Personalized Pathway

The UAB Honors College is dedicated to innovative courses, hands-on experiential learning, service learning, and – most importantly – the individuality and diversity of our brilliant students.

Those learning experiences – and those unique students – just don’t fit into the standard college curriculum. Some of our students pick up second majors or interesting minors, or they incorporate electives from multiple programs to give them a more well-rounded education. Others create individualized majors that reflect their unique mosaic of interests. To make sure their curiosity is fed, their passion is pursued, and their fire stays stoked, we guide our students in charting their own course with their own personalized curriculum.

Benefits

Working with an honors advisor each semester, students pursuing a Personalized Path develop their interests and talents into goals. Then they work together to create a personalized curriculum that will take them places no standard, one-size-fits-all curriculum ever could. One of the greatest benefits to the Personalized Path is its flexible and customizable curriculum. Rather than being told which honors courses to take each semester, students constructing a Personalized Path choose from an array of more than 30 honors courses each term. And when students discover new interests, their honors advisors help them identify honors coursework and experiential learning opportunities that align with those new passions.

Community

Students pursuing a Personalized Path are immersed in the UAB Honors College community through activities each semester organized by our student leaders, advisors, and Honors Faculty Fellows. Even before classes begin, the Honors College hosts a welcome and advising session during Blazer Beginnings New Student Orientation. Our New Student Experience begins with our Honors New Student Retreat which connects students and prepares them for success at UAB. Once on campus, our Honors RAs facilitate programming in the residence halls, and students receive a weekly newsblast with college-wide service opportunities, social events, and professional development workshops. Students also have access to our new Honors Hall for studying and socializing.

Honors-Level Courses

UAB Honors College students on our Personalized Pathway must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours of honors-level coursework in order to graduate with Distinguished Honors. Students who choose to earn 30 or more honors credits will graduate with High Distinguished Honors. In a Personalized Path, students earn honors credit in various ways. Honors classes are smaller in size (generally 25 or fewer students) and provide students with uniquely engaging curricular experiences. Options for honors credit include:

Honors Seminars: These multidisciplinary seminars cover topics not typically offered at UAB and are taught by some of our most outstanding faculty. Prior examples include: Justice for All? Education and Opportunity in America; Persuasion: How to Get More of What You Want and Make Others Feel Good About Giving It to You; and 100 Things About the Brain.

Honors Courses: These include enhanced sections of courses offered through regular academic departments that provide students with a high level of engagement and critical thinking as well as courses required for departmental honors programs.

Honors Experiential Learning Courses: The UAB Honors College offers specific experiential courses, including recent study abroad courses in Cuba and Iceland as well as service learning with local community partners. Students may also participate in individual projects in service learning, research, internships, or education abroad.

Honors by Contract: Students may augment their experiences in upper-level standard courses. An interested student should meet with a faculty member to devise an honors contract. Contract details vary, but they share a commitment to academic excellence above and beyond the minimum requirements for the course. Students interested in Honors by Contract should download the appropriate forms in the Honors College Canvas site. Except in rare circumstances, honors by contract is restricted to courses at the 300/400 level.

Graduate Courses: All graduate-level coursework counts towards the Honors College requirements. Honors students are encouraged to explore graduate courses and consider Accelerated Bachelors/Masters Programs or Fast-Track/Fifth-Year Masters Programs.

Honors Seminar

Students are required to complete at least one honors seminar during their first year in the Honors College. Available seminars will be communicated each semester through the honors advisors.

Experiential Learning

Students are required to complete a minimum of one experiential learning course at UAB. These courses may include service learning, study abroad, research, or internships.

Honors Student Leadership Development Academy

Requirements		Hours
HC 101	Honors College Leadership	1-3
HC 201	Leadership Skills	1-3
HC 301	Advanced Leadership Skills and Practice	1-3
HC 401	Honors Independent Leadership Project	1-3
Leadership Elective		3
HC 114	Honors Seminar in Business
HC 118	Honors Seminar in Creative Arts
HC 219	Honors Seminar
HC 319	Honors Seminar: Special Topics
Total Hours		7-15

Courses

HC 100. Honors College First Year Experience. 0-3 Hours.

This course is designed to introduce first year students to the tools and techniques that will enhance their transition to college and improve their academic success. Goal setting, time management, faculty/peer interaction, and other academic skills applicable to success in all majors will be addressed. Students will be encouraged to establish supportive relationships with peers, staff, and faculty to become more integrated into the academic community.

HC 101. Honors College Leadership. 1-3 Hour.

This course is the first course in the three-course Honors College leadership series. Specifically, this course is an introduction to the study of leadership; including the study of traits and characteristics of leaders, values & ethics used in leadership, the situational nature of leadership, the importance of Emotional Intelligence in leadership, and the study of leadership as a team activity.

HC 110. Honors Seminar: Special Topics. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. Honors students may take in lieu of a First Year Experience course. This course meets Blazer Core Humans and their Societies.

HC 111. Honors Seminar in Engineering. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Engineering. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum Communicating in the Modern World.

HC 112. Honors Seminar in Public Health. 0-3 Hours.

Honors College seminar in Public Health. Course content varies and is based on topics in Public Health of interest to honors students. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum Creative Arts with a flag in Wellness/Wellbeing.

HC 113. Honors Seminar in Education. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Education. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. Honors students may take in lieu of a First Year Experience (FYE) course. This course meets Blazer Core Humans and their Societies with a Flag in Global Multicultural Perspectives.

HC 114. Honors Seminar in Business. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Business. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. Honors students may take in lieu of a First Year Experience (FYE) course. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum Communicating in the Modern World.

HC 115. Honors Seminar in Health Professions. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Health Professions. Course content varies and is based on health-related topics of interest to honors students. Honors students may take in lieu of a First Year Experience (FYE) course. This course meets Blazer Core Reasoning.

HC 116. Honors Seminar in History & Meaning. 3 Hours.

Honors College seminar in History & Meaning Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum History and Meaning.

HC 117. Honors Seminar in Natural Sciences and Mathematics. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. Honors students may take in lieu of a First Year Experience (FYE) course. This course meets Blazer Core History and Meaning with a Flag in Global Multicultural Perspectives.

HC 118. Honors Seminar in Creative Arts. 3 Hours.

Honors College seminar in Creative Arts. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course meets Blazer Core Creative Arts.

HC 119. Honors Seminar. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. Honors students may take in lieu of a First Year Experience (FYE) course. This course meets Blazer Core Reasoning.

HC 120. Honors Seminar: Scientific Inquiry. 4 Hours.

HC 121. Engineering Experience. 3 Hours.

Honors Seminar Engineering Experience.

HC 126. Honors Seminar Humans & their Societies. 3 Hours.

Honors Seminar in Humans and their Societies. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course counts in the Thinking Broadly: Humans and Their Societies section of the Blazer Core Curriculum.

HC 128. Honors Seminar in Reasoning. 3 Hours.

Honors College Seminar in Reasoning. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course fulfills the Academic Foundations: Reasoning area of the Blazer Core Curriculum.

HC 130. Honor Seminar - City as a Classroom. 3 Hours.

Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course fulfills City as a Classroom of the Blazer Core Curriculum with a flag in Civic Engagement.

HC 200. Participation in Honors. 1 Hour.

Student must participate in and reflect on at least eight enrichment events sponsored by the UAB Honors College including lectures, workshops and service projects.

HC 201. Leadership Skills. 1-3 Hour.

This course is the second course in the three-course Honors College leadership series. HC 101 focused on leadership principles and individual characteristics that contribute to a leader's style. HC 201 will focus on planning the project to be carried out in HC 301 and on related leadership skills such as communication methods, professionalism and the identification of measureable outcomes. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum Communicating in the Modern World.
Prerequisites: HC 101 [Min Grade: C]

HC 211. Honors Seminar in Engineering. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Engineering. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 212. Honors Seminar in Public Health. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Public Health. Course content varies and is based on topics in Public Health of interest to honors students.

HC 213. Honors Seminar in Education. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Education. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 214. Honors Seminar in Business. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Education. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum Humans and their Societies.

HC 216. Honors Seminar in Social and Behavioral Sciences. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course meets Blazer Core History and Meaning with a flag in Global/Multicultural.

HC 217. Honors Seminar in Math and Science. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar in Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 218. Honor Seminar in Arts and Humanities. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum Creative Arts with a flag in Justice.

HC 219. Honors Seminar. 1-3 Hour.

Honors College seminar. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course meets Blazer Core History and Meaning with a Flag in Wellness/Wellbeing.

HC 220. Honors Seminar History & Meaning. 3 Hours.

Honors Seminar in History & Meaning. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students. This course fulfills the Thinking Broadly: History & Meaning section of the Blazer Core Curriculum.

HC 300. Contemporary Social Issues, Leadership and Scholarship. 0-3 Hours.

Analysis of classical and modern foundations and principles of leadership and a survey of contemporary social issues. Practice in scholarship essay writing, interviewing, and critical thinking. Intended for national and international scholarship and fellowship applicants. Enrollment limited to sophomores and juniors.

HC 301. Advanced Leadership Skills and Practice. 1-3 Hour.

Provides students with an opportunity to lead an independent project using leadership principles and skills.
Prerequisites: HC 201 [Min Grade: C]

HC 311. Honors Seminar in Engineering. 1-3 Hour.

Advanced Honors College seminar in Engineering. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 312. Honors Seminar in Public Health. 1-3 Hour.

Advanced Honors College seminar in Public Health. Course content varies and is based on topics in Public Health of interest to honors students.

HC 313. Honors Seminar in Education. 1-3 Hour.

Advanced Honors College seminar in Education. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 314. Honors Seminar in Business. 1-3 Hour.

Advanced Honors College seminar in Business. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 316. Honors Seminar in Social and Behavioral Sciences. 1-3 Hour.

Advanced Honors College seminar in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 317. Honors Seminar in Natural Sciences and Mathematics. 1-3 Hour.

Advanced Honors College seminar in Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 318. Honors Seminar in Arts and Humanities. 1-3 Hour.

Advanced Honors College seminar in Arts and Humanities. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 319. Honors Seminar: Special Topics. 1-3 Hour.

Advanced Honors College seminar. Course content varies and is based on topics of interest to honors students.

HC 395. Honors Study Abroad. 0-3 Hours.

Students will participate in an honors study abroad experience. Instructor and Director of Education Abroad approval required. Must be an Honors College student in good standing. May be repeated for credit.

HC 396. Honors Service Learning. 0-3 Hours.

Students will propose and complete a service learning project under the supervision of a faculty member. Associate Dean and instructor approval required. Must be an Honors College student in good standing. Requires substantive paper or scholarly work and presentation at UAB Expo (or other undergraduate research conference approved by the Associate Dean). May be repeated for credit.

HC 397. Honors Independent Study. 0-3 Hours.

Students will propose and complete an honors-level academic project under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Associate Dean and instructor approval required. Must be an Honors College student in good standing. Requires substantive paper or scholarly work and presentation at UAB Expo (or other undergraduate research conference approved by the Associate Dean). May be repeated for credit.

HC 398. Honors Undergraduate Research Studies. 0-3 Hours.

Students will propose and conduct an undergraduate research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Instructor approval required. Must be an Honors College student in good standing. May be repeated for credit.

HC 399. Internships or Co-op Studies. 0-3 Hours.

Students will propose and complete an internship or co-op experience under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Must be an Honors College student in good standing. Associate Dean and instructor approval required. Requires substantive paper or scholarly work and presentation at UAB Expo (or other undergraduate research conference approved by the Associate Dean). May be repeated for credit.

HC 401. Honors Independent Leadership Project. 1-3 Hour.

Students will propose and complete a leadership experience under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Must be an Honors College student in good standing. Instructor approval required. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisites: HC 301 [Min Grade: C]