Page 13 of Albion College Academic Programs by Albion College Michigan

Academic Programs: Institutes Albion's Institutes integrate theoreticaland practical learning in distinctive and challenging ways. Intended for students who desire preprofessional preparation and academic work focused in a specialty area, the Institutes each have a specific curriculum and may include an internship, a capstone experience and opportunities for independent research. Successful completion of an Institute's program, which is noted on the student's academic transcript, confers an advantage in gaining admission to graduate or professional school or in beginning a career. Prentiss M. Brown Honors Institute The Prentiss M. Brown Honors Institute is designed for students interested in challenges and opportunities that go beyond those offered by traditional lecture and laboratory courses. Through small discussion classes, field trips, retreats, guest lecturers, independent research and individualized faculty mentoring, the Institute provides a stimulating variety of academic experiences for talented students. All Brown Honors Institute graduates culminate their academic experience with an extensive research or creative project. Participation in the Institute may be combined with any major and with any of Albion's careerpreparation programs in law, medicine, public service, environmental science, or business management. Academic Program Although they are not separated from the campus at large, Honors students at Albion do enroll in four unique Honors seminar courses in their first two years. Great Issues in Science, Humanities, Social Science and Fine Arts all explore topics of current interest through the use of classical and contemporary readings. Through their small size, discussion format and emphasis on critical thinking and writing, these special courses encourage students to value ideas and to play active roles in their own intellectual development. They also fulfill the special core curriculum for Honors students. In addition to the Great Issues seminars, Honors students must graduate with at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average and produce an Honors thesis. The Honors thesis presents a unique opportunity for Honors students to develop their capacity for original and independent research or creative activity. It also provides excellent preparation for a variety of graduate programs and careers. Work on the thesis begins in a student's junior year. For those who need help in selecting a thesis topic and finding an adviser, the Institute offers an optional Thesis Development Colloquy to guide them through the process. All research and writing of the thesis takes place with close supervision of a faculty thesis adviser and two other faculty readers of a student's choosing. The Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (FURSCA) also provides funds and summer research opportunities to support this project. Special Features The Prentiss M. Brown Honors Institute Center is located in the historic Observatory building and contains a seminar room for Honors classes, the Honors coordinator's office, as well as meeting, library, computing and study areas for Honors students and their guests. Finally, the Institute provides Honors students with opportunities to participate in our Prentiss M. Brown Common Reading Experience, attend popular cultural attractions, have special access to distinguished campus visitors, and to plan and run a variety of other social and intellectual activities through participation in the Honors Council. Admission Albion's Brown Honors Institute accepts applications from students who show superior academic promise. Recognizing there is no one criterion by which academic potential is measured, the Honors Committee annually selects a group of applicants whose high school records, scores on national tests, essays and personal interviews indicate exceptional promise. Currently enrolled Albion College students, as well as high school seniors, may apply for admission to the Institute. Apply to the Brown Honors Institute. Contact the director for more information. Institute for the Study of the Environment The Institute for the Study of the Environment encourages students to understand the environment and the human place in it by combining the intellectual tradition of the liberal arts with the practical experiences gained in internships and research projects. The Institute's concentrations in environmental sciences and environmental studies allow students to explore environmental questions through participatory learning and research in preparation for graduate studies and/or careers in regulation, remediation, policy formulation, education and the law. The Institute also sponsors internship opportunities, seminars and travel experiences designed to confirm the relationship between the liberal arts and environmental concerns. The Institute, through its member students and affiliated faculty, encourages all Albion students to develop an awareness of the physical makeup of the biosphere and an appreciation of the vulnerability of the ecosystem. It further encourages students to explore environmental issues from multidisciplinary perspectives and to recognize that their actions have environmental consequences. Through dynamic interaction between environmental theory and practice, locally based but recognizing that the environment knows no boundaries, the Institute enriches its immediate and extended communities. The Institute is headed by a director with assistance from a faculty/student advisory committee. Page 1 of 7 Albion College Catalog 2006-2007 Academic Programs Institutes 5/8/2006 http://www.albion.edu/academics/catalog/programs/institutes.asp

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