“I Learned How to Think, Not What to Think.” Student Perspectives on an Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Honours Programme

• DOI: 10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14311
• Publication Date: 2024-10-21T14:12:04Z
• Authors: Jenny Godley; Lori Jane Pasaraba; Megan Wilson; Mabel Teye-Kau; Mark Migotti
• Keywords: Undergraduate research

The Arts and Science Honours Academy (ASHA) is a unique interdisciplinary undergraduate honours programme at large research-intensive university in Canada. Data were collected early 2020 from 108 past present students, representing the first eleven cohorts of programme. Triangulating results quantitative qualitative analyses, we describe ASHA students’ educational social experience during their time and, for those who have graduated, post-graduate activities. Situating our investigation within previous literature examining learning communities high impact practices, assess whether students arts science disciplines experienced differently, which aspects most impactful. We find that academically, reported benefiting exposure to thought, opportunity do research, study abroad requirement. Socially, connections they formed with small cohort achieving peers variety disciplinary backgrounds. While benefitting socially, more likely indicate influenced careers following graduation. These findings provide evidence support creation design future programmes.