Description
The Honours College track Science, Society & Self offers their students coaching aimed at fostering effective personal leadership. Through guided reflection and dialogue, students practice essential skills such as goal setting, self-reflection, and decision-making. The aim is to strengthen self-awareness, resilience and personal agency – key components of effective personal leadership and meaningful societal engagement.
Each Honours student is assigned their own coach, who remains their coach throughout the entire Honours track. Students receive guidance in designing a personal study plan that reflects their interests and ambitions, while preventing overload. They are encouraged to take ownership of their learning path by identifying personal goals, aligning them with academic and extracurricular opportunities and connecting them to the wider personal, societal, and scientific challenges they wish to engage with.
Students will also explore and articulate their personal story through creative and interactive assignments, so that they gain insight into their identity, motivations, values, talents and ambitions. This will help to build self-awareness and resilience and prepare them to make a positive impact in society.
Coaches are also available for support in case of setbacks, personal circumstances, or other personal and academic challenges that affect the student’s ability to fully engage with the Honours programme. In addition, because this Honours track focuses on the connection between science, society, and the self, some classes may resonate with students on a personal level. They are encouraged to contact their coach if they feel the need to talk things through.
This course further develops students' leadership capacities to address personal, societal, and scientific challenges with integrity.
Course objectives
Through this course, we strive to achieve that students are able to:
Demonstrate increased self-awareness by identifying and articulating their personal values, motivations, strengths, and areas for development.
Design a personalized study plan that balances personal and academic goals with well-being.
Practice personal leadership by taking ownership of their educational path and initiating actions that contribute to their personal development and prepare them for societal engagement.
Mode of instruction
The coaching programme consists of two components. First, at the start of both the second and third year, students attend a mandatory kick-off meeting where they receive more information about the Honours programme. Second, students meet with their coach for a coaching session in both the fall and spring of their second and third year. During these coaching sessions, we will build on what was discussed in the kick-off meetings and do practical exercises and assignments that will foster students’ personal leadership development.
Please note that all coaching sessions take place in small groups of around 5 to 10 students; individual meetings with the coach are possible upon request.
If students are studying abroad during the third year, they will consult with their coach on an appropriate replacement assignment or coaching session.
Assessment methods
Student receive 1 EC in the second year and 1 EC in the third year of the Honours track when they have attended the coaching sessions and kick-off meetings. Students must prepare for each session and participate actively during the sessions.
Language
English, unless all students in a coaching session speak (and prefer to speak) Dutch. Assignments can be submitted in English or Dutch, depending on the preference of the student.
Timetable
The kick-off meeting will take place on 8 September in Leiden. Exact time and location tba.
For the mandatory coaching sessions that take place in the fall and in the spring, coaches will let them know when it is time to sign up. Each coach will make various timeslots available in Brightspace, and students can sign up for a slot that fits their schedule.
Students can also sign up in Brightspace for an individual meeting with their coach when needed.
Admission requirements
This is a mandatory course for second-year and third-year students of the Honours College FSW programme, Science, Society & Self.
Registration
You do not need to register for this course. You will be enrolled by the Honours College FSW. See also under ‘Timetable’.
Contact information
If you have any questions, please contact your Honours College coach.