About the Program
Program Components
The Curriculum
Carroll's Honors scholars program is a Great Books program. Over the course of five semesters, students will study the great works of Western civilization, from Homer to Freud. All of our courses are discussion-based seminars: this means that we expect students to lead the course of discussion. Honors Scholars faculty serve as tutors in your education: we are there to prod you, guide you, and lend our expertise when necessary. Most of all, we teach in this program because we want to share our passion for the Great Books! Our list of core texts and authors is available here.
Our Mission: Scientia, Caritas, Humanitas
Knowledge, charity, and the humanities: our Honors Scholars explore the interrelations among these three concepts by way of a careful examination of the Great Books. By reading and discussing the most illuminating, provocative, and imaginative texts of the last three millennia, our students explore the claims and limits of knowledge, what duties humans have to their communities, and what most truly constitutes a human education. In our consideration of these concepts, our inquiry is informed by the following questions:
Scientia: The Claims of Knowledge and its Limits
- What is proper role of the search for knowledge in human life?
- What is most important for a human to know?
- What is the character of the knowledge in question, and how does it pertain to our judgment of the Ultimate Truth?
Caritas: The Objects and Character of Love
- What do we owe God?
- What do we owe our fellow human beings?
- What can love accomplish?
Humanitas: Human Nature and its Constructions
- What is most necessary to improve the human condition?
- What would a good and just society look like?
- What are the greatest dangers to human societies?
Curriculum Overview
| Semester | Honors Scholars Course* | CORE Requirement Satisfied |
| Freshman Fall | HNR 150: Greek and Roman Thought | Philosophy (3 cr) |
| Freshman Spring | HNR 250: Christian and Medieval Thought | Theology (3 cr) |
| Sophomore Fall | HNR 251: Renaissance Thought | Literature (3 cr) |
| Sophomore Spring | HNR 350: Restoration and Enlightenment Thought | Social Science (3 cr) |
| Junior Fall | HNR 450: Modern Thought | Philosophy (3 cr) |
| Junior Spring | HRN 495: Capstone | (2 cr) |
*All seminars meet from 7:00-9:30pm, once per week
Other Program requirement:
- Intermediate competency in foreign language (200-level or above)
Annual Social Events
Welcome Back Pizza Party
Meet old friends and make new ones, while eating pizza and learning about the year to come.
Fall Art Walk
Explore the downtown art galleries, shops, and nightlife!
BBQ
HSP End of Year BBQ/PotLuck