ODU Honors courses are intended to fulfill requirements in the Core curriculum or a student’s major program.

View course descriptions for prerequisites and co-requisites.

Introduction to Honors
HON 179 CORE: What Does it Mean to Be Human?*	3 credits
Development in Honors
HON 200 Interdisciplinary Dialogue	1 credits
Exploration in Honors
HON 379A Critical Research & Writing* HON 410 Senior Honors Project Not required, but students must complete and present a Senior Honors thesis. HON 410 may be repeated to support completion of honors project. Students may fulfill HON 410 with major/core capstone (479), provided that the seminar accommodates completion of the senior honors project.	3 credits 3 credits

*Counts as CORE seminar in the University Core Curriculum. 

Transfer students and students accepted into the Honors Program after they have started their ODU coursework will take coursework according to the chart below.

Number of Completed Semesters  at ODU or Transfer Credits	Credits Required in the  Honors Program
0 ODU semesters or  17 or less transfer credits	HON 179 (3 credits) HON 200 (1 credit) HON 379 (3 credits) HON 410 (3 credits) Total: 10
1 - 2 ODU semesters or  18 - 49 transfer credits	HON 200 (1 credit) HON 379 (3 credits) HON 410 (3 credits) Total: 7
3 - 4 ODU semesters or 50 or more transfer credits	HON 379 (3 credits) HON 410 (3 credits) Total: 6

HON 179 CORE - What Does it Mean to be Human?
3 Credits

This is the first of three interdisciplinary courses that, together with the fourth-year capstone course in the major, comprise ODU’s core seminars. All sections of this seminar will address the question, ‘What does it mean to be human?’ through the study of humans as embodied, social, spiritual, emotional, rational beings. While each section listed below will approach that question from a unique perspective, all sections share common learning outcomes and a common text or texts.

CORE 179 stresses the importance of a liberal arts education and seeking knowledge while helping students develop and refine the skills needed to succeed in college. Students are encouraged to take this course the fall semester of their first year. This course is reserved for first-time freshmen only and transfer students with 17 or fewer transfer semester credits.

Pre- or corequisite: ENG 101 or ENG 110. 



HON 200 - Interdisciplinary Dialogue
1 Credit

Within this seminar, students in the Honors Program build community as they share with one another discipline- specific experiences related to knowledge and skills inherent to their field. Together they develop a greater understanding of broad problems explored in academia.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors Program and HON 179 (or appropriate transfer status).



HON 379A CORE - Critical Writing & Research
3 Credits

Research allows us to better understand the world around us (theoretical research) and to solve problems (applied research). In order to have these effects, research must be shared with the rest of the community – both within and beyond the discipline – and must be attentive to ethical issues and justice in every step of the process. Student will actively engage in critical thinking exercises intended to improve their abilities to develop testable hypotheses, meaningful critiques, and defendable arguments.

This will be coupled with a focus on research skills that will result in the successful completion of an in-depth original proposal for a senior honors project in a discipline of the student’s choice. Student will learn how to share their findings with the community through written, oral, and visual presentations. Students will also demonstrate an appreciation of the nature of justice as they consider the practical/applied implications of their scholarly work to promote well-being.

Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors Program and ENG 102 or ENG 111.



HON 410 - Senior Honors Project
3 Credits

A directed study experience that represents faculty-guided research toward completion of the Seniors Honors Project. HON 410 will be completed in consultation with a faculty mentor and the Honors Program Director. A public presentation of the completed project to the University community is required. HON 410 may be repeated.

Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors Program and senior status.