: HON 260.B1W – CRN #93737.

Who can sign up for Honors Courses?

Any student who wishes to try their hand at a challenge may enroll in any 100-level Honors course. Course pre-requisites as noted for each class.

Current Bristol students with a Bristol GPA above 3.45 will be invited to join the program officially and may then take any 100-level Honors course or 200-level Honors seminar.

Students already accepted into Honors may take any Honors course or seminar.

Please check additional prerequisites for each course as noted.

Any questions? Contact Kimberly Newton, Commonwealth Honors Coordinator Kimberly.Newton@BristolCC.edu