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Curriculum
Honors cluster group

The University Honors College at William Paterson promotes academic excellence at both the General Education and advanced levels. Honors Sections of General Education courses are specifically designed for high achieving students by selected faculty. These courses offer a smaller class size (20 or fewer students), more individualized instruction and attention, and more interesting and challenging coursework than regular General Education courses.

Many first year students enroll in Honors clusters, a group of three classes designed around a common theme. The three classes are comprised of the same group of students and although they meet separately, once every week or two all of the professors and students meet for an interdisciplinary plenary session. In addition several individual Honors sections of General Education Courses are offered each semester. Click here for the listing and descriptions of Honors clusters and individual courses currently being offered.

Honors Cluster
Honors Cluster

Students who wish to pursue advanced opportunities in Honors may select an Honors Track. Tracks function similarly to a minor, and are a distinctive set of courses that enhance a student’s academic career. Students select one of the tracks based on their major, academic goals, and personal interests. Some of the benefits of the program include smaller class sizes, more individualized instruction and attention, increased opportunities for faculty-student research, interaction with other honors students, and the “Honors” designation on diplomas and transcripts.

Chris Weaver with Honors Cluster Class Honors Cluster class in High Mountain East

Below is an overview of the tracks. Please click on the link to each track for more specific information.

Biopsychology
Draws students from biology, chemistry, nursing, psychology, and sociology who are interested in topics such as how the brain works, the biological basis of behavior, and drug effects on behavior.

Cognitive Science
Draws students from biology, chemistry, computer science, linguistics, nursing, psychology, and sociology who are interested in an interdisciplinary exploration of how the mind works, and the modeling of thinking and behavior through computers and robots.

Humanities
Draws students from all majors who are interested in exploring the connections between Philosophy, History, and Literature. Students explore, develop, and critique ideas through reading, writing and discussion with like-minded students and faculty.

Management
Open to students of any major but of particular interest to students in the Christos M. Cotsakos College of Business. The track is especially helpful to students seeking careers in law, management consulting, technology industries, and those who plan to apply to a quality MBA program.

Marketing
Open to students of any major but of particular interest to students in the Christos M. Cotsakos College of Business. The track is especially helpful to students seeking careers in law, management consulting, technology industries, and those who plan to apply to a quality MBA program.

Music
Designed for music majors who are interested in thinking about music from a theoretical perspective.

Nursing
Designed for nursing majors who are interested in nursing as a profession, research in nursing, and an intensification of the Nursing Program.

Life Science and Environmental Ethics
Draws students from all majors who wish to explore the ethical issues relating to scientific and technical knowledge.

Performing and Literary Arts
Draws students from all majors who are interested in writing for public performance, producing or staging a play, acting, and performing a musical review or play.

Social Sciences
Serves students from all majors, but especially from psychology, sociology, political science, and anthropology. Students explore how the social sciences, together and separately, can enhance our understanding of contemporary social problems.