SMU-in-Taos Honors Program

Deadlines:

Jan 31: 

• Priority Application and Friends of Taos Scholarship Deadline
• Final deadline for Richter Fellowship and Student Worker Applications

Mar 7: 

• Regular Application and Friends of Taos Scholarship Deadline 

April 22: 

• Mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation

Term Dates:

May 15: Arrival Day (arrive to Taos campus by 4 pm (mountain time)
May 16: First day of Class (May Term)
May 30: Last day of classes (exam day)

May 31 - June 1: Cultural Excursion to Santa Fe and Taos

June 3: First day of Class (June A Term)
June 17: Last Day of classes (exam day)
June 18: Departure day for all students - check out by 9 am 

July 31st: Honors Research Paper Due

May Term 2025 Honors Courses 

HIST 3379 Cultural History of New Mexico

This interdisciplinary honors course explores the history of New Mexico, from the pre-contact era to the present. In the first half of the class, we will consider New Mexico’s successive and overlapping waves of human settlement, from Pueblo Indians, the Spanish empire, the Mexican Republic, and the United States, with particular attention to the complex relationships between Native peoples, Hispanos, and Anglo-Americans. Then we will turn to a handful of key topics that continue to define the so-called Land of Enchantment even today: religion and spirituality; the natural world (particularly New Mexico’s scarce water resources); and its enduring cultural symbolism as reflected in literature and film. 

Dr. Andy Graybill

Fulfills: HC, HD, OC

SOCI 3372 Contemporary Issues in the American SW 

We will focus on issues such as the environment, poverty, inequality, and crime and domestic violence as well as exploring these issues within the Native American and Hispanic communities. We will also move beyond the classroom. Community engagement will allow us explore the major problems facing these Taos area communities as well as some possible solutions to the problems facing them.

Dr. Debra Branch

Fulfills: SBS, HD

MKTG 3349 Product & Brand Management - Sustainability and Marketing

This course will show students how to leverage fundamental marketing frameworks and apply them to the nuances related to social impact marketing. In this course, the term “sustainability” will cover both Planet and People related issues (i.e. environmental as well as social issues), as it is known that these are many times inter-related. In the beautiful natural environment of Taos, New Mexico, students will have the chance to engage with 4 organizations that have either or both an environmental and social mission. After our site visits, students will be able to choose which of the 4 organizations they want to focus on for the duration of the course.

Professor Maddy Kulkarni

Fulfills: Business Elective 

Optional: PRW 2135 Mountain Sports (1 Credit Hour)

Mountain Sports is a class where students will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities such as hiking, rafting, rock climbing, and fly-fishing. Students will have the opportunity to apply the five components of health related fitness to all of the activities that they pursue.

Professor Bradley Warren

June A Term 2025 Honors Courses

WL 3311 Food and Identity in the Southwest 

This interdisciplinary and experiential course examines the intersections of food and identity in the Southwest. Through literary and scholarly texts, film, fine arts, pop culture, and experiences, students explore topics such as heritage and tradition, cultural contact and exchange, conquest, resistance and revolution, issues of gender, and responses to modernity and change in the so-called “American Southwest.” Examines how technology (including agriculture, cooking technology, commercial farming, global trade networks, and social media) impacts the production, consumption, distribution, dynamics of power, and systems of meaning of food and eating in this region. 

Dr. Lourdes Molina

Fulfills: GPS, TAS, HD

UHP 3300 The American Citizen in the Southwest

This course examines the chronology of American history through an interdisciplinary lens with the question of “who is an American” as a thematic focus. Students learn about important moments in American history, specifically in New Mexico and the Southwest. They begin to understand the basic chronology of the country, as well as how key events were understood and experienced by some of the country’s most creative and probing minds. The organizing theme of who is an American is an important examination of when and where the human rights of the country’s inhabitants have been respected–or not respected–over the decades. Open to all students.  

Dr. Joan Arbery

Fulfills: LAI, HD, W

RELI 1301 Religious Literacy

First, the course seeks to provide you with an introduction to a wide variety of religious traditions, communities and practices within the context of globalization.  Topics we will cover include the rise of religion as an academic subject in the age of modernity, religion as it relates to colonialism and national identities, religious expression in the media and in popular culture, and changing religious practices and expressions in the light of globalization and immigration. Second, this course aims to introduce you to several approaches to the academic study of religion.  Throughout the course we will explore the ways that people have and do investigate religious histories, practices and people.  Finally, this course is designed to build your skills in the analysis of complex argumentation and your abilities to discuss matters critically, curiously, and  civically.

Dr. Jill DeTemple

Fulfills: PREI, GPS, HD

To see a full breakdown of costs for the SMU-in-Taos Honors Experience and a list of applicable pro-rated SMU Scholarships - please visit our SMU-in-Taos Cost Calculator.

Honors Richter Fellowship

All students who are in the University Honors Program (UHP) and applied for the Taos Honors Program are considered for Honors scholarships as part of the Richter Fellowship. There is no separate application required. If you are a part of other honors and scholars’ programs (non-UHP including Hilltop, Rotunda, Hunt, President’s, Mustang, Dedman, BBA, and Lyle), you are still eligible to apply for the Richter Fellowship Program for additional scholarships for the Taos Honors Program. Applications for the Richter Fellowship are due January 31, 2025.  For more information, please reach out to Brandon Miller, Assistant Director, University Honors Program, at bgmiller@smu.edu

Friends of Taos Scholarship  

The Friends of Taos Scholarship is a need-based partial scholarship that can be applied towards the tuition of an SMU-in-Taos course. They are available to full-time SMU undergraduate students attending SMU-in-Taos. Assistance is limited and is awarded at the discretion of the SMU-in-Taos Scholarship Award Committee. The award is based primarily on demonstrated financial need although students may provide evidence of extenuating circumstances. Students receiving tuition assistance awards are responsible for all remaining fees, room and board and transportation expenses.

The Friends of Taos Scholarship application will become available once a student is accepted to attend SMU-in-Taos.

Taos Student Worker Positions

There are 2 student worker positions available to apply to where you will be provided with a SMU-in-Taos scholarship. Student Worker applications will become available once a student is accepted to attend SMU-in-Taos. You can apply for both positions. 

1. SMU-in-Taos Student Ambassador: The Student Ambassador is a student who is employed by SMU-in-Taos and works as part of a staff team in order to build a positive community experience for residents during the term. The Student Ambassador reports directly to the Taos Student Affairs Representative. Student Ambassadors will be compensated with a room and board scholarship, specific amount will vary based on responsibilities.

Expectations:

- Building positive community: The Student Ambassador is expected to know the individual students during their term on a personal basis. Each Student Ambassador is expected to create and encourage activities and programs that enhance community and meet residents' personal and academic needs The Student Ambassador serves as a role model for students in every aspect of University life and is expected to know the various campus services available to students. Assist in planning, promoting, and executing campus programming and social events throughout the term. 
- Help with check in and check out processes: Arrive to the SMU-in-Taos campus one day prior to the term's "Arrival Date" and depart at the close of duties on the term's "Departure Date". 
- Attend all training sessions, in either Dallas or Taos. 
- Meet with supervisor and/or team as needed. Additional tasks as determined by Student Affairs Coordinator (s) and SMU-in-Taos staff. 

2. SMU-in-Taos Student Driver: Student Drivers are employed by SMU-in-Taos and will help drive vans to field trips for classes. Student Drivers will only drive the vans responsibility for outlined purposes and nothing else. Student drivers must be over 21. Student Drivers will also help foster intimate community during the term by promoting and helping host community events.  Student Drivers will be compensated with a room and board scholarship, specific amount will vary based on driver needs. 

All students participating in the Taos honors experience will be recipients of the Honors Richter Fellowship for the SMU in Taos – Honors Experience and must submit a research essay that follows these guidelines.

The SMU-in-Taos Honors research paper, due after the June A term, is an incredible opportunity for a self-directed scholarly project. It starts with a proposal phase during May and June, where you will work closely with faculty and staff mentors to articulate your research objectives, integrating course content with experiential learning. The proposal phase encourages deep reflection on how your classroom knowledge intersects with real-world experiences and hones your ability to communicate your ideas in writing and orally. The final paper, a substantial work of 2500-3750 words, captures the essence of your immersive Taos experience, aiming to expand your intellectual horizons and generate new insights.

Timeline and General Guidelines for Completion:

• Research proposal completed 5 days following completion of last class in Taos.
• Due July 31 following the SMU-in-Taos term.
• 8 to 12 pages in length (double-spaced).

Expectations:

• Draw on the subject matter from at least 1 of the Honors courses taken in Taos.
• Draw on 3 to 4 field experiences where the site and its objects are directed used/these include the weekly field trips, sources available on the Fort Burgwin campus, or other materials available in Taos.
• Organized around a logical, thesis driven argument that uses specific and appropriate illustrations as backup.
• Presents an informed understanding of all the class content and other materials—in terms of their content, argument, parameters, structure, strengths, and weaknesses—using both necessary specificity and an awareness of the larger issues.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the histories, peoples, cultures, and/or environment of Taos and the U.S. Southwest.
• Is clear, well organized, and well written—and has minimal grammatical and typographical errors—even at the paragraph and sentence level

Besides earning Honors Credit for two courses, your research could be published in prominent platforms like SMU Hilltopics or the Journal of Undergraduate Research, marking this as a uniquely rewarding academic endeavor.