Gerald A. Fetz, Dean
The Davidson Honors College is a campus-wide association of faculty
and students united by a common concern for academic and personal
excellence. Its mission is to foster intellectual and civic values,
and to support the best possible teaching and learning circumstances
for participating faculty and students.
The College offers an academic and social home to motivated and talented
students as they pursue their undergraduate education. Students from
all major areas in the College of Arts and Sciences and the professional
schools are welcome, as well as students undecided about a major.
Honors is not a major in itself, but an enhancement to General Education
in the liberal arts and sciences as well as to virtually all undergraduate
majors on campus.
The new Honors College building, at the center of the campus, provides
a large student lounge, study rooms, classrooms and a computer center
for student use. Additionally, the new Instructional Technology Resource
Center (ITRC), located in the Davidson Honors College lower level,
provides Honors College faculty and students with a state-of-the-art
technology resource for possible collaborative work. The Honors Students'
Association plans and conducts a variety of social and academic activities
as well as community service projects throughout the year. A special
Honors dormitory floor is available. The Davidson Honors College also
sponsors The University of Montana Volunteer Action Services, an office
that coordinates student service activities in the community and beyond,
and supports the integration of community service experience into
the academic curriculum.
Curriculum
As they pursue their undergraduate education, students in the Davidson
Honors College are asked to focus on three broad themes:
-Community
-Communication
-Leadership
Honors students are encouraged to pursue these themes inside the
classroom and out, in their work and their recreation, in volunteer
service, membership in clubs and organizations, participation in campus
and civic governance, in independent study, pursuit of their hobbies
and interests, and in formal course work.
Honors courses are limited in enrollment to 20 25 students and usually
are conducted in a discussion or seminar format, emphasizing critical
thinking, the development of written and oral communication skills,
direct contact with the faculty, and use of original texts or "hands
on," participatory experience. These courses are taught by outstanding
faculty selected according to their department's standards of excellence.
Course offerings vary somewhat and represent many academic departments
and subject areas. Honors courses typically fulfill General Education
and many common major requirements.
Some Honors courses are offered as a part of Learning Communities
or Freshman Interest Groups. In these groupings, a cohort of students
enrolls for the same two or three courses in a given semester. Each
class meets separately with its own instructor, but the same students
are in all classes. Frequently in contact with one another and dealing
with the same issues daily, these students tend to have a more intense
learning experience than those in individual classes.
At the junior and senior level students are offered a selection of
honors seminars. These seminars are open to students from all disciplines.
The aim of these seminars is to assist students in applying different
methods of inquiry and research, in using the insights of various
disciplines, in integrating the students' knowledge, and in developing
well-informed personal stances toward the material and issues studied.
In their last year, students complete an honors thesis or project,
assuming responsibility, together with a faculty mentor, for a significant
undertaking in the civic or intellectual world. This project may coincide
with a departmental requirement, and is intended to prepare students
to fulfill roles of intellectual, moral, cultural or social leadership
as they realize their places in society.
Assessment of Personal and Academic Goals
A college education invites students to formulate goals and reflect
on their progress toward attaining them. Davidson Honors College students
are responsible for evaluating their aims and attainments from year
to year in collaboration with an advisor. Entering students are asked
to assess their abilities and resources and begin to formulate interests
and aims in light of the themes of community, communication and leadership
mentioned above.
Requirements
Davidson Honors College students are required to complete a minimum
of seven honors courses, including a senior honors project (may be
counted as one honors course). Details are available in the Davidson
Honors College office or on the DHC web site.
It also is recommended that all students include in their curriculum
at least one course or seminar or independent study project which
includes an experience of volunteer community service.
To maintain good standing in the College, students must take at least
one honors course per year and maintain an overall cumulative grade
point average of 3.0 or above. Academic progress is reviewed each
semester. Those with strong grades are commended, and those whose
grades are below the 3.0 standard are given an academic warning. A
student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 is placed
on academic probation and remains in this status until the cumulative
grade point average rises to 3.0 or higher. Suspension from the Honors
College occurs when the term grade point average of a student on probation
is below 3.0. A suspended student may be reinstated when the cumulative
grade point average rises to 3.0 or higher.
Graduation through the Davidson Honors College requires a cumulative
grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and 3.4 in the major field.
Upon successful completion of the requirements, students will receive
their bachelor degrees as "University Scholars" in their
respective majors and have this noted on their diplomas. Graduation
through the Davidson Honors College is not connected with the distinctions
"with honors" and "with high honors" bestowed
on the recommendation of major departments according to certain grade
point averages and/or on the basis of exams or other means of assessment
in the senior year.
Scholarships
The Davidson Honors College administers the Presidential Leadership
Scholarships for incoming freshmen, and several other scholarship
programs for currently enrolled students. For further information
about these scholarship programs, contact the Honors College. Honors
students and those transferring from other institutions are eligible
for the general scholarship program. For further information, contact
the Financial Aid Office.
The Honors College also coordinates University of Montana participation
in the National Merit Scholarship program. Four-year awards are available
to finalists who have indicated UM as their first choice for attending
college, as well as to semi finalists. Interested students should
contact the Honors College for details as soon as they know their
status in the competition.
Eligibility and Application
Admission to the Honors College is open to students who present evidence
of strong motivation and abilities. Ordinarily, these can be attested
to by standing in the upper 10 percent of the high school graduating
class, or ACT composite scores of 27 or higher or SAT combined scores
of 1150 or higher. Transfer students should have a grade point average
of 3.4 or higher. These criteria are not absolute, however, and motivated
students are encouraged to apply.
Applications are invited from non-traditional students, those from
minority backgrounds, and those whose experience of formal education
may not reflect their abilities and motivation. Evaluation of all
applications will consider not only numerical data but character and
life experience as well. Priority consideration will be given to applications
received before February 1. Applications received after that date
will be considered on a space available basis only.
Admission to the Davidson Honors College is a separate process from
admission to The University of Montana. To obtain an application form,
contact:
The Davidson Honors College
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
Phone: (406) 243 2541
e mail: dhc@selway.umt.edu
web page: http://www.dhc.umt.edu
Courses
U = for undergraduate credit only, UG = for undergraduate or graduate
credit, G = for graduate credit. R after the credit indicates the
course may be repeated for credit to the maximum indicated after the
R.
U 194 Honors Seminar Variable cr. (R 6) Prereq., consent of
instr. Interdisciplinary offerings by various faculty. Orientation
to practical and theoretical issues facing students entering college.
U 195 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Experimental offerings
of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or
one time offerings of current topics.
U 196 Independent Study Variable cr. (R 6) Prereq., consent
of instr.
U 198 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr.
(R 6) Prereq., consent of instr. Practical application of classroom
learning during placements off campus.
U 295 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Experimental
offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses,
or one time offerings of current topics.
U 298 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr.
(R 6) Prereq., consent of instr. Practical application of classroom
learning during placements off campus.
U 395 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Experimental
offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses,
or one time offerings of current topics.
U 396 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently.
Prereq., consent of instr.
U 398 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr.
(R 6) Prereq., consent of instr. Practical application of classroom
learning during placements off campus.
U 496 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-3) Prereq.,
consent of instr.
U 498 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr.
(R 6) Prereq., consent of instr. Practical application of classroom
learning during placements off campus.
U 499 Honors Thesis/Project Variable cr. (R 9) Prereq.,
consent of thesis/project director and dean of Honors College.
Faculty
Professor
Gerald A. Fetz, Ph.D., University of Oregon, 1973 (German Studies;
Dean)
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Sean O'Brien, Ph.D., University of Colorado, 1989 (Philosophy; Advisor)