The "honors semester," in which students from a national pool meet for a semester of classroom and field studies focusing on a single theme investigated from the perspective of several disciplines, is described. The combination of physical setting, theme, and academic investigation is found to be extremely influential on students. (MSE)

Independent study, fieldwork, and peer teaching are particularly well suited to helping outstanding students learn, interact collaboratively, and become contributing members of the academic community. Study options, elements of a study contract, and other components are described. (MSE)

Student evaluation methods (pass-fail vs. traditional grading) for Britain's honors curriculum are discussed. The British educational tradition concerning the honors degree is outlined, and the rationale for grading is examined. It is recommended that pass-fail grading based on specified learning outcomes be adopted for educational and practical…

This paper describes the organizational structure, managerial responsibilities, and working policy of the 26-year old Andrews University Honors Program, an undergraduate program that was designed to attract talented and motivated students to the school, and operate effectively even during times of declining college enrollment. First, the paper…

The similarities and differences in college honors programs' objectives, design, administration, finance, recruiting, and public recognition are discussed as a starting point for comparing programs and determining what kind of college program works best. (MSE)

Honors programs are reviewed that use diversity in presentation, approach, and educational context to foster intellectual development. They individualize instruction and encourage students both to form partnerships in learning and to develop their own strategies for integrating information. (MSE)

An examination of the different ways in which the honors concept has been adapted from its elitist British university origins and of the assumptions underlying those adaptations reveals both the virtues and the problems inherent in the Americanization of honors. (Author/MSE)

The steady emergence of small-college honors programs in the early 1970s and the subsequent rapid growth of community college honors programs after 1978 are reviewed. The many successes in these colleges to capitalize on their existing strengths have avoided the problems of larger, university programs. (Author/MSE)

The role of honors programs as models and resources for all college education is described, and a comprehensive set of 22 recommendations for fostering excellence in every higher education unit is provided. (Author)

College and university learning communities build a sense of group identity. Institutions are establishing them for varied purposes and student populations, including first-year interest groups, general education core courses, gateway courses, developmental and basic studies, honors programs, and work in the major or minor. For implementation,…