Course Descriptions
On this page:
Overview
Students may select a variety of honors courses. Courses are available through departments or through the University Honors Programs. Course descriptions for the Spring 2020 University Honors (UH) classes as well as a list of Departmental Honors Courses are posted here. Refer to WINGS Express via the WINGS portal for a complete listing of all Honors courses, including days, times, and locations.
Spring 2022 University Honors Courses
UH 2010-01 (CRN 13852)
Latin America Magical and Real (Rubin)
Latin America is a very real and very magical place, with a rich literary and cinematographic history. This course will explore the “magic” of Latin America, from famous literary movements like “magical realism” to often mythologized figures like Ernesto Ché Guevara. At the same time, the course will examine a number of “real” issues facing Latin America, including crime, immigration, and poverty. Readings will include short stories and poems in translation, as well as current news and feature articles. Films will include feature length selections and documentaries.
UH 2020-90 (CRN 26052)
Decision Making (Morrisette)
Decision making is an integral part of our daily lives, ranging from the relatively simple--shall I have Coke or coffee?--to the complex and seemingly insoluble--how can we reduce the rate of violent crime in the U.S.? Regardless of one's area of interest or expertise, difficult decisions must be made. This course provides an introduction to the concepts of decision theory, systems analysis, and rational analytic techniques of decision making, as well as an exploration of non-rational theory and processes. Students will analyze the process and the assumptions that underlie the process from several viewpoints and disciplines: rationality, incrementalism, analytical reasoning, and complexity and chaos.
UH 2020-91 (CRN 24738)
Health and Disease (Rodgers)
This course will explore disease and its historical effect upon religion, exploration, politics, war, the economy, and other social and cultural aspects of our world. We will also look at modern disease and its effect upon these social and cultural matters, and in turn how these same social and cultural aspects affect the course of disease and human health.
UH 4000-01 (CRN 21358 )
Myth & Sacred Geography in India (Stoker)
This course explores the complex relationship between Hindu sacred narratives and specific geographical locations in the Indian subcontinent. Some questions we will consider include: What does it mean for a city to be sacred and how does this sanctity impact human life there? How do human populations interact with mountains, rivers, and other “holy” natural features and how is this interaction complicated by modern capitalist land use? What are the implications for religious diversity in a given area when a specific religious community claims the territory as sacred? The course will be inter-disciplinary in approach. Students will read translations of Hindu texts as well as secondary literature from fields like religious studies, environmental science, anthropology, law, and political science. Students will also become familiar with traditional Indian artistic renderings of the cosmos and of India's sacred geography.
UH 4000-02 (CRN 25309 )
World Wars in Modern Memory (Carrafiello)
What is the collective memory and remembrance of World War I and World War II in the west? How and why have these memories been shaped and transformed since these great conflicts? How have they influenced how we think about the history of these wars in both the past and the future? We will look at a variety of sources, including literature, memoirs, oral histories, monuments, art, films, documentaries, and museum exhibits, as we seek to answer these questions.
UH 4000-03 (CRN 26075)
Virtual Paris (Abadie)
In this course, we will examine several important historical and cultural aspects of la Ville Lumière (the City of Light) – its historical evolution, with a focus on the French Revolution and the German Occupation, and its architecture, especially the push towards urbanization of the mid-19th century and the current renovations undertaken in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games. We will also study the mythology that surrounds this magnificent city, its thriving arts and fine arts scenes, legendary Parisian monuments and museums, the portrayal of Paris in Hollywood and in French films and productions, and Parisian cuisine. The course will interweave history and fiction (films, plays, musical compositions, translated works) to give a full picture of the multitude of perspectives that combine to solidify Paris as a complex and dynamic world capital.
Spring 2022 Departmental Honors Courses
Biology
- BIO 1190 Biology Recitation (Must take with BIO1150 and Honors BIO1150 Lab)
Education
- ED 2100 Education in a Democracy
Mathematics
- MTH 2310 Calculus II
Music
- MUS 2420 Comparitive Nonwestern Cultures: Music
Neuroscience
- NEU 4020 Sr. Capstone Neurology
Psychology
- PSY 1010 Intro to Psychology
- PSY 1010L Intro to Psychology Lab
Religion
- REL 2320 Nonwestern Religions
Theatre
- TH 3990 Acting Honors Thesis Project
- TH 3990 Musical Theatre
