Spring 2010 Honors Courses
Honors
201, Perennial Questions: What is the Good Life?
(3 Hours Credit)
HON 201 HA
|
Perennial Questions
TH 2:00-3:15 Dr. Michael Cooley
|
Course meets these requirements:
- Required course for all Honors
students
- Counts as the 200-level
literature requirement or the fifth free elective course in the Humanities
general education core (3 of 15 hours required)
Course
description:
The course investigates the “perennial question” of what makes a life “good”
and how best one might understand and pursue that “good life.” Readings from
classical and contemporary philosophy, literature, psychology, sociology,
pop-culture, religion and education each provide perspectives on the question
of “What is a Good Life?” Four films provide further perspectives on the basic
issue of the good life.
Class
is conducted as a seminar; discussion of assigned readings rather than lecture
is the general format for class. Reading journals and a term essay are
required.
HON 203 H, Democracy and
Its Friendly Critics (Required for all Honors Students; 3 Hours Credit)
HON 203HA
|
Democracy and Its
Friendly Critics MWF 9:00 – 9:50 Dr. Peter Lawler
|
HON 203HB
|
Democracy and Its
Friendly Critics TH 3:30-4:45 Dr. Eric Sands
|
|
Course meets these requirements:
- Required course for all honors
students
- General Education core
requirement in Behavioral & Social Sciences -- 200 level for
Government and International Studies.
Course
description:
America's leading statesmen such as James Madison, Alexander
Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt
understood that popular government is extremely difficult to sustain. They
understood what we largely have forgotten: Democracy, like all forms of
government, comes with its own set of challenges and
pathologies. These lessons about democracy are best expressed by Alexis de
Tocqueville, a critic, albeit a friendly one, of American democracy who
thoughtfully and forcefully articulated the dangers facing the emerging
democratic world. This course will use Tocqueville's Democracy in America to illustrate the perpetual
issues and problems of democracy—many of which are still very real despite our
being blind to them—and we will also draw on works of literature, philosophy,
film, and theology to give concrete meaning to these problems as they are manifested
in American political and social life.
HON 203 H, Democracy and
Its Friendly Critics (Required for all Honors Students; 3 Hours Credit)
HON 203 HC
|
Democracy and Its
Friendly Critics MWF
12:00-12:50
Dr. David McKenzie
|
Course meets these requirements:
- Required course for all honors
students
- General Education core
requirement in Humanities--100 level for Philosophy.
- May also count as the fifth
humanities elective, if religion or philosophy course requirement has been
met by other means (e.g. AP credit).
Course description:
The motto “e pluribus unum” was inscribed on the United States National Seal,
created by the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War Period. The
motto referred originally to the one nation arising from the many nations whose
settlers came to America and from the thirteen states which constituted the
original union. The idea that it would be possible to create a nation that
really is “one, from many” is a seminal idea of American history. As the phrase
comes to us, it stands more broadly for the dialectic of the one and the many
in American experience, reflected in a wide array of issues. This course
focuses on certain moments in this rich dialectic in which the tensions
inherent in the interplay of unity and diversity have come to full expression.
It explores early arguments related to state and nation from the discipline of
politics, cultural conflicts between Native-Americans and European settlers
from the disciplines of history and literature, persistent issues of race relation
from the disciplines of philosophy and Black studies, treatment of immigrant
populations from the disciplines of literature and sociology, the long struggle
for gender equality from the disciplines of history and women’s studies, and
arguments pertaining to religious identity and separation of church and state
from the disciplines of religious studies and politics.
English 102, The Rhetoric of Analysis and
Argumentation, Honors (3 Hours Credit)
ENG 102 HB
|
Inquiry and
Writing TH 9:30-10:45
Dr. Tina
Bucher
|
ENG 102 HL
|
Inquiry and Writing
MWF 10:00-10:50
Dr. Lara Whelan
|
Course
meets these requirements:
- An HON 250 course (3 of 9
elective required hours for all Honors students)
- General Education core
requirement in Communication (3 hrs credit)
Course
description:
The course focuses on developing analytical and critical thinking and writing
skills in argumentative and persuasive prose for academic and professional
audiences. Four essays and a revision essay are required; all final drafts
require several rough drafts. Class is a combination of lecture and workshop
activities. Current event issues are used as the basis for readings and
discussions which then become topics for writing.
COM 203, Rhetoric and Public Address, Honors (3
Hours Credit)
COM 203 HG
|
Rhetoric and Public
Address
TH 12:30 – 1:45
Dr. Randy Richardson
|
Course
meets these requirements:
- An HON 250 course (3 of 9
elective required hours for all Honors students)
- General Education core
requirement in Communication (3 of 9 hours required)
Course
description:
This class surveys pivotal rhetorical documents of American movements for
social change including abolitionist, women's rights, civil rights, and
environmentalism. Through written rhetorical analysis and oral presentations on
social justice issues, students will understand rhetorical strategies that best
promote social justice.
Honors 250/PSY 385IA Psychology of Women (3
Hours Credit)
HON250 HA
|
Psychology of Women MWF 12:00-12:50 Dr. Susan
Conradsen
|
Course meets these
requirements:
- An HON 250 course (3 of 9
elective required hours for all Honors students)
- General Education core
requirement in Behavioral & Social Sciences -- 100 level for Psychology
(3 hrs credit)
- May count as one of the two
free electives, outside of major/minor, required for graduation.
Course description:
This
course is an interdisciplinary investigation of the psychological, social,
emotional, and cognitive aspects of gender in our society. In particular, the unique issues and
challenges to women’s psychological well-being created by the impact of society
(both direct and indirect) and culture will be addressed. Some of the specific
topics we will cover include how gender identity is formed, the preponderance
of sexist stereotypes, how the media influences our ideas of masculinity and
femininity, the occupational and domestic challenges women face, the culture of
violence against women across their lives, the experience of birth and
mothering, love relationships, and other developmental events unique to women’s
development such as menstruation and menopause. Throughout the course the existence of sexism within
American culture and beyond will be covered such as inequity in political
representation and salaries, sex trafficking, female genital mutilation, and
role expectations.
Honors 250/COM 416IA Media Law (3 Hours Credit)
HON250 HB
|
Media Law MWF
12:00-12:50
Dr. Brian Carroll
|
Course
meets these requirements:
- An HON 250 course (3 of 9
elective required hours for all Honors students)
- COM major elective
- COM major, journalism
concentration course
- May count as one of the two free
electives, outside of major/minor, required for graduation.
Course description:
Constitutional and legislative foundations of
freedom of speech and press, with special emphasis on the law of privacy,
libel, censorship, access and broadcast regulation.
We examine the delicate balance that exists
between freedom and control of the media in the United States. The First
Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is, of course, the major guarantee of
freedom of expression. Since the courts, especially the U.S. Supreme Court, are
ultimately responsible for interpreting the First Amendment and maintaining the
balance between freedom and control, our study focuses on judicial decisions
and reasoning, examining how tensions in the law are resolved. Other very
significant sources of press freedoms and controls exist, as well, including
those produced and enforced by the marketplace, government regulation and even
popular opinion or sentiment. Therefore, we consider other factors that
influence the balance between freedom and control of mass communication,
including statutory law, executive and administrative actions, and ethical
concerns. The course also examines how the nature of a medium affects or even
dictates how it is controlled or not controlled.
The course is organized into three major
sections: Freedom of Expression & the First Amendment; Media Malpractice
(privacy invasion and libel); and Special Areas of Media Law (telecom,
commercial speech, the Internet, copyright and intellectual property, trial
coverage). Because law is largely derived from precedent, there is a
significant historical thread that runs throughout the course, providing a
timeline on which landmark Supreme Court cases mark the eras of jurisprudential
change.
Honors 250/REL 359/PHI 359 Environmental Ethics
(3 Hours Credit)
HON250 HC
|
Environmental
Ethics MWF
9:00-9:50
Dean Thomas Kennedy
|
Course meets these
requirements:
- An HON 250 course (3 of 9
elective required hours for all Honors students)
- General Education core
requirement in Humanities -- 100 level for Religion or Philosophy (3 hrs
credit)
- May count as one of the two
free electives, outside of major/minor, required for graduation; OR, as
the fifth humanities elective
Course description:
Seminar on the relationship between humanity and nonhuman
nature. Discussion includes current biological, political and economic
conditions, the role of technology and major philosophical perspectives. PR: one introductory course in REL or PHI.
Honors 250/ENG 428 Gay and Lesbian Studies and Literature (3 Hours Credit)
HON250 HE
|
Gay and Lesbian Studies and Literature MWF
11-11:50 Dr. Bucher
|
Course meets these requirements:
- An
HON 250 course (3 of 9 elective required hours for all Honors students)
- A
required "Studies" course or an upper-division elective for
English majors
- An
elective requirement for the Women’s Studies minor with a substitution
form
- As
a 200 literature requirement for general education courses
- May
count as one of the two free electives, outside of major/minor, required
for graduation.
Course description:
While “homosexuality” as a word did not enter the English language until the
late 19th century, same-sex love, desire, and relationships have existed and
been written about since the beginnings of recorded human history. The formal
study of same-sex love in literature found its beginnings in conjunction with
the development of women’s studies courses and programs in the late 1970s and
early 1980s. This course will explore gay and lesbian literary studies by
focusing on three areas: (1) a basic introduction to gay and lesbian (and
queer) literary theory as well as a history of their development (2) gay/lesbian
readings of traditional canonical texts and (3) a historical survey of gay and
lesbian writers, primarily in the Anglo-American tradition. Students should
expect to read and discuss literary texts, as well as examine and discuss the
historical, sociological, psychological, and political contexts which have
helped to create this thriving field of literary studies.
**Note: this course will not debate the morality of gay and
lesbian identity nor search for “causes” of homosexuality; it will offer an interdisciplinary
introduction to the field of gay and lesbian literary studies.
The class will be discussion-oriented with substantial
readings and a series of short and mid-length writing assignments.
Honors 251 HA Oxbridge Lecture Series Course (3
hours credit)
The Messiah and the Awakened One
HON251 HA
|
The Messiah and the Awakened One TH 2:00 – 3:15
Dr. Jeffrey Lidke
|
Course meets these requirements:
- An HON 250 course (3 of 9
elective required hours for all Honors students)
- Counts as the religion
100-level course requirement or the fifth free elective course in the
Humanities general education core (3 of 15 hours required)
- May count toward the major
with departmental approval
Course description:
In this course, we will take an in-depth
interdisciplinary, historical and cross-cultural look at the origins,
development, and consequences of acting with compassion. The idea that
humans find their deepest purpose in cultivating the depths of their moral
character through acts of love and service towards others is one of the seminal
products of religious thought. This idea was arguably given most potent
expression in the teachings and example of the Buddha in the East and Jesus in
the West. In both cases, they were echoing an understanding already in
currency in their homelands. From the teachings and hagiographic memories
of both would arise major missionary world movements that would transform the
inner and outer worlds of billions of individuals in the centuries after their
deaths. The religions that linked themselves to these historical figures
would both give rise to monastic traditions for the purpose of self-cultivation,
universities of higher education, systems of governance that sought to ground
politics in spirituality (with profoundly mixed results), a rich tradition of
artistic expression, and a humanist vision that would spawn the politics of
non-violence as the only logical and effective way to truly do onto others as
you would have them do unto you.
Honors Thesis
Register
for HON 450H if you are starting your thesis.
Register for HON 451H if you completed HON 450H last semester.
You will need an authorization form signed by your thesis director, department
chair, and the honors director.
Honorization of Courses
“HONORIZING ” a course or a course within a
major.
As
you know, an honors student may request to change a “regular” course within a
major into an honors course. Follow the procedure below.
BEFORE
you begin attending the course, during registration, meet with the instructor.
Print and take the form with you (see Forms on the Honors Web page); this form
has guidelines for you and your instructor. Discuss with the faculty member
your interest in receiving “honors” credit for a particular course. He or she
will define the nature of the honors work to be completed.
Honorizing
any course is NOT Permitted after the first week of classes.
Complete
your part of the form and return the form to Dr. Cooley.