The Honors First Year Seminar (FYS)* provides a comprehensive introduction to Honors-level learning. Seminar courses are developed around an academic theme or topic based on the expertise of each course instructor. Together with a peer facilitator, the FYS instructors introduce students to the academic and co-curricular programming of the College Honors Program and to all-college life generally. FYS seminars emphasize critical reading, writing, and discussion and focus on intellectual engagement, experiential learning, the methodology of the discipline being studied, and social responsibility to the larger community. FYS students will also participate in the Ramapo Summer Reading Program. This course fulfills the General Education requirement for First Year Seminar.

*The Honors First Year Seminar is not required of continuing students entering the program after their first year who have already taken a First Year Seminar.

This course focuses on contemporary social issues and inequality through an interdisciplinary social science lens.  Focusing on gender, race, class, sexuality, and (dis)ability, we explore how individual and societal factors impact and perpetuate inequalities, and we start to brainstorm solutions for addressing these social problems. This course fulfills the General Education Keystone Category, social Science Inquiry.

This course fulfills the General Education requirement for Studies in the Arts & Humanities.

This course fulfills the General Education Keystone Global Awareness category.

The College Honors Ethics Seminar offers an opportunity for students to focus on the exploration and development of personal values, civic engagement, and applied ethics. Courses offered will include an opportunity for students to develop their individual moral identity based on critical analysis of personal background, readings and discussion. Texts, art and materials in a variety of media may include consideration meta-ethics, normative ethics, applied ethics, political philosophy, ethics in the professions, and ethics in art. Ethics will be considered in a social, cultural and historical context. Courses will include experiential components designed to assist students in becoming responsible members of the local and wider communities as contributing members. This course fulfills the General Education requirement for Values and Ethics.

The Honors Independent Study is only for juniors enrolled in joint degree programs and seniors. An independent study is a course in which you are the only student. You and the faculty sponsor must develop a syllabus with deadlines, grading system, meeting times, assigned readings and writing assignments, etc. That syllabus must meet with the approval of your school Dean and the Director of the Honors Program. rising juniors and seniors are required to apply to do their Honors Independent Study by May 1. Once approved, they must register for the course by May 15. The Honors Independent Study course must be taken in the Fall of junior year (for juniors enrolled in joint degree programs) and Fall of senior year for seniors. Student may register for 2 or 4 credits. All the necessary forms can be found in Student Resources.