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Core Curriculum

Freshman and Sophomore Semester Core Curriculum
Students who complete at least 9 credit hours of honors coursework in residence at Texas  A&M University at Galveston during their freshman and sophomore years will be considered Honor Candidates.  Designated Honor Candidates have the opportunity to participate in colloquiums, contract for honors courses, or pursue honors independent study.

Junior Fall Semester
English 301H (3 credits) and Fall Colloquium (1 credit).
During the fall of the junior year and concurrently with ENGL 301H, students should identify a faculty member mentor in consultation with their department head and Honors Director.  This faculty member will help shape the student’s focus for future study and then serve as the faculty of record for the Contract for Honors, Independent Study or Senior Thesis. An early relationship will promote more in-depth thought as well as sufficient time to prepare.  ENGL 301 Honors will prepare students for in-depth research including primary sources, research questions, format, analysis, and literature searches. 

Colloquium: Honors students are required to complete a one-credit hour course each term for a minimum of three semesters. This seminar will approach a different topic each semester related to the marine and maritime environment and will fully explore the topic from multiple dimensions including engineering, business, transportation, science, ecology, ethics, socio-political thought, economics, and policy.

Junior Spring Semester
Spring Colloquium (1 credit)

Senior Fall Semester
Begin Contract for Honors, Independent Study, or Honors Senior Thesis 485 (3 credits), and Fall Colloquium (1 credit).

Senior Spring Semester
Completion of Contract for Honors, Independent Study, or Honors Senior Thesis 491 (2 credits).
 

Contract for Honors
An Honors Contract is a method for adding an "honors dimension" to a course. The contract permits honors students to turn a regular University course into an Honors Course by contracting with the instructor to complete extra work and receive Honors Credit.  The contract involves an agreement between the honors student, a Galveston faculty member, and the Honors Director.  The Honors Contract should add an academic dimension to the course by introducing new material or by allowing the student to go into greater depth in some aspect of the course other than what is normally required.  It should be made clear on the Honors Contract how this work exceeds regular course requirements. Since the contract must be supervised by a faculty member, students should select faculty who have the time to oversee their projects to completion.  Contract for honors can also include internships and study abroad courses.
 

Independent Study
During the senior year, students will enroll in a minimum of 3 semester credit hours of Independent Study (485), Undergraduate Research (491), or appropriate Capstone Experience with their faculty mentor in their major. While projects may vary greatly depending on the interests of the student and the faculty member, the experience should culminate in a final project that could be presented as a poster, reflection paper, article, or oral presentation. Students will be encouraged to present these projects with at Colloquium, TAMUG Research Week, NCHC (National Collegiate Honors Council) yearly convention, and other appropriate venues. 
 

Honors Senior Thesis
The University Undergraduate Research Fellows Program at Texas A&M University at Galveston provides exceptional seniors with the chance to sample graduate school. Each Research Fellow works under the supervision of a faculty member (a “Fellows Advisor”) as the student conducts her or his own independent research project over the course of an academic year (Fall and Spring Semesters). Research Fellow students must complete an Honors Independent Study 485 (3 credits), an Undergraduate Research 491 (2 credits), plus a Colloquium (1 credit) during their senior semesters. The program culminates with a student’s senior honors thesis. Honors Senior thesis participants are eligible for the TIO (Texas Institute of Oceanography)/ Undergraduate Student Fellowship Award. 

Note: Students should consult with their academic department head regarding substitutions for their degree plan. Many departments will use colloquium hours and/or independent study hours as professional or technical electives for the degree plan.