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Contact UsSpring 2026 - Colloquium Courses
Date/Time: Spring 2026 | M/W 9:30-10:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Michala Stock
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1020 or ENG 1021
Description: In this course, students examine human growth and development from a variety of perspectives, tracing life history stages from before birth, through infancy, to childhood, and adolescence. Students will explore the ways in which different factors influence human growth and development, including the intersections of (epi)genetic and biocultural processes, whose plasticity ultimately produces variation within humanity. The goal of this course is to provide learners with a more nuanced understanding of how evolutionary, environmental, and cultural processes interact in the growth and health in human populations.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
Date/Time: Spring 2026 | T/R 12:30-1:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Liz Macy
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1020 or ENG 1021
Description: In this course, students examine the role of music within the context of disaster. Understood to be catalysts for artistic expression, disasters produce musical expressions related to trauma in myriad forms. Following an historical overview of large-scale natural and man-made disasters and the kinds of music produced in relation to them, we will examine the ways in which disaster figures into the production and consumption of music in places like Haiti, New Orleans, Indonesia, South Africa, Cambodia, Uganda, and in the Post-9/11 world. Moreover, students will discuss music as a tool in social justice, considering the way that music is used as social commentary and critique and for social activism. Students will develop an understanding of how music and disaster have historically been intertwined, and how music shapes our understanding of conflict and catastrophe.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
Spring 2026 - Honors Courses
Date/Time: T/R 12:30-1:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Jason Jordan
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director
Description: This course teaches students how to design and deliver effective, ethical presentations. The ability to adapt to different audiences and contexts – such as professional or public situations – is emphasized. The course provides instruction on and practice of organization, delivery and performance, technology, and research skills. Students also learn effective listening techniques and critical thinking skills. The course empowers students to become successful professional presenters and public speakers.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Oral Communication
Date/Time: T/R 12:30-1:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Todd Laugen
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director
Description:This course surveys the history of the United States with a particular focus on the development and meanings of race and ethnicity. This includes an exploration of the political, social, economic, and cultural experiences of African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and some first generation immigrants from Europe. Students explore long-term changes and developments from the fifteenth century to the present.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies:Historical
University Requirement(s): Ethnic Studies & Social Justice
Date/Time: T/R 11:00-12:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Doug Petcoff
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1020 or ENG 1020
Description:In this course students learn about the initial discoveries that sparked new scientific fields and about the subsequent revolutions caused by such discoveries. By examining the role of the scientific method in the production of knowledge, students improve their own scientific literacy and learn to critically examine historical scientific experiments. Students investigate the methodologies used, the theories and hypotheses tested, and manipulate original data created in selected experiments. Course discussions also examine the complex relationship between science and world views.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Natural and Physical Sciences
Date/Time: M/W 12:30-1:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Roger Green
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1020 or ENG 1020
Description:
Technology’s impact on human life emerges in a wide array of fields such as agriculture, medicine, warfare, politics, education, transportation, space exploration, communication, data science and robotics. In this interdisciplinary course, students consider definitions of technology and examine the historical relationship between humans and technology. Course discussions also explore debates on the ethical uses of technologies and how technological developments impact our lives as individuals and collectively.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Date/Time: M/W 11:00-12:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. David Tasker
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1010
Description: This is a course for students in the Honors Program and addresses the process of writing extended essays supported by research. The course includes an introduction to research methods, practice in critical reading, thinking, and writing across the disciplines, integration of source material, and the conventions of MLA and APA styles of documentation. Students can expect to do a series of shorter writing and research assignments leading to the longer, documented paper and will write reflectively on their writing process.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Written Communication
Date/Time: Online
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Jessica Parker
Prerequisite(s): ENG 1020, ENG 1021 and Junior or higher standing
Description: Students study the expectations that shape scholarly writing in their various academic disciplines. Students draw on research appropriate for discipline-specific peer-reviewed publications and/or conference presentations. During this course, students learn to transform their written work into submission-ready artifacts with the guidance of instructor feedback and peer review. This course is ideal for students who plan to attend graduate school or are in writing-intensive degree programs.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Written Communication
Date/Time: T/R 12:30-1:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Luis Rivas
Prerequisite(s): ENG 1020, ENG 1021 and Junior or higher standing
Description: Students explore the expectations that shape scientific writing in their various scientific disciplines and employ the correct forms, interpret and synthesize the literature and present their researched writing to various audiences. Students draw on research appropriate for discipline-specific publications and/or conference presentations. During this course, students transform their work into publishable/presentable texts with the guidance of instructor feedback and peer review. This course is ideal for students who are majoring in a science discipline.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Written Communication
Date/Time: Online & 11:00-12:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Jane Vigil
Prerequisite(s): ENG 1020 or ENG 1021 and Junior-level standing
Description: This course introduces key concepts and practices of professional writing, including various written genres, research, document design and visual rhetoric, and use of style guides. Students explore the expectations that shape professional writing such as how to employ the correct forms, interpret and synthesize the literature and present their researched writing to various audiences. During this course, students learn to transform their work into sharable documents with the guidance of instructor feedback and peer review. This course is ideal for students to develop and polish writing skills that will be needed for their career.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Written Communication
Date/Time: M 3:30-4:30
Credits: 1
Instructor: Dr. Megan Hughes
Prerequisite(s): “C” or better in ENG 1020 or ENG 1021, Junior or Senior standing, Enrollment in the Honors Program and Permission from the Honors Director.
Description: This course is taken prior to the Senior Honors Thesis (HON 4950) and is only open to Honors students. This course familiarizes students with project organization and the scope and proper format of an undergraduate thesis project. Each student develops: a thesis statement, a project outline, an initial bibliography and a working abstract. Students also identify a primary Thesis Advisor for their projects. The Thesis Advisor is a faculty member with expertise in a discipline closely related to the topic of the thesis project.
Note: This course must be completed with a B- or better in order to advance to the Senior Honors Thesis.
Date/Time: T 3:30-4:30
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Megan Hughes
Prerequisite(s): HON 4948 with B- or better, Senior standing, Enrollment in the Honors Program and Permission from the Honors Director, approval from student’s department/degree program if taken in place of Departmental Senior Experience course.
Description: The Honors Thesis is the culmination of the Honors undergraduate experience. In this course, students complete an independent research and/or creative project under the direction of a primary Thesis Advisor and the Honors Director. The Thesis Advisor is a faculty member with expertise in a discipline closely related to the topic of the thesis project. Students submit a written thesis and deliver a public oral presentation of their work.
Note: This course must be completed with a B- or better in order to count for Honors credit.
University Requirement(s): Senior Experience
Date/Time: T 3:30-4:30
Credits: 1
Instructor: Dr. Megan Hughes
Prerequisite(s): HON 4948 with B- or better, Senior standing, Enrollment in the Honors Program and Permission from the Honors Director This one-credit course must be paired with an upper division departmental Senior Experience, research or capstone course
Description: The Paired Honors Thesis is the culmination of the Honors undergraduate experience. This one-credit course must be paired with an upper division departmental Senior Experience, research or capstone course. In this course, students complete an independent research and/or creative project under the direction of a primary Thesis Advisor and the Honors Director. The Thesis Advisor is a faculty member with expertise in a discipline closely related to the topic of the thesis project. Students submit a written thesis and deliver a public oral presentation of their work.
Note: This course must be completed with a B- or better in order to count for Honors credit.
Fall 2026 - Colloquium Courses
Date/Time: | T/R 11:00-12:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Helena Reddiington
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1020 or ENG 1021
Description: Long before yoga mats and meditation apps, Asian traditions envisioned the mind and body as tools for spiritual liberation. In this course, students examine the historical, philosophical, and religious roots of yoga and meditation “beyond the mat.” Today, yoga and meditation have become ubiquitous in American culture – their effects are studied scientifically, and their practices are marketed globally. How did these transformations occur? Are these modern practices truly rooted in age-old traditions? Students explore yoga and meditation as dynamic and diverse traditions that span more than two millennia, transcending boundaries of religion, geography, and discipline. This is not a physical activity class. Rather, students engage reflectively “off the mat” to consider what these traditions teach about the mind, body, and the pursuit of liberation.
Date/Time: | M/W 9:30-10:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Roberto Forns-Broggi
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1020 or ENG 1021
Description: This course introduces the video essay as an interdisciplinary methodology and technology for learning. Students explore and create multi-media format video-essays blending research, storytelling, and visual expression to examine how media can spark reflection, dialogue, and positive change in contemporary society. Students think across boundaries to draw from disciplines extending beyond their own field of study to reflect critically on how the languages, archives, and perspectives of different fields shape our understanding of pressing social, ecological, and cultural issues.
Fall 2026 - Honors Courses
Date/Time: | T/R 9:30-10:45 & 11:00-12:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Jason Jordan
Description: This course teaches students how to design and deliver effective, ethical presentations. The ability to adapt to different audiences and contexts – such as professional or public situations – is emphasized. The course provides instruction on and practice of organization, delivery and performance, technology, and research skills. Students also learn effective listening techniques and critical thinking skills. The course empowers students to become successful professional presenters and public speakers.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Oral Communication
Date/Time: | M/W 12:30-1:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Kevin Kohlhauf
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ENG 1009 or C- or better in ENG 1010 or Appropriate score on the First Year Writing placement or ACT English 27 or SAT Verbal 570 or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (620) AND Student in the Honors program or approval by the Honors Director
Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director
Description: Description:Engage in the process of crafting extended essays that are supported by thoughtful research in this Honors Program course. You’ll explore research methods, sharpen your skills in critical reading and thinking, and practice writing for a variety of academic fields. Over the course of the semester, you’ll learn how to effectively integrate source material and navigate the conventions of MLA and APA documentation styles. Shorter writing and research projects will guide you toward creating a longer, polished, research-based essay. The course also introduces multimodal composing, giving you the chance to practice combining text, visuals, and media to enhance your message and connect with different audiences.
Note: ENG 1021 requires a grade of C- or better to fulfill the General Studies requirement. B- or better is required for Honors credit.
General Studies:Written Communication
Guaranteed Transfer:GT-CO2
Date/Time: | M/W 2:00-3:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Seman
Description: Students explore the broad history of the United States with a particular focus on race, inequality, and social justice. From Spanish and British settler colonialism through recent social movement protest, students examine how ideas about race and ethnicity were embedded in economic, legal, social, cultural, and political contexts. We compare the historically-rooted identities, agency, and resistance of marginalized groups. Students develop a foundational understanding of enduring inequalities and movement protests to realize democratic promises in America’s past. We also ask how history can shape national identity.
Note: B- or better is required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Historical
Guaranteed Transfer:GT-HI1
University Requirement(s):Ethnic Studies & Social Justice
Date/Time: | T/R 11:00-12:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Joshua Wilson
Description: This course presents an introduction to business concepts that are further developed in the business core and in other courses pursued by business and economics majors. Also discussed are contemporary issues facing business. This course allows business students to develop a context for their studies and gives non-business students insights into the world of business. Transfer students that transfer in 6 or more credits of business courses may seek advisor approval to substitute BUS 1850 with another College of Business 3-credit hour course that does not appear in their Major or Business Core requirements.
Note: B- or better is required for Honors credit.
Date/Time: | T/R 12:00-1:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Marci Steiner
Description: This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the fundamental concepts of human nutrition, including digestion, absorption, metabolism, and the function of nutrients as they relate to human health and disease.
Note: B- or better is required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Natural and Physical Sciences
Guaranteed Transfer: GT-SC2
Date/Time: | T/R 2:00-3:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Bridget Arend
Description: In this course, students explore current theories, research, and applied practices regarding how people learn. Students analyze the assumptions underlying personal theories of learning in comparison to scholarly theory and research studies, collect evidence to support and challenge their views, and develop new ways of thinking about the learning process. Through the analysis of research-based strategies and emerging ideas about learning from social and behavioral sciences and other disciplines, students self-assess their own learning strategies and apply learning theories to their own practice.
Note: B- or better is required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Date/Time: | M/W 12:30-1:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Roger Green
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1020 or ENG 1021
Description: In this interdisciplinary course, students learn about how grand narratives have shaped and transformed notions of subjectivity over time, from the ancient and/or medieval world through the present day. The focus is on works that have had a literary, philosophical, and artistic impact on the notion of the self. The goal is to comprehend significant changes over time in the relationship between the individual and the world. Students are encouraged to make thematic connections across disciplines.
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director
Prerequisite(s) or Corequisite(s): ENG 1020 or ENG 1021
Note: B- or better is required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Arts and Humanities
Date/Time: | M/W 2:00-3:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Doug Petcoff
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors Program or Permission from the Honors Director. ENG 1020 or ENG 1021
Description: In this course students learn about the initial discoveries that sparked new scientific fields and about the subsequent revolutions caused by such discoveries. By examining the role of the scientific method in the production of knowledge, students improve their own scientific literacy and learn to critically examine historical scientific experiments. Students investigate the methodologies used, the theories and hypotheses tested, and manipulate original data created in selected experiments. Course discussions also examine the complex relationship between science and world views.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Natural and Physical Sciences
Date/Time: Online
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Jessica Parker
Prerequisite(s): ENG 1020, ENG 1021 and Junior or higher standing
Description: Students study the expectations that shape scholarly writing in their various academic disciplines. Students draw on research appropriate for discipline-specific peer-reviewed publications and/or conference presentations. During this course, students learn to transform their written work into submission-ready artifacts with the guidance of instructor feedback and peer review. This course is ideal for students who plan to attend graduate school or are in writing-intensive degree programs.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Written Communication
Date/Time: T/R 2:00-3:15
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Jane Vigil
Prerequisite(s): ENG 1020 or ENG 1021 and Junior-level standing
Description: This course introduces key concepts and practices of professional writing, including various written genres, research, document design and visual rhetoric, and use of style guides. Students explore the expectations that shape professional writing such as how to employ the correct forms, interpret and synthesize the literature and present their researched writing to various audiences. During this course, students learn to transform their work into sharable documents with the guidance of instructor feedback and peer review. This course is ideal for students to develop and polish writing skills that will be needed for their career.
Note: B- or better required for Honors credit.
General Studies: Written Communication
Date/Time: M/W 9:30-10:45
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Joseph Feldman
Prerequisite(s): Senior Standing
Description: This course covers key issues in ethnographic field design, including ethics, participant and observer identities and voices, data collection methods and analysis, and the value of the holistic perspective in anthropology. Course content, class discussions, and research experience prepare students in conducting their own ethnographic projects.
University Requirement(s): Senior Experience
Date/Time: M 3:30-4:30
Credits: 1
Instructor: Dr. Megan Hughes
Prerequisite(s): “C” or better in ENG 1020 or ENG 1021, Junior or Senior standing, Enrollment in the Honors Program and Permission from the Honors Director.
Description: This course is taken prior to the Senior Honors Thesis (HON 4950) and is only open to Honors students. This course familiarizes students with project organization and the scope and proper format of an undergraduate thesis project. Each student develops: a thesis statement, a project outline, an initial bibliography and a working abstract. Students also identify a primary Thesis Advisor for their projects. The Thesis Advisor is a faculty member with expertise in a discipline closely related to the topic of the thesis project.
Note: This course must be completed with a B- or better in order to advance to the Senior Honors Thesis.
Date/Time: T 3:30-4:30
Credits: 3
Instructor: Dr. Megan Hughes
Prerequisite(s): HON 4948 with B- or better, Senior standing, Enrollment in the Honors Program and Permission from the Honors Director, approval from student’s department/degree program if taken in place of Departmental Senior Experience course.
Description: The Honors Thesis is the culmination of the Honors undergraduate experience. In this course, students complete an independent research and/or creative project under the direction of a primary Thesis Advisor and the Honors Director. The Thesis Advisor is a faculty member with expertise in a discipline closely related to the topic of the thesis project. Students submit a written thesis and deliver a public oral presentation of their work.
Note: This course must be completed with a B- or better in order to count for Honors credit.
University Requirement(s): Senior Experience
Date/Time: T 3:30-4:30
Credits: 1
Instructor: Dr. Megan Hughes
Prerequisite(s): HON 4948 with B- or better, Senior standing, Enrollment in the Honors Program and Permission from the Honors Director This one-credit course must be paired with an upper division departmental Senior Experience, research or capstone course
Description: The Paired Honors Thesis is the culmination of the Honors undergraduate experience. This one-credit course must be paired with an upper division departmental Senior Experience, research or capstone course. In this course, students complete an independent research and/or creative project under the direction of a primary Thesis Advisor and the Honors Director. The Thesis Advisor is a faculty member with expertise in a discipline closely related to the topic of the thesis project. Students submit a written thesis and deliver a public oral presentation of their work.
Note: This course must be completed with a B- or better in order to count for Honors credit.