Emerging Scholars RAP Fall 2013

The Emerging Scholars RAP is a year long program designed for approximately 36 underrepresented first-year students who are academically successful, but have not yet been admitted to Commonwealth Honors College.

The program is for students with or without a major and is available by invitation only.

When you join this RAP you will...

• Enroll in a unique 1-credit seminar.
• Enroll in honors classes during both fall and spring semesters. (See fall semester course descriptions below.)
• Have special mentoring opportunities.
• Receive personalized academic advising.
• Make connections to helpful support programs and cultural centers.
• Live with other high-achieving students.
• Attend social events such as faculty talks and field trips

This is an ideal opportunity for high-achieving underrepresented students interested in taking honors courses and finding out more about Commonwealth Honors College. It is also a great way to live and learn with other motivated students committed to a rich intellectual experience at UMass Amherst!

Fall Semester Course Descriptions

RAP Seminar

This seminar is designed to ensure that students begin their tenure at the University by understanding the process and strategies that will be invaluable in helping them maximize their potential. The central aim is to foster critical reading, thinking, questioning skills, and comprehension in making sense of the educational institution, their career goals and their quality of life. Students will have the opportunity to:

• work collaboratively
• meet with a cross section of faculty and staff and understand the value of advising, networking and mentoring
• engage in dialogue and writing across their different similarities as well connecting to their courses
• begin using the library resources
• understand how the Commonwealth Honors College can be beneficial to them.

The long term goal is for students to understand that they have the potential to be invaluable contributors to their communities and to the world.

General Education Class

Econ 144H: Political Economy of Racism. Introductory economic analysis of inequality by race: a range of topics from colonialism, slavery and Jim Crow to wealth, income and earnings inequality, immigration reform and environmental racism today. ECON 103 or 104 recommended but not required.

OR

Soc 110H: Introduction to Sociology. This course is designed as an introduction to the discipline of sociology for honors students. Sociology is the scientific study of the social behaviors of people, groups, and societies. Sociologists typically study human social aggregations of all kinds, including both micro level (e.g., face-to-face social interaction and family dynamics) and macro level (e.g., multi-national corporations, governments, and population dynamics) forms of social phenomena. Students in this course will be exposed to introductory materials spanning an array of sociological topics (including culture, social networks, family, organizations, and demography, to name a few) through the use of in-class lectures, introductory and advanced level readings, discussion, assignments, and supporting films. This course differs from the standard introductory version (SOCIOL 110) in two primary ways: (1) students in this class will experience a relatively smaller class size, which helps to facilitate more in-depth discussion and interaction with the professor and fellow students, and (2) students will be engaging with more advanced levels of critical thinking, in addition to advanced level readings and topics.

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If you have been invited to this RAP you still need to follow the procedure to hold your spot.  Be sure to visit the How to Join page on this website to see the process and important timelines you must follow to become a member of this fantastic program!