Advanced Honors
If you want to fill your upper-division GE ("SJSU Studies") requirements in one yearlong, team-taught course, HUM 177A/B: Advanced Honors in Integrated Science, Social Sciences, and Humanities is for you!
Students in Advanced Honors study field-defining ideas and classic works from each of these disciplines, exploring world cultures, values, communities, and the arts, as well as major 20th-century developments in science that have shaped the 21st century.
Some recent lecture and seminar topics have included: cybernetics; psychoanalysis and changing ideas about happiness; how to listen to music, look at art, and analyze both; what Japanese film tells us about the 20th century; how epidemics and pandemics cause social change; and agricultural innovation in the face of climate change.
GE Areas Covered at a Glance
| Course | GE Areas |
SJSU Studies | Semester Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUM 177A | S |
Self, Society, and Equality |
Fall |
| HUM 177A |
V |
Culture, Civilization, and Global Understanding
|
Fall |
| HUM 177B (following completion of HUM 177A) |
R |
Earth and Environment |
Spring |
What do students say about Advanced Honors?
"Advanced Honors has been invaluable in enhancing my study skills, broadening my knowledge base, and igniting a significant passion for learning. Through intensive coursework and engaging discussions, I've not only sharpened my academic prowess but also developed a deeper appreciation for the pursuit of knowledge."
—Maya Groves, Behavioral Science and Justice Studies (Criminology) double major, Humanities minor (2024)
“[H]elped me reconsider my entire approach to critical thinking… [G]ave me a genuine appreciation for the empowerment that General Education grants.”
—Evin, Advanced Honors student and Writing Center tutor (2018)
“You need humanities courses no matter what field you are in so you understand the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of what you do.”
—Isaiah, Advanced Honors student and business major (2017)
What makes Advanced Honors special?
Advanced Honors is team-taught by professors with expertise from different disciplines. This course sequence provides students with a supportive learning community that will help them to connect and succeed at San José State—designed to satisfy SJSU Studies requirements for most majors.*
Advanced Honors is also a community- building course sequence, welcoming upper-division students, whether current SJSU students or new transfers from across the state and the globe. Build a network outside of your major by filling your GE requirements in a yearlong class working closely with fellow self-identified Honors students!
In 2024–25, Advanced Honors will be offered in both in-person and online synchronous (Zoom) modalities—so you can choose which works better for your schedule and learning style!
To receive information about signing up for Advanced Honors and choosing your modality, email humanities-honors-program@sjsu.edu or fill out our short interest form.
Advising Notice:
*Students should consult with their major advisor, as some majors have courses that meet the SJSU Studies requirements.
