Program of Study
Courses in the Honors Program differ in design and content from traditional classes. Honors classes are smaller, allowing greater individual interaction with faculty members, and the seminar format is favored, giving students the opportunity to learn from one another. Field trips and sessions with outside speakers contribute to a particularly enriched academic experience.
View the Honors Program curriculum.
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Honors Program Course Load
Honors students typically take a partial load of honors-level courses in a given semester. Because many honors classes take the place of the college-wide required courses, our first-year and second-year students tend to enroll in more honors-level courses than they will in later semesters, when they concentrate on courses within their majors.
Program Requirements
To be considered an honors student, one must maintain a 3.2+ GPA each semester, as well as complete the required program courses and take (at least) one honors elective each semester until honors program elective requirements have been met. Students who are unable to meet these requirements may be dismissed from the program.
The Honors Thesis
Honors thesis projects allow students to explore a topic of interest in depth with the support of a dedicated faculty mentor. More than a term paper, the Honors thesis allows students to showcase their talents and the skills they’ve developed over the course of their education at Salem State. Thesis projects take many forms: students in our program have produced art installations, films, political action toolkits, and business plans, as well as case studies, literature reviews, and scientific research. Completed thesis projects are published and shared with the world via Salem State University’s Digital Repository.
Some of our recent thesis projects include:
- Shaima Azam, “NANU BARI: For People Who Love Desi Food – and Their Grandma: A Food Truck Business Plan” (Business Administration)
- Kimberly Barboza, “Close the Partner Loophole! A Toolkit for Feminist Action Against Gun Violence” (Politics, Policy, and International Relations)
- Joseph Bova, “Tales of Eilu: A Fantasy Audio Drama” (English/ Creative Writing)
- Kacy Cameron, “Myths, Implicit Bias, and Pain Medication Disparities for Patients of Color in Emergency Department Settings” (Nursing)
- Leigha Hubisz, “Evaluating Template-Switch Mutations (TSM) in E.Coli After Treatment with Dexamethasone, an FDA-Approved Anti-Inflammatory Drug” (Biology)
- Kaylan Harkins, “La Brecha En El Renimiento Academico: Cómo Racismo Afecta A Los Estudiantes Latinx En La Escuela (World Languages and Education)
- Emily Moran, “Teaching Queer History” (History and Education)
- Shaneyka Ortiz, “Abstracting Representational Art” (Art)
- Anthony Santana, “Fact or Fiction: Investigating Whether the CSI Effect is a Valid Concern or Popular Myth” (Criminal Justice)