Honors Calculus is a course about how to think and how to understand. The subject matter is calculus, but the study skills and methods of analysis learned in this course will be invaluable in other contexts. Honors Calculus emphasizes proof over computation and understanding over rote; even students who have already had a calculus course will find this course engaging as well as useful.
This course is for bright students, majoring in any discipline, who enjoy learning mathematics. Notice the emphasis on enjoyment; one of the guiding principles is that Honors Calculus should be fun. The class is small and run in a highly interactive fashion, structured so that everyone gets an opportunity to develop their talents. Students who like mathematics and do well in it, but who perhaps have been somewhat timid about participating in previous math classes, will find this a particularly welcoming environment.
Recitation forms an integral part of the course. The class will be divided into small groups, each group presenting a problem and discussing its solution in recitation.
Grades in the course are generally high, in recognition of the extra effort that goes into an honors course. Students who successfully complete Honors Calculus will often be in a position to obtain strong letters of recommendation to internships or to Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (a number of students in previous classes have attended such programs).