Honors Program Curriculum

HON102-01 Movie Magic: Science in the Cinema; TTH 11:25AM-12:50PM 

Instructor: Dr. Steven Clark 

Prerequisite: FYS 101H.  

Action heroes, car races, explosions, and truths that are more unbelievable than fiction– science is everywhere in the movies. Sometimes it is right; other times, they couldn’t be further from the truth. In this course, we will explore how science is portrayed in cinema from the special effects to the characters, how these portrayals influence our perception of the world, and at times, poke fun at some of the most blatant errors. Come learn whether it is “Science Fact” or just “Movie Magic,” and yes, some of your homework will be to watch movies!  

HON102-02 The Human Mind; MW 11:30AM-12:55PM 

Instructor: Dr. Sangeeta Gupta 

Prerequisite: FYS 101H.  

Welcome to "The Human Mind," an honors seminar class that explores the complex intersection of topics such as neuroscience, philosophy, psychology and art. Through a combination of discussions, debates, readings, critical thinking activities, and field trips, you will gain an understanding of and an appreciation for the mysteries and complexities of the mind. In this class, we will be using Paul Bloom’s compelling book, “The Story of the Human Mind” as a starting point, but YOU will determine the course's trajectory and shape the connections that we draw, ensuring that the topics we explore resonate with your own curiosity and passions. Ultimately, your interests will guide us through the fascinating landscape of the human mind. And you will hopefully leave with more questions than answers, igniting your curiosity and driving your pursuit of knowledge. 

HON102-03: Cultivating Sustainability; TTH 11:25AM- 12:55PM 

Instructor: Prof. Katie Huy 

Prerequisite: FYS 101H.  

Through engagement with a variety of experiential learning, guest speakers, literature and media resources, this course provides students opportunities to explore the foundations of conflict and the role conflict plays in understandings the intersection of natural and social systems.  By understanding theoretical implications of social and natural systems intersection, students will examine past environmental conflict to address current conflict and decision-making processes. This course should increase students’ understanding of the significance of conflict in how it has shaped natural and social systems.  We will use the ecological dialogue to consider the interplay of materialism, idealism and the practice that makes the other "true".  By the end of this course students will be empowered to create their role in problem-solving strategies as they relate to sustainability in socio-environmental issues.

HON102-04 Nature and Culture of Trees; TTH 11:25AM-12:50PM 

Instructor: Dr. Scott Pincikowski 

Prerequisite: FYS 101H.  

Trees and culture go hand in hand. Trees have helped shaped human society and culture, and humans have shaped trees and forests, often in a negative way through overharvesting and deforestation. This course explores this relationship, focusing on the nature and culture of trees. Students will examine the ecology and nature of trees, the communities they build, and explore and analyze trees and forests in the cultural imagination by looking at different examples in art, literature, and film, and in history and society, by looking at the fundamental role trees and forests play in the development of human communities and values. Students will become “tree literate” by the end of the class, finding what trees in nature and culture ultimately say about ourselves when we make the effort to understand them.   

HON202: Practicum; TTR 11:25AM-12:50PM 

Instructors: Dr. Jolene Sanders and Prof. Nina Carr 

Prerequisite: HON 201 

In this course, students design and participate in a service-learning project that addresses a social or intellectual problem of the student’s choice, includes an experiential and a research component and makes a positive contribution to the local community. Each student makes a culminating presentation of her/his experience and research. 

HON312 Revisioning Motherhood in Modern Western Culture; TTR 3:35PM-5:00PM 

Instructor: Dr. Lisa Algazi Marcus 

Prerequisite: Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors in the Honors Program, or with permission of the instructor 

An interdisciplinary study of the institution of motherhood and its representations in modern cultural productions of the Western world. Students will examine the myth and reality of mothering by analyzing readings in social, political and psychoanalytical theory as well literary and filmic texts. This course may be used for credit in the women’s studies minor. 

HON 329/PHIL 319: Biomedical Ethics; TTR 11:25AM-12:50PM 

Instructor: Prof. Danielle Albrecht 

 Prerequisites: One course from the Scientific Thought section of the Core.  

This course takes a philosophical and scientific approach to understanding current ethical issues in medicine and covers topics such as abortion, euthanasia, genetic engineering, genetic testing, informed consent, organ transplantation and experimentation with human subjects. 

HON397F: The Humanity of Inhuman Behavior; MW 2:40PM-4:05PM 

Instructor: Dr. Jessica McManus 

 Prerequisites: Completion of Social/Behavioral section of the Core.  

This class will explore the psychological mechanisms that explain why “normal” people engage in amoral or inhumane behaviors. Through the lens of social cognitive theory and moral disengagement models, we will navigate the mechanisms that lead to moral disengagement in a variety of contexts such as the entertainment industry, the corporate world, terrorism, and environmental sustainability. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the mechanisms of inhumane behavior and creating environments that encourage humane behavior.       

HON397I: Humans, Animals & Society; TTH 2:00PM-3:20PM 

Instructor: Prof. Nina Carr 

Prerequisites: Completion of Philosophical Inquiry section of the Core.  

This course explores the relationship and interaction between human and non-human animals in modern society with an emphasis on the United States. Through readings, lectures, and guest presentations, students will critically examine the nature of these relationships, how and why they are constructed, and the resulting distribution of benefits and burdens. Students will consider implications for individuals, communities, and society, including current approaches to reimagining the status quo. The course will highlight interdisciplinary perspectives including but not limited to social, psychological, ethical, legal, economic, political, public health, environmental, and technological.  

HON397: Sports Washing;  TTR 11:25am-12:50pm 

Instructor: Dr. Alan Goldenbach 

Prerequisites: Completion of Social/Behavioral section of the Core.  

 Sportswashing is a form of propaganda, capable of being executed by governments and political regimes as well as corporations or other large social institutions. In short, sportswashing is a carefully executed public relations campaign, designed to burnish or repair an image.  This course will examine how sportswashing has been used through a variety of examples, including Nazi Germany’s hosting of the 1936 Summer Olympics and the National Football League’s efforts to minimize the long-term effects of concussions on its former players or acts of domestic violence by active players.   

HON 470: Classic Movie Mysteries; TTR 11:25PM-12:50PM 

Instructor: Katherine Orloff 

Prerequisite: Open to seniors in the Honors Program or juniors with permission. May not be repeated.  

This course explores the genre of classic movie mysteries. We define something as classic when it stands the test of time, and no matter when it was released, how it still grips an audience, or fails to, and why. We’ll look at and analyze numerous film mysteries from several decades, and fit them into the cultural context of their times.