The Arts and Architecture Honors Program (AAHP) furthers the CoA+A’s goals of providing creative leadership for UNC Charlotte and greater Charlotte communities by encouraging and developing the full potential of our outstanding students. Through the AAHP, these students take an active and engaged role in their own education within an interdisciplinary learning environment built on the shared nature of the built, visual, and performing arts. Within the AAHP, students not only explore connections between the various artistic disciplines, but also between the arts and the community.
Dr. Jae Emerling, Director of the AAHP and Professor of Art History, describes the program’s history and goals here:
“With the founding of the College of Arts and Architecture (CoA+A), an Arts and Architecture Honors Program (AAHP) was established to provide an enriched academic and interdisciplinary experience for the college’s most talented and self-motivated undergraduate students. The AAHP is one of the primary initiatives that formally brings students together from all units of the CoA+A in coursework and extracurricular activities. The AAHP furthers the CoA+A’s goals of providing creative leadership for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and greater Charlotte communities by encouraging and developing the full potential of its outstanding students. AAHP students take an active and engaged role in their own education within an interdisciplinary curriculum built on the shared nature of the built, visual, and performing arts. AAHP students not only explore connections between their various artistic disciplines, but also between the arts and the community. Our aim is to foster a unique educational experience for our students, one that culminates in them understanding the aesthetic, social, and ethical reasons why artistic creation of all kinds is essential to the human endeavor. Our program challenges its students and offers them the opportunity to engage in the most innovative undergraduate creative research in the UNC system.”
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Small Class Size: Enrollment in all honors courses is limited to 15 students to promote discussion and interaction between students and faculty, and among the students themselves. Honors courses are open to participants within the various departmental, college, and university level honors programs at UNC Charlotte.
Focused Advising: AAHP students are encouraged to use the AAHP Coordinator as well as the faculty representative to the Arts and Architecture Honors Council from their department as an informal advisor familiar both with the curricular requirements of their major as well as with those of the AAHP.
Honors Housing: As part of the wider honors community at UNC Charlotte, AAHP students are eligible to live in the honors residence hall. Currently Levine Hall, one of the finest on campus, is reserved for honors students from across the University.
Research/Travel Grants: The AAHP currently awards research grants in two ways. First, there are research grants awarded to students in their final year that assist with various materials (books, cameras, supplies) for the completion of the required honors thesis. Second, the AAHP awards two research grants that assist with the tuition of enrolling in a CoA+A international summer program. Only members of the AAHP may apply for these research grants.