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The CRC Honors Program offers an empowering academic community centered on:

Special topics courses
UC/CSU-transferable General Education classes for students in all majors
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Providing enhanced transfer and scholarship opportunities
A foundation for success in graduate or professional school
A pathway to professional life

Honors Courses and Certificate

ANTH 480 - Honors Biological Anthropology (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: None.
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Local GE L5; Cal-GETC Area 5B
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course is an introduction to the science of biological anthropology, and analyzes the human place in nature. Applying principles of genetics and evolution, this course will explore modern human variation and how we evolved, including the unique role of culture. The course also covers the classification and distribution of living and extinct human populations, how we determine the geological age of our ancestors, and our relationship to non-human primates such as monkeys and apes. Topics covered in this course include: the scientific method, principles and mechanisms of genetics and heredity, geological dating methods, classification of humans and our near relatives, social organization and behavior of living primates, comparative skeletal anatomy of humans and non-human primates. Local field trips may be required.

This honors course offers rigorous preparation in critical thinking, and analytic reading and writing skills for students intending to transfer to a four-year college or university. It provides an opportunity to engage contemporary biological and anthropological issues through small group discussion, a structured sequence of papers and reading analysis requiring higher-level thinking tasks, and collaborative projects. Research projects require extensive analysis of topics such as ethics in biological anthropology, fossil hominin taxonomy placement and primate conservation. Paper requirements are designed to challenge and motivate. This course is not open to students who have completed ANTH 300. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as Honor 386. This course, under either name (ANTH 480 or HONOR 386), may be taken only one time for credit.

ANTH 482 - Honors Biological Anthropology Laboratory (1)

Units: 1
Hours: 54 hours LAB
Prerequisite: None.
Corequisite: ANTH 300 or 480
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Cal-GETC Area 5C
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course is an introductory laboratory course designed to provide students with an opportunity to become familiar with the methods of the science of biological anthropology while investigating topics in laboratory and field situations. Topics covered in the course are: the scientific method, sources of biological variation and forces of evolution, human osteology (bone identification), human variation, taxonomy and comparative osteology of the primates, comparative behavior, and the fossil evidence for human evolution. A field trip to the local zoo may be included. This course is designed as a companion course to Anthropology 300 - Biological Anthropology, Anthropology 480-Honors Biological Anthropology and Honors 386-Honors Biological Anthropology.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as Honor 387. This course, under either name (ANTH 482 or HONOR 387), may be taken only one time for credit.

BIOL 485 - Honors Seminar in Genetics (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: None.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Local GE L5; Cal-GETC Area 5B
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course offers honors students the opportunity to study, critique, and discuss advanced topics in genetics such as genetically modified foods, whole-genome rapid sequencing, gene therapies for human disease, and a variety of reproductive technologies. Furthermore, this course includes the study of Mendelian inheritance, the roles of chromosomes and genes in human disease, how genes direct development, the relationship between genes, environment and behavior, and the contribution of genes to human diversity. Students will engage with each other to discuss ethical, legal and social issues during class discussions, and analyze scientific literature in written reports. Enrollment is limited to Honors students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as HONOR 385. This course, under either name, may be taken a total of one time for credit.

COMM 480 -Honors Seminar: Political Campaign Communication (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: ENGL C1000 or C1000H with a grade of "C" or better
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the Cosumnes River College Catalog.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Local GE L4; Cal-GETC Area 4
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

What do pundits, politicians and the public have in common? The ability to impact political campaign communication. This seminar-style course will introduce students to the effects of political campaign communication on public opinion and election results. Using timely data, students will evaluate news media, debate presidential debates, and analyze campaign messages using qualitative and quantitative
approaches. This course is intended for the honors student interested in learning about political communication, rhetorical criticism, and techniques for writing for academic audiences. Video-streaming devices may be used as an aid to the student’s self-analysis and improvement. Access to a computer with online capabilities may be required and computer access is available on campus. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as HONOR 340, and only one may be taken for credit.

COMM 482 - Honors Seminar: Persuasion within Social Issues (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: ENGL C1000 and C1000H with grades of "C" or better, or placement through the assessment process.
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Cal-GETC Area 1B
C-ID: C-ID COMM 190
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This seminar-style course will introduce students to the fundamental theories and techniques of persuasion as they occur in various communication contexts, including commercial, interpersonal, public and mass media. A series of writing assignments will focus on the skills of critical thinking, persuasion, and the sophistication of argumentative essay skills. Essays of advanced composition shall be evaluated for their quality in both critical thinking and composition. The writing assignments will apply theoretical models of critical thinking and communication studies to rhetoric, examining message production, analyzing messages, and exploring the fields of electronic and print media, advertising (product campaign), political campaign strategy, and ideological campaign techniques for mass communication. Students explore ethical considerations of persuasive communication, learn about types of reasoning, and identify fallacious arguments as they occur in persuasion. Students will focus on the design and organization of persuasive messages within a speech format for an individual or group presentations for a live audience. This course offers honors students the opportunity to study, critique, discuss and present advanced topics to focus on the impact of persuasive attempts within ethical, social and political issues. Access to a computer with online capabilities may be required and computer access is available on campus. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. As COMM 315, Persuasion, has a similar basis as this Honors course, this course is not open to a student that has received credit for COMM 315, Persuasion. This course is the same as HONOR 341, and only one may be taken for credit.

ENGL C1000H - Honors Academic Reading and Writing (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: Placement as determined by the college’s multiple measures assessment process
Enrollment Limitation: Eligibility for the Honors Program.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Local GE L1A; Cal-GETC Area 1A
C-ID: C-ID ENGL 100
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course was formerly known as ENGWR 480 Honors College Composition. In this course, students receive instruction in academic reading and writing, including writing processes, effective use of language, analytical thinking, and the foundations of academic research.

This is an honors course. This honors composition course for students intending to transfer to a four-year college or university focuses on reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that extend past those developed in a traditional composition course. This rigorous course requires the reading and analysis of complex short works along with at least one full-length academic text. Students will identify and implement explicit writing and reading strategies useful for navigating audience, purpose, context, genre, language conventions, and varied sources-as-evidence. They will produce carefully reasoned, stylistically sophisticated academic writing, which includes appropriate academic documentation and relies on academic research. Students will refine their practice of rhetorical process, strategy, research, and citation methods in a minimum of 6,500 written words in academic writing assignments across multiple genres, including at least 5,000 words in major writing assignments revised in response to formative peer and instructor feedback. Honors students will engage in additional presentations of independent and collaborative research.

This course (formerly known as ENGWR 480) is not open to students who have successfully completed ENGL C1000 (formerly known as ENGWR 300). This course is the same as HONOR 375. This course, under either name, may be taken only one time for credit.
Students may satisfy the prerequisite for the course through the Los Rios placement process OR guided self-placement OR successful completion of ESL 325.

ENGLT 488 - Honors: Literature Adapted into Film (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENGL C1000 (formerly known as ENGWR 300).
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the Cosumnes River College Catalog.
Transferable: CSU; UC (Reaffirmed 08/01/2023.)
General Education: Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A; Cal-GETC Area 3B
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course analyzes the process, challenges, failures, and successes of adapting literary and stage material into film. It compares faithful and unfaithful adaptations through reading the original texts and viewing the adapted films with an awareness of their historical and cultural contexts. The course examines intention, creative distinctions, as well as limits and strengths of each medium. This course requires at least one research essay proposing and justifying details for an adaptation and including appropriate MLA documentation.

The honors course is a full hands-on course with advanced teaching methods focusing on analytical reading, film analysis, and writing skills; it provides opportunity to engage with contemporary social and ethical issues through small group discussion, collaborative projects requiring higher-level thinking tasks as well as independent and collaborative research. Students are tasked to not only analyze and critique but also create an adaptation. Distinguishing features include: deep focus on research, analysis, application, strong communication and critical thinking. Enrollment in this course is limited to Honors Program students. This course is the same as HONOR 378. This course, under either name, may be taken one time for credit.

FMS 488 - Honors: Introduction to Critical Theory (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: None.
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the Cosumnes River College Catalog and on the College's website.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3B
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course investigates questions of interpretation and representation in film, literature, media, and culture. Students examine historical and contemporary critical and cultural theories, then apply these theories in analyzing various works, including films, literary texts, commercials, music videos, and more. Theories introduced include, but are not limited to, semiotics, psychoanalysis, Marxism, critical race theory, gender theory, and postmodernism. Students intending to transfer into arts, film, literature, humanities, and cultural studies programs will find this course particularly useful in understanding the critical language of the university.

As an honors course, this is a seminar with advanced teaching methods focusing on complex theories, major writing, reading, and research assignments, in-depth film analysis, student class lectures, group discussions and interactions. Distinguishing features include a deep focus on research, analysis, application, strong communication, and critical thinking. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found at the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as HONOR 350, and only one may be taken for credit.

FMS 489 - Honors Seminar: The Films of Alfred Hitchcock (3)

This course is a critical examination of the historical and artistic career of a range of seminal directors in film history, with a particular focus on their impact on popular American culture. Students will investigate the filmography of selected directors, read articles and criticisms of their work, and discuss the cultivation of their filmmaking aesthetics. The course examines the visual style of filmmakers from different backgrounds, analyzing their thematic concerns and cinematographic techniques, while also introducing major theoretical approaches to director studies.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as HONOR 352 and only one may be taken for credit. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

HIST 485 - Honors Seminar: Recent US History (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: None.
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to students that are eligible for the Cosumnes River College Honors Program.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Local GE L3; Local GE L4; Cal-GETC Area 3B
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course is an introduction to the study of American history from 1945 to the present day. It is an honors course that uses an intensive instructional methodology designed to challenge motivated students and cultivate advanced critical thinking skills. Particular emphasis will be placed on the role played by complex interrelationships of political, economic, social, and cultural forces in United States history after World War II, and the role played by multiple ethnic groups as well. This course is not open to students who have completed HIST 314. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as HONOR 366 and only one may be taken for credit.

MATH 483 - Honors Seminar in Mathematics: Introduction to Mathematical Proof (1)

Units: 1
Hours: 18 hours LEC
Prerequisite: MATH 370 with a grade of "C" or better
Transferable: CSU; UC (May be taken twice for credit.)

Honors Seminars in Mathematics are special one-unit intensive courses for academically accomplished students or those with the potential for high academic achievement. This particular course will study various methods of mathematical proof in a seminar setting, and will be particularly useful to students planning to study calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra. Topics include: deductive reasoning, proof by axioms, proofs of conditional and biconditional statements, proofs by contrapositive and contradiction, and proof by mathematical induction. Studies will include homework, discussions, oral presentations and lectures. Students will be expected to do independent problem solving and present their solutions to the class. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students (see catalog). This course is the same as MATH 483. This course, under either name, may be taken one time for credit.

MATH 484 - Honors Seminar in Mathematics: Topics in Number Theory (1)

Units: 1
Hours: 18 hours LEC
Prerequisite: MATH 370 with a grade of "C" or better
Transferable: CSU; UC

Honors Seminars in Mathematics are special one-unit intensive courses for academically accomplished students or those with the potential for high academic achievement. This particular course will study various topics in the field of number theory in a seminar setting. Topics include: the integers and their properties; finding integer solutions to Diophantine equations (equations with more variables than equations); and cryptography (the study of how secret codes are created and broken). Studies will include homework, discussions, oral presentations and lectures. Students will be expected to do independent problem solving and present their solutions to the class. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students (see catalog). This course is the same as HONOR 392. This course, under either name, may be taken one time for credit. This course will be offered in spring semester only.

PHIL 485 - Honors Seminar: Philosophy of Martial Arts (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: None.
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the Cosumnes River College Catalog and on the CRC website.
Transferable: CSU; UC (Reaffirmed 08/01/2023)
General Education: Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3B
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course provides an introduction to the philosophical views that have traditionally been associated with the practice of martial arts and explores the interplay between those views and that practice. It also provides an introduction to those contemporary philosophical issues that arise in the context of present day analytic philosophical reflection on the nature and practice of martial arts. The course thus provides both the opportunity to appreciate the eastern philosophical underpinnings of an activity that has become part of mainstream American Culture and the opportunity to experience the rigorous application of contemporary analytic academic philosophical methodology.

As an honors course, this is a full hands-on course with advanced teaching methods focusing on extensive research of selected philosophical theory and its analytic application to the nature and practice of martial arts. This is a seminar course requiring students to create sophisticated academic products, complete major writing, reading, and research assignments, make presentations, and engage in extensive group discussions. Distinguishing features include: deep focus on research, analysis, application, strong communication and complex critical thinking. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as HONOR 364 and only one may be taken for credit.

PHIL 486 - Honors Seminar: Philosophy of Happiness (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: ENGL C1000 (formerly known as ENGWR 300) or C1000H (formerly known as ENGWR 480) with a grade of "C" or better, or the equivalent.
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the CRC Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as PHIL 486, and only one may be taken for credit.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Local GE L1B; Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3B
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This seminar-style course provides instruction in critical thinking and advanced composition while addressing philosophical issues concerning the existence, nature, and attainment of happiness from a diversity of cultural perspectives. This course is designed for students who have successfully completed ENGL C1000 (or its equivalent) and provides further instruction in the techniques of effective critical thinking as expressed in written argument and in the major principles of advanced composition. A sequence of essays totaling a minimum of 8,000 words is required. These essays shall be evaluated for their quality in both critical thinking and composition.

This honors course offers rigorous preparation in analytic reading and writing skills for students intending to transfer to a four-year college or university. It provides opportunity to engage philosophical issues about the existence, nature, and attainment of happiness through a structured sequence of papers requiring higher-level thinking tasks and collaborative projects. As an honors course, this is a full hands-on course with advanced teaching methods focusing on extensive research of selected philosophical theory and its analytic application. This is a seminar course requiring students to create sophisticated academic products, complete major writing, reading, and research assignments, make presentations, and engage in extensive group discussions. Distinguishing features include: deep focus on research, analysis, application, strong communication and complex critical thinking. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the CRC Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as HONOR 363, and only one may be taken for credit.

POLS C1000H - Honors: American Government and Politics (3)

Units: 3
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Prerequisite: None.
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website.
Transferable: CSU; UC
General Education: Local GE L4; Cal-GETC Area 4
C-ID: C-ID POLS 110
Catalog Date: August 1, 2025

This course was formerly known as POLS 481 Introduction to Government: United States - Honors. This course is an introduction to government and politics in the United States and California. Students examine the constitutions, structure, and operation of governing institutions, civil liberties and civil rights, political behaviors, political issues, and public policy using political science theory and methodology.

This is an honors course. The honors course offers rigorous preparation in critical thinking, and analytic reading and writing skills for students intending to transfer to a four-year college or university. It provides an opportunity to engage contemporary political, constitutional, and social issues through small group discussion, a structured sequence of papers requiring higher-level thinking tasks, and collaborative projects. Research projects require extensive analysis of topics such as American institutions, political processes, elections and political behavior. Paper requirements are designed to challenge and motivate. This course is not open to students who have completed POLS C1000 (formerly known as POLS 301). Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as HONOR 367. This course, under either name, may be taken only one time for credit.

POLS 482 - Honors Seminar: International Political Economy (3) - Spring 2027

This course is designed to introduce students to the major theories, institutions, and issues in international political economy. International political economy examines the interaction between politics and economics on a global scale; in particular, how political forces influence markets, and how market forces influence politics. In this course of study, students will examine the major theoretical perspectives on political economy, such as mercantilism, liberalism, structuralism, and statism. Students are then introduced to the major components of the international economy: multilateral trade, domestic trade policy, international finance, and currency policy. Last, this course focuses on several major issues in international political economy. Examples might include the gap between the developed and developing world, the globalized economy, the role of transnational corporations, and the political economies of oil, migration, food, or the environment.

The honors course offers rigorous preparation in critical thinking, and analytic reading and writing skills for students intending to transfer to a four-year college or university. It provides an opportunity to engage contemporary political, economic, and social issues through small group discussion, a structured sequence of papers requiring higher-level thinking tasks, and collaborative projects. Research projects require extensive analysis of topics such as economic institutions, economic policy processes, market behavior, and state responses. Paper requirements are designed to challenge and motivate. This course is not open to students who have completed POLS 311. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the front of the Catalog and on the CRC website. This course is the same as Honor 368. This course, under either name, may be taken only one time for credit

STAT C1000H - Honors: Introduction to Statistics (4)

Units: 4
Hours: 72 hours LEC
Prerequisite: Placement as determined by the college’s multiple measures assessment process or completion of a course taught at or above the level of intermediate algebra.
Enrollment Limitation: Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students. Details about the Honors Program can be found in the Cosumnes River College Catalog.
Transferable: CSU; UC (UC transfer credit limitation: STAT 300, STAT 480, STAT C1000E, STAT C1000H, ECON 310 and POLS 382, PSYC 330 combined: maximum credit, 1 course)
General Education: Local GE L2; Cal-GETC Area 2
C-ID: C-ID MATH 110

This course was formerly known as STAT 480 Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors. This course is an introduction to statistical thinking and processes, including methods and concepts for discovery and decision-making using data. Topics include descriptive statistics; probability and sampling distributions; statistical inference; correlation and linear regression; analysis of variance, chi-squared, and t-tests; and application of technology for statistical analysis including the interpretation of the relevance of the statistical findings. Students apply methods and processes to applications using data from a broad range of disciplines.

This is an honors course. Statistical analysis using a statistical software package such as, but not limited to, StatCrunch, R, SAS, SPSS, EXCEL, Minitab, Desmos, and/or graphing calculators is required. This honors section uses an intensive instructional methodology designed to challenge motivated students. Enrollment is limited to Honors Program students.

Details about the Honors Program can be found in the Cosumnes River College Catalog. This course was formerly known as STAT 480 or HONOR 393. This course is not open to students who have successfully passed the non-honors version of the course, i.e. STAT C1000 or STAT 300.

Resources

Learn more about the features and perks of program participation by viewing the Honors Program Brochure. The brochure also contains the program’s Two Year Course Offerings Schedule.

For a detailed introduction to the program view the CRC Honors Program slideshow.

Learn More About the Honors Program