Honors College Fall 2012 Courses
An exceptional array of course topics are available to Honors College students for fall semester 2012. Check back often, as new descriptions will be added as they are received from instructors.
Need an appointment with your Honors advisor? Stop by the office in Honors Hall or phone 509-335-4505. Advice by email is available only to students currently studying abroad.
Biology 298 (1) 4 credits
Lecture TuTh 9:10-10:25, CUE 416Lab Thursday 1:25, Eastlick 166
Biology for Honors Students
Instructor: Dr. Lisa Carloye
This course is specifically designed for non-science majors who have been admitted to the Honors College. We will explore the living world from the molecular, cellular, organismal, and community perspectives, gaining insight into how life functions on each of these levels. We will explore molecules of life with an emphasis on DNA; cell structure and diversity, evolutionary processes driving the diversification of life forms, and how interactions within and between species drive the dynamics of communities.
Because understanding of biological processes has led to new technologies and influenced policies, we will see how advances in understanding natural process has led to innovative diagnostic tools; explore issues that have arisen from our increasing knowledge including treatment of genetic disease, the ethics of human-based research, evolution vs. creationism in public policy, and natural resource management. I take a case-studies approach which requires students to gain background information through assigned readings which is then applied to problem solving and discussion during class sessions.
Required texts/materials (subject to change):
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (the Common Reading Book for fall 2012)
Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5 Billion Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin
an iClicker
ECONS 198 (1) 3 credits
MWF 12:10-1:00, CUE 216Principles of Economics
Instructor: Dr. Pat Kuzyk
Satisfies HONORS 270 (UH 270) for engineering, business, and economic science majors only.
This is an introductory course that covers principles of both micro and macroeconomics. My goal is for the student to learn, rigorously, the concepts that are crucial for her to understand how our political-economic system works. An organizing theme of the course is the question ‘under what circumstances are individual self-interest and the public good aligned, and when are they in conflict?’ Economic theory offers numerous insights into these important questions.
Students will be introduced to the methodology of economic research, and they will learn to apply economic principles to real-world examples.
Required text:
To be decided.
ECONS 198 (2) 3 credits
MWF 1:10-2:00, CUE 216Principles of Economics
Instructor: Dr. Pat Kuzyk
Satisfies HONORS 270 (UH 270) for engineering, business, and economic science majors only.
This is an introductory course that covers principles of both micro and macroeconomics. My goal is for the student to learn, rigorously, the concepts that are crucial for her to understand how our political-economic system works. An organizing theme of the course is the question ‘under what circumstances are individual self-interest and the public good aligned, and when are they in conflict?’ Economic theory offers numerous insights into these important questions.
Students will be introduced to the methodology of economic research, and they will learn to apply economic principles to real-world examples.
Required text:
To be decided.
ENGLISH 298 (1) 3 credits
MWF 1:10-2:00, Thompson 105
Researching and Writing About Comic Books
Instructor: Roger Whitson
Honors English 298 is designed to introduce students to research and writing, but also critical, creative, and collaborative thinking. We will consider these issues investigating the history of comics and the graphic novel. Eddie Campbell has called the graphic novel “an emerging new literature of our times in which word, picture, and typography interact meaningfully and which is in tune with the complexity of modern life.” Our course will engage with the cultural, rhetorical, and aesthetic issues surrounding comics. What, for example, makes comics uniquely suited to produce specific types of arguments? How has the history of comics enabled certain cultural representations of minorities and excluded others, and in what ways do specific authors contest that history? Finally, we will look at how digital technology is changing how we enjoy comics and what possible futures exist for the genre. The final course project will be collaborative and ask students to design, write, and illustrate their own 5-10 page mini-comic that introduces a central argument and supports that argument with both visual and literary rhetoric.
Warning: The comics we’ll read this semester include explicit language and graphic depictions of violence and sexuality. If you feel this would offend you, please find another section of HNRS 298.
Required texts:
Note: All comics, with the exception of Nat Turner, are available on Comixology, for those of you who prefer to read digitally. Digital comics collections are often cheaper than their print counterparts. I have included the relevant issue numbers for the collections we are reading in parentheses.
• Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. Scalped. Vol. 1 and 2 (#1-11)
• Fred Van Lente. Comic Book History of Comics (Comic Book Comics #1- 6)
• Nate Powell. Swallow Me Whole
• Greg Rucka and JH Williams III Batwoman: Elegy. (Detective Comics #854-860)
• Brian Michael Bendis, Sarah Pichelli, and Chris Samnee. Ultimate Comics: Spiderman. Vol. 1 and 2 (#1-10)
• Paul Tobin and Colleen Cover. Gingerbread Girl
• Jason Shiga. Meanwhile. (Available as an application on the iPad).
• Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. We3. (#1-3)
• Kyle Baker. Nat Turner
• Jeff Lemire. Sweet Tooth. Vol. 1 and 2 (#1-11)
• Aleksandar Zograf. Regards from Serbia
ENGLISH 298 (2) 3 credits
MWF9:10-10:00, Thompson 105Honors Research and Writing
Instructor: Dr. Michael Delahoyde
English 298 seeks to empower you with advanced and effective practice in gaining access to information and knowledge, processing and integrating that information within your own perspectives, and articulating the resulting knowledge in effective written discourse. In other words, you will be cementing some skills in information retrieval and information literacy, critical thinking, and discourse conventions across the disciplines. In yet other words, you will improve your skills in research and writing.
Obviously the semester will be spent researching, writing, and revising a few distinct assignments of assorted types and lengths, beginning with a short and somewhat personal essay about yourself as a researcher and a writer. We will visit a bit of business writing and other modes along the way, but ultimate emphasis will be on the full, substantial, researched, interpretive or analytical paper, mastery of which is still a hallmark of success at the university and beyond. I am hoping that we can run this course largely as a workshop, with ongoing progress towards several completed, sterling manuscripts. Thus, I want to maintain some flexibility here with regard to the number of assignments, their length, and their weight in terms of final grades. Know that by the end of the semester, you will likely have about 24 pages of revised writing, packaged as assorted types of projects.
Required text:
The Curious Researcher, 7th edition by Bruce Ballenger. Boston: Pearson Longman, 2011. ISBN 978-0205172870
ENGLISH 298 (3) 3 credits
TuTh, 1:25-2:40, Thompson 119The Visual Arts
Instructor: Kimberly Burwick
In this course, which is primarily focused on advanced writing and researching skills, we will investigate (i.e. observe, question, and respond thoughtfully to) the visual experiences of film and photography. Students will learn to fundamentally examine the role of “image” and its relationship to marginalization in contemporary society. Through this lens, students will learn to address the “uniqueness of vision.” Specifically, students will encounter and argue complex issues surrounding many Diaspora, as well as matters of exploitation, cult violence, shifting markets, and documentary rights. This class will further highlight the significance of the overwhelmingly visual and rhetorical world that surrounds us. Students are expected to write extensively both in and out of class.
In English 298, students are expected to practice the process of drafting and revising. Through peer research projects and two larger research projects, students will begin to see how reading, writing and workshopping are interrelated tasks. Throughout this semester we will focus on the overlap of analytical and creative thought. We will also learn how to hone our primary and secondary research skills.
Required texts:
Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know by Jennifer Van Sijll, publ. Michael Wiese Productions, 2005, ISBN-10:193290705X
The Craft of Research, Third Edition (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) by Booth, Colomb, and Williams, publ. Univ of Chicago Press, 2008, ISBN-10:0226065669
ENGLISH 298 (4) 3 credits
Time and Place: TBACultural Tales from the Human Body
Instructor: Bryan Fry
This is a research-based course that focuses on a variety of themes including political, historical, and literary studies of the human body. We will begin by examining a number of basic topics including tattoo culture, body language, sports stereotypes, and human anatomy. We also visit Washington State University's Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) and analyze photographs and drawings, letters and diaries, oral histories and several unique collections in an attempt to study what the body can tell us about various cultures. By the end of this course, students learn to choose a workable topic on the body, formulate a research question, develop a research plan, and conduct in-depth library research, which includes obtaining primary and secondary sources. They will also write a scholarly research paper and present their topics via PowerPoint to the class.
Required texts:
TBA
ENGLISH 298 (5) 3 credits
Time and Place: TBACultural Tales from the Human Body
Instructor: Bryan Fry
This is a research-based course that focuses on a variety of themes including political, historical, and literary studies of the human body. We will begin by examining a number of basic topics including tattoo culture, body language, sports stereotypes, and human anatomy. We also visit Washington State University's Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) and analyze photographs and drawings, letters and diaries, oral histories and several unique collections in an attempt to study what the body can tell us about various cultures. By the end of this course, students learn to choose a workable topic on the body, formulate a research question, develop a research plan, and conduct in-depth library research, which includes obtaining primary and secondary sources. They will also write a scholarly research paper and present their topics via PowerPoint to the class.
Required texts:
TBA
ENGLISH 298 (6) 3 credits
TuTh 10:35-11:50, Thompson 19Write for Your Life!
Instructor: Bill Condon
For at least two decades, psychologists have known that what rhetoricians think of as rhetorical invention techniques can have positive effects on writers’ well-being. James Pennebaker has demonstrated (without referencing Peter Elbow or anyone else from rhetoric and composition) that a limited amount of freewriting about trauma actually improves the health of the writer. Similarly, Robert Emmons, Christopher Peterson, Sonia Lyubomirsky, and others have connected a small set of invention techniques (again, without being aware that these ARE invention techniques) with improving both the levels of happiness and physical well-being of their subjects. This course makes an effort to close the circle, engaging students in active research on themselves, their classmates, and fellow students outside the class. The co-teachers (Bill Condon and guest teacher, Beth Waddel) are, respectively, a rhetoric and composition specialist and a PhD-level psychologist and life coach. They will lead the class in a collaborative exploration of the effects of practicing rhetorical invention techniques, from Aristotle to Burke to Elbow, on the health, well-being, and life practices (e.g., regular exercise, time management, study habits, etc.) of college students. The study will track existing research on the topic and extend that research to cover a full range of invention techniques. We will connect rhetoric with psychology in ways that have not yet been attempted. We expect not only to identify an expanded notion of the role rhetoric can play as an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but also to explore the implications of this research for the composition curriculum and for engaging students in interdisciplinary research projects.
Assessment will be by course portfolio, using a grading rubric developed and field tested by the class members.
Required texts:
The Bedford Researcher by Michael Palmquist
The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky
HONORS 270 (1) 3 credits
MWF 10:10-11:00, CUE 409Making the Modern U.S. West
Instructor: Lee Ann Powell
This course will explore the making of the modern U.S. West as a means to introduce students to the methods, principles, and tools used in historical inquiry. During the twentieth-century, migration, industrialization, urbanization, depression, and war transformed the American West. The region moved from the periphery to the center, becoming a vital part of the nation’s economics, culture, and politics. Course activities will provide students with a foundation for understanding this dynamic period in the region’s history and create a common ground to share ideas and evaluate historical arguments. Through readings, assignments, and discussions, students will learn and practice how historians analyze and construct knowledge of the past. Students will conduct and present original research on an aspect of this vibrant history.
Required texts:
The American West: A Modern History, 1900 to the Present, Second Edition by Richard W. Etulain and Michael P. Malone
A Manual for Writer of Research Paper, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th edition by Kate L. Turabian
A Student’s Guide to History, Eleventh Edition by Jules R. Benjamin
HONORS 270 (2) 3 credits
TuTh 10:35-11:50, Avery 106Encounters in Nineteenth-Century North America
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Thigpen
This course is designed to introduce students to the principles and research methods specific to the discipline of history. Course readings and assignments will allow students the opportunity to practice their skills in identifying the particular kinds of questions historians ask about a given topic as well as the methods they employ to gain answers to those questions.
The fall, 2012 section will focus on encounters in the nineteenth-century North America, with a particular focus on the North American West. Over the course of the semester, students will gain the skills necessary to conduct original research on some aspect of this topic. Common readings will not only provide students with a foundation for understanding patterns of movement throughout North America in this period but will also focus on the kinds of contact culturally diverse people in the region experienced—including religious exchange, trade, intermarriage and, in some cases, conflict and conquest. We will also explore the different meanings participants attached to those encounters and will trace their long-term consequences. Course readings will also help students understand the different theoretical and methodological approaches historians have taken to examples of encounter in an effort to gain an accurate understanding of the past.
Required texts:
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th edition by Kate Turabian
A Student’s Guide to History. Eleventh Edition by Jules R. Benjamin
Additional course readings will be available on Angel and on reserve in the library.
HONORS 270 (3) 3 credits
TuTh 9:10-10:25, Todd 304
The Politics of Income Inequality
Instructor: Chris Faricy
How do politics influence income inequality in the U.S.? How does rising income inequality affect American democracy? These questions will guide a new political science course in the Honors College. Equality and responsive government are cornerstones of American Democracy. The last 40 years have witnessed a precipitous rise in national income inequality. We will examine how the rise in income disparity influences the principle of equal voice in democracy and the role of politics and policy in contributing to a more unequal social and economic society.
Required texts:
Unequal Democracy by Larry Bartels
The Politics of Income Inequality by Nathan Kelly
Inequality and American Democracy by Larry Jacobs and Theda Skocpol
HONORS 280 (1) 3 credits
MWF 3:10-4:00, College 220Film Screenings: M, 6:00-8:00 pm; T, 5:00-7:00 pm
Germany Goes to the Movies: Watching Foreign Films as an Intercultural Experience
Instructor: Professor Rachel Halverson
This course will use case studies of thematically related German films to examine how film creates a space for cultural and intercultural learning. Specifically, how it allows us to access a culture, time, and place other than our own and makes us aware of the cultural parameters which define our individual lives and views of the world around us:
Case Study #1: Films that portray attempts to change society.
Case Study #2: Films that sports and national identity.
Case Study #3: Films that portray German unification.
The films chosen for the course ultimately serve as windows through which one can view Germany at various points in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and as mirrors which reflect the intersection of the German world and our own. Using the methodology modeled in the course, students will conduct their own examinations of foreign films and the cultural insights they reveal. So . . . put on your black turtle neck, grab your intellectual frame of mind, make sure you have a good supply of Gummibärchen, and let’s watch some German movies! J (NOTE: All films will be shown in the original German with English subtitles. Students will have the option of viewing films for the course on either Monday or Tuesday evenings as noted above. Some films will be available on reserve in Terrell Library for individual viewing. Should you have any questions about the film screenings, please feel free to e-mail Professor Halverson [Rachel_Halverson@wsu.edu].)
Required text:
Course readings will be made available to students in MOODLE
HONORS 280 (2) 3 credits
TuTh 1:25-2:40, Honors 142Writing the Short Story
Instructor: Rita Rud
In this course we will explore and develop the craft elements of the short story including characterization, point-of-view, dialogue, plot, scene and summary, setting, and the use of metaphorical language. Craft exercises for each of these elements, reading and close analysis of award-winning stories, plus class discussion and presentations will help prepare you to write your own stories. During the course you will also complete one 12-15 page short story which we will workshop in class to provide each writer with constructive feedback for revision. Your final portfolio will include a revision of your short story, and an essay detailing your writing experience and growth in this class.
Required texts:
Fiction Writer's Workshop (paperback), Josip Novakovich, 1995, Story Press, Cincinnati, Ohio. ISBN-10: 1884910-39--4 or ISBN-13: 1-884910-39-4
The Contemporary American Short Story (paperback), edited by B. Minh Nguyen and Porter Shreve, 2003, Longman, ISBN-10: 0321117271 or ISBN-13: 978-0321117274
HONORS 280 (3) 3 credits
MWF 11:10-12:00, Honors 142Research in the Arts and Humanities: Greek Drama
Instructor: Dr. Robin Bond (rsbond@wsu.edu)
This course is an introduction to Greek drama -- tragedy and comedy. Our treatment of these works will be two-fold: as texts and as performances. In the first case we will analyze plays in translation, considering ancient aesthetics, generic conventions, and poetic artistry. In the second, we will look at the process of producing plays in ancient Athens, for example, financing, casting, and staging. Finally we will consider the role that drama played within the social and political context of the ancient Greek polis.
Required texts:
The Complete Aeschylus, volumes 1 and 2 (Oxford U. Press 2011)
The Complete Sophocles, volume 1 (Oxford U. Press 2011)
The Complete Euripides, volume 5 (Oxford U. Press 2011)
Aristophanes: Acharnians, Lysistrata, and Clouds (Focus 1997)
HONORS 280 (4) 3 credits
TuTh 9:10-10:25, Honors 142Art & Theory of Art
Instructor: Kim Andersen
For a good 30,000 years humans have produced images, tales, spectacles, and much more which we now call art. Cave paintings, graffiti, murals, fetishes, drama, sitcoms, literature, performance, pottery, painting, architecture, jewelry, carvings, music, country, western, medieval cathedrals, tattoos, rap, twist, hip, funk, bop, American Idol, and The Blue Heart—we call it all art, we call them all artists! Does it make sense?
In this course we will seek enlightenment on the nature of art. We will investigate theories of art (a selection, from Plato onwards) to try to determine what it is we appreciate about art. We will discuss art theories that offer particular discriminating viewpoints on the nature of art as we assess the possibilities for obtaining an all encompassing perspective on art. Simultaneously we will actively experience, review, evaluate, discuss, and present artworks, in particular painting, literature, and film. We will make use of videos and excursions to local museums and exhibits.
As we develop our contextual understanding of the arts – as art is created in the flux of individual human creativity and social norms – we will also develop an appreciation for the function, methods and value of research and scholarship in the Humanities.
Final grade to be determined by active participation, written assignments, and an in-class presentation.
Required text:
But Is It Art? by Cynthia Freeland, Oxford University Press, ISBN:10-0192853678
Other texts handled in class
HONORS 290 (1) 3 credits
TTh 1:25-2:40, Thompson 215Math In Our Lives
Instructor: Dr. V.S. Manoranjan
In the recent days and months, we have read headlines such as, “A massive 8.8 earthquake struck Chile,” “HIV-infection is on the rise,” and “The current H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic is less severe.” Each one of these headlines has key quantitative aspects associated with it – either a quantifiable measure (such as Richter scale) or quantifying conditions (such as the number of susceptible individuals or available vaccines) that lead to certain pronouncements.
In this course, we’ll develop ideas to describe such real-life phenomena quantitatively. We’ll show how simple mathematical models can be constructed to study these phenomena. These models can help in making predictions and management decisions.
Also, we’ll look at ancient civilizations to understand their approaches to the challenges of their time and how various arithmetical/m,athematical tools were developed to solve them.
Required text:
To be decided
HONORS 290 (2) 3 credits
TTh 10:35-11:50, College 235The Scientific Method and Public Policy
Instructor: Dr, Dan Rodgers
The scientific method is a process for examining the natural world.
It has philosophical roots that extend back two thousand years, yet it has only recently matured. Research scientists, physicians, veterinarians and engineers are all well trained in the scientific method as it is fundamental not only to science, but to logic in general. This course will teach the scientific method, how it is employed in laboratory and clinical settings and more importantly, how it impacts public policy. Students will learn how to think like a scientist - critically, objectively and without bias - and will explore how the scientific method could or should be used even in non- scientific settings.
Required texts:
Discourse on Method and Related Writings by Rene Descartes (ISBN-13:978-0-140-44699-9; $6-8 @ Amazon)
As Nature Made Him: The Boy who Was Raised as a Girl by John Colapinto (ISBN-13: 978-0-06-112056-5; $6-10 @ Amazon)
HONORS 290 (3) 3 credits
MWF 9:10-10:00, College 235Science as a Way of Knowing: Interdisciplinary Biological Science
Instructor: Dr, Carol Anelli
In HONORS 290, students will cultivate scientific habits of mind. We explore the historical foundations of modern biological science and methodology, and comprehend that science produces and requires empirical evidence. At times we apply an interdisciplinary knowledge of biology, integrating the scientific content of the course across various disciplines (e.g., other sciences, music, architecture, the visual arts) and contexts (e.g., religious, ethical, political, legal). Students work together on group take-home exams (approximately 4 students/group) and complete additional group-based and individual written assignments. Students individually take the final exam during finals week.
The course comprises three main units:
Unit I: Students study the emergence of the biological and medical sciences from their ancient roots, learning how modern methodology evolved over time. They gain experience with methods and approaches commonly employed by today’s researchers in the natural sciences. (e.g., scholarly literature search; acquisition/evaluation of sources; observational/experimental design; null hypothesis generation/testing; data representation and interpretation; research models; probabilistic and statistical reasoning; correlation vs. causation; uncertainty and types of errors).
Unit II: Students examine science as a process by studying the development, advancement, and modern integration of two major biological disciplines: 1) evolutionary biology and 2) genetics.
Unit III: Students develop a multidisciplinary perspective of a complex, biologically relevant issue in society by collaborating on a case study. They work in small groups to research the pertinent literature, discuss various aspects of the case, and present their work to the class.
This course cultivates critical thinking, application of knowledge, communication, cooperative learning skills, and interdisciplinarity. Students should be curious and self-motivated, and interested in engaging in class discussions and with various readings, including selections from current The New York Times Tuesday science section articles (newspaper available free on campus). Use of an electronic space facilitates the course.
Required texts
Science as a Way of Knowing: The foundations of modern biology by John Moore (1993); Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA. ISBN 13: 978-0-674-79482-5 (paperback), ISBN 13: 978-0-674-79481-8 (hard cover)
Reading Primary Literature: A practical guide to evaluating research activities in biology by Christopher M. Gillen (2007); Benjamin Cummings, San Franscisco, CA. ISBN-13: 9780805345995
Evolution: A very short introduction by Brian Charlesworth and Deborah Charlesworth (2003); Oxford University Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-19-280251-4
HONORS 370 (1) 3 credits
TuTh 12:00-1:15, CUE 412The UN and Global Diplomacy
Instructor: Dr. Bill Smith (bills@uidaho.edu)
Prerequisite UH 270
The UN and Global Diplomacy focuses on the United Nations system as it pertains to peace and security, health and humanitarian issues, economics, resources and development, and culture. The course also considers the perspectives of various regions/nations (according to student interest) on such issues using modeling. Speaking and writing skills will be particularly emphasized.
This course tracks the development of a global, multilateral system that takes into account what developing nations “want” alongside the aims of the developed world. Students should retain the framework of this throughout their life and understand something about multilateral issues.
Enrolled students have the option of joining the Spring 2013 Honors College delegation to the National Model United Nations conference in New York City.
HONORS 370 (2) 3 credits
TuTh 2:50-4:05, Honors 142Case Study: Tang China -- Golden Age & Crucible
Instructor: Dr. Fredrick Peterson
Prerequisite UH 270
The first half of the Tang Dynasty in China (in round numbers 600-750 CE) is widely considered to be one of the greatest golden ages of human civilization. We will investigate reasons for that assessment.
During the second part of the dynasty (in round numbers 750-900 CE), following the military and political upheavals that threatened to destroy it, significant elements of China’s continuing traditions and central contributions to East Asian cultures were solidified. We will explore those processes and outcomes.
One key focus for the case study will be the theory that Confucianism and cosmopolitanism are crucial elements that produce golden ages in Chinese civilization.
First we will study the roots of Chinese civilization, particularly Confucianism and Daoism, which are essential to understanding every topic that we will explore. Next we will study the political, historical, and cultural traditions upon which Tang achievements were based. We then will delve into multiple aspects of the dynasty, with special attention to social science lessons to be learned from the creation of the golden age and the continuing crucible of its aftermath.
Because Tang China was so influential in the development of other East Asian civilizations, we also will examine aspects of those influences in broader contexts.
Required texts:
The Analects of Confucius, translated and annotated by Arthur Waley
China’s Cosmopolitan Empire: the Tang Dynasty by Mark Edward Lewis and Timothy Brook
Plus one or both of these two:
Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings translated by Burton Watson
The Way and Its Power: Lao Tzu’s Tao Tê Ching and Its Place in Chinese Thought by Arthur Waley
Plus one or more of these recommended texts:
The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of T’ang Exotics by Edward H. Schafer
How to Read a Chinese Poem: A Bilingual Anthology of Tang Poetry by Edward C. Chang
Pacing the Void: T’ang Approaches to the Stars by Edward H. Schafer
Poems of the Masters: China’s Classic Anthology of T’ang and Sung Dynasty Verse; Red Pine
The Poetics of Sovereignty: On Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty; Harvard Yenching Institute Monograph Series by Jack W. Chen
Three Ways of Thought in Ancient China by Arthur Waley; Stanford University Press
HONORS 370 (3) 3 credits
MWF 2:10-3:00, Honors 142Globalization, culture, and representation
Instructor: Jolanta Drzewiecka
Prerequisite: UH 270
This course examines the intercultural dimensions of globalization processes and how globalization is represented by different groups and media. We will discuss how global dynamics shape people’s actions, identities, allegiances, interests, and resistance. We will also examine how globalization is understood, advanced, and opposed by groups who are affected by it in different ways. The course is based on a premise that full understanding of globalization is only possible when we take into account the conflicting and competing representations of globalization in mainstream and non-mainstream media. We will question critically the broad transformations in which we participate, willingly or unwillingly, consciously or unconsciously, as a necessary condition for informed and engaged citizenship. The students will research global issues and how they are represented in newspapers in various countries around the world.
Required text:
None. Readings will be posted on Angel.
HONORS 380 (1) 3 credits
MWF 1:10-2:00, Honors 142Music: Science, Art, Healing
Instructor: Dr, Sheila Converse
Prerequisite: UH 280
In this class we will examine music from a number of different perspectives. We will begin with the science by reading This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel J. Levin in which he explains the elements of music in scientific terms, investigates the role of music in human evolution, and the neuroscience of perception of music in the human brain. Next we will examine how music is integral to different cultures and can be a vehicle through which we can learn about people of this global community. The Healing Drum by Yaya Diallo and Michael Hall will introduce us to the Minianka tribe of West Africa. We will choose other cultures to investigate based on the interests of the class. Another area of discussion will be what Barbara Ehrenreich calls “the desire for collective joy” in her book Dancing in the Streets which uncovers the origins of communal celebration in human biology and culture. “In recent centuries the tradition has been repressed, cruelly and often bloodily, but….the celebratory impulse is too deeply ingrained in human nature ever to be completely extinguished.” The final section of the class will look at the therapeutic aspects of music in institutional settings such as hospitals as well as its use by individuals for relaxation and stress relief.
Grading will be based on class participation, presentations, and a paper.
Required texts:
The Healing Drum by Yaya Diallo, 1989, Destiny Books, ISBN 0-89281-256-7
Dancing in the Streets by Barbara Ehrenreich, 2006, Holt Paperbacks/Henry Holt & Co LLC, ISBN-13: 978-0-8050-5724-9; ISBN-10: 008050-5724-2
This is your Brain on Music by Daniel J. Levin, 2006 Dublin Published by Penguin Group, ISBN 0-525-94969-0
HONORS 380 (2) 3 credits
TuTh 12:00-1:15, Honors 142Writing Your Heritage
Instructor: Rita Rud
Prerequisite: UH 280
This course will combine research and writing to discover your heritage. How often do we hear and read that “America is a melting pot?” What does this mean exactly? To answer this question, you will conduct various methods of research to learn about your family heritage, and then choose which country of your heritage to explore. Research reports, journals, and class presentations will document your journey, and your final portfolio will include a substantial piece of writing (15-20 pages) that can be in the form of a scholarly article, a non-fiction article or essay, or a piece of creative non-fiction or fiction that you feel best represents the heritage and culture you have explored throughout the course.
Class presentations will highlight aspects of the cultures you are exploring and may include examples of the culture’s philosophy, art, music, stories, dance, literature, or other art forms unique to the culture. We will also explore and use various technologies to enhance both your research and presentations.
Required text:
Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age, 5th edition by Hacker, ISNM 9780312566722
HONORS 380 (3) 3 credits
TuTh 4:15-5:30, Honors 142Case Study: Leadership Lessons from the European Renaissance
Instructor: Dr. Fredrick Peterson
Prerequisite: UH 280
In this case study we will explore aspects of the European Renaissance—especially those of the Italian Peninsula and England—for insights and understandings about the nature and practices of leadership, through diverse lenses of the arts and the humanities.
While investigating the Italian Renaissance, we will have a special focus upon the writings of Niccolò Machiavelli.
The special focus of our exploration of the English Renaissance will be the history plays of William Shakespeare, specifically the Second Tetralogy and Richard III.
“What does it mean to be human?” is a fundamental question that we ask ourselves at various junctures in our lives. In this course we will address some of the creative and reflective expressions of the Arts and Humanities that have helped people to make sense of their lives and their worlds. Students will build upon the critical and methodological skills gained in U H 280 to investigate the European Renaissance, especially what we can learn about leadership from that period. Applying effective strategies of written and oral presentation and communication, students should develop a better understanding of how historical and cultural contexts affect and determine ideas and artistic expressions, better understand the nature of leadership, and relate those insights to their own personal and historical situations.
Required texts:
The Chief Works and Others, Volume I by Machiavelli; Allan Gilbert, translator
King Richard II by William Shakespeare, edited by Charles R. Forker; Arden Shakespeare; Third Edition
King Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare, edited by David Scott Kastan; Arden Shakespeare; Third Edition
King Henry IV, Part 2 by William Shakespeare, edited by Ronald Knowles; Arden Shakespeare; Third Edition
King Henry V by William Shakespeare, edited by T. W. Craik; Arden Shakespeare, Third Edition
King Richard III by William Shakespeare, edited by James R. Siemon; Arden Shakespeare; Third Edition
Recommended texts:
The Cambridge Companion to Renaissance Humanism; Jill Kraye, editor; Cambridge University Press
The Italian Renaissance by J. H. Plumb; Mariner Books, Revised Edition
Renaissance Philosophy (A History of Western Philosophy) by Brian P. Copenhaver; Oxford University Press, USA
HONORS 390 (1) 3 credits
TuTh 10:35-11:50, Honors 142Case Study Iceland: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Genetics, the Environment, Culture, and History
Instructors: Kim Andersen / Gary Thorgaard
Prerequisite: UH 290
In many respects the North-Atlantic island-nation of Iceland constitutes a fascinating object of interdisciplinary, academic case study. Irish monks were the first to populate Iceland around 700 AD, soon to be replaced or dominated by a virtual wave of Scandinavians and Celts during the Icelandic Age of Settlement (AD 871-930). Those were Scandinavian Vikings who expanded their territory for political reasons and described themselves in the unique Saga-literature. Since then Iceland developed into a modern Scandinavian culture alongside Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Recently, we have seen Iceland in the grip of the global economic downturn coming close to national bankruptcy but followed by new signs of recovery. Geologically, Iceland is hugely interesting, essentially being a series of volcanoes producing ample thermal energy for housing and industry. Internationally, Iceland rates highly in measures of environmental sustainability. The Icelandic fishing industry is second to none in terms of efficiency and sustainable management of natural resources. Understood as a highly homogeneous nation, the roughly 275,000 Icelanders have also constituted a close to perfect group for genetic study to lead to discoveries of disease patterns.
In this course we aim to ask questions that intersect historical, cultural, sociological, industrial, and scientific problem areas in order to provide a comprehensive, holistic picture of a modern culture faced with a variety of those problems that also dominate globally. Is sustainable resource management dependent upon certain social factors? How were these factors generated historically and culturally? What does the genetic imprint inform us about the past, and how may it determine the future? To what extent does the natural environment influence all of the above? We will attempt to address these and many other questions.
We will make use of guest speakers and different kinds of media. Students will work individually and in groups. Final grade determined by participation, written assignments, presentations, and a final project.
Required text:
Texts handled in class.
HONORS 390 (2) 3 credits
MWF 12:10-1:00, Honors 142The Experimentalist's Approach to Health
Instructor: Dr. Jeb Owen
Prerequisite: UH 290
The health of an organism is central to its activity, survival and reproduction. For human beings, the health of an individual motivates the development and practice of medicine. The health of the population shapes the productivity of the economy and the stability of society. For animal agriculture, health is a key factor in productivity. For wildlife, health influences population dynamics and can be important to conservation. Despite these vital linkages, defining and quantifying health remain surprisingly complicated challenges. In this course we will explore how health can be defined and quantified through scientific experiment. This exploration will touch on aspects of health that include genetics, diet, ageing, and infection. We will use systems the range from human medicine to conservation of endangered species. Course activities will include (1) readings from the primary literature with group discussion and (2) group-based projects with in-class presentations.
Required text:
None
HONORS 390 (3) 3 credits
TuTh 9:10-10:25, Abelson 217Neglected diseases and global health: diseases, diagnosis, and drug treatment
Instructor: Dr. Cathy Elstad / Dr. Christine Davitt
Prerequisite: UH 290
Neglected and emerging diseases pose increasing risks to public health, oftentimes with the greatest risk and burden on those who can least afford it. Neglected diseases include tropical diseases that are typically endemic to low-income, developing areas. These diseases range from helminthic diseases caused by roundworms, whipworms, or hookworms to leprosy, African sleeping sickness, and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Related to neglected diseases in terms of the threat to public health, emerging diseases include those that either appear in a population or geographical area for the very first time or increase in incidence in any population. HIV, hepatitis C, ebola virus, E. coli O157:H7, and West Nile virus are pathogenic causes of emerging diseases. This course will introduce students to the impact of these diseases on individual and global health, with implications for therapeutic intervention, research and development, and economic and social consequences. Solutions for the major health problems facing the world historically, today, and in the future will be discussed. Students will be introduced to electron microscope technology that has been instrumental in identifying many of these pathogens. Course activities will include: 1) written reflections of guest speaker and student oral presentations and scholarly articles, 2) discussion of relevant scholarly articles and class/laboratory activities, and 3) in-class presentations.
Required text:
TBD
HONORS 398 (1) 1 credit
Friday, 12:10-1:00, Honors 141Honors Thesis Proposal Seminar
Instructor: Kim Andersen
Prerequisite 45 semester hours. Students majoring in the social sciences, arts, or humanities are encouraged to enroll in this section.
This is a seminar-style course with the purpose of assisting and supporting each participant in completing his/her Honors thesis proposal. By the end of the course you will submit your Honors thesis proposal for approval and be ready to initiate your thesis research. In the course, you will learn how to generate an Honors thesis topic, how to formulate a thesis question, how to identify a thesis advisor, and how to prepare the thesis proposal. In addition, we will discuss ways to structure your thesis, how to perform a literature search, and how to evaluate the information you obtain in relation to your chosen topic. During the course we will discuss and constructively support and critique projects as they develop in the proposals. Each student will submit a complete proposal including title, introduction, research question, methodology, preliminary annotated bibliography, as a final product. S/F grading.
Required text:
Writing A Successful Research Paper: A Simple Approach by Stanley Chodorow. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Co., ISBN: 978-1-60384-440-6
HONORS 398 (2) 1 credit
Tuesdays 12:10 – 1:00 Honors Hall 141Honors Thesis Proposal Seminar
Instructor: Pamela Lee
Prerequisite 45 semester hours. Students majoring in the social sciences, arts, or humanities are encouraged to enroll in this section.
The purpose of this seminar style course is to assist each participant in the completion of his or her Honors College senior thesis proposal. We will explore the dynamics of your thesis proposal, including the formulation of a successful thesis question, the selection of the thesis advisor, how to conduct an academic literature search, information analysis skills, appropriate methodology, the organization of your bibliography and your research notes. You will be working on your individual thesis proposal with the support of your advisor, the instructor, and constructively critical peer review sessions. At the end of the class, you will prepare, present, and submit your Honors thesis research proposal for approval. Pending Honors College approval, at the completion of our seminar, you will start down the path of your senior research venture!
Required text:
How to Write a BA Thesis by Charles Lipson
HONORS 398 (3) 1 credit
Monday 4:10-5:00, Honors 142Honors Thesis Proposal Seminar
Instructor: Dr. Ray Lee
Prerequisite: 45 semester hours. Students majoring in the sciences are encouraged to enroll in this section.
Effective proposal writing emphasizes broad significance and clearly presents the rationale and objectives for the proposed activity. Furthermore, post graduate writing is generally collaborative with multiple authors or contributors who help to edit the final document. This seminar will first focus on development of a strong foundation: the significance and the specific aims or objectives.
A collaborative approach will be used with class/group commentary and editing in all stages of each student’s proposal. To facilitate discussion, significance and objective/aims statements will be submitted as discussion topics on the course Facebook page (example: UH 398 Fall 2010 in Facebook). Once these statements have been developed, draft proposals will be written in Google docs, which will enable the instructor and classmates to comment and edit in real time.
The proposal format, final thesis format, and thesis evaluation will be discussed.
The final document will be submitted for instructor evaluation. A satisfactory grade will be based on participation, completion of assignments, and submission of a final proposal draft. S/F grading.
Required text:
No text necessary.
HONORS 398 (4) 1 credit
Wednesday 12:10-1:00, Honors 141Honors Thesis Proposal Seminar
Instructor: Dr. Catherine Elstad
Prerequisite 45 semester hours. Students in science, math, and other technical majors are encouraged to enroll in this section.
This seminar-style course is designed to assist and support each participant in the development and completion of his/her Honors College senior thesis proposal. This course will prepare you to successfully complete the thesis research and presentation requirements of the Honors College. In this course, you will learn how to formulate an achievable thesis question around a topic or issue about which you are curious, identify a thesis advisor, conduct literature research, develop methodologies to address your research question, and critically analyze and interpret information. During the course, each thesis proposal will be constructively criticized during peer review sessions. At the end of the class, you will submit for approval a final thesis proposal including title, introduction, research, question, methodology, expected results and possible conclusions, and an annotated bibliography. Following approval of your thesis proposal, you will give a 10-minute presentation on your proposal in class. S/F grading.
Required text:
To be decided.
HONORS 430
Foreign Study PracticumBy Arrangement
Special assignments and research related to education abroad. Read about The Certificate of Global Competencies here.
HONORS 450
Honors ThesisBy arrangement
All students are required to complete a 3-credit Honors Thesis in order to fulfill their Honors requirements. The Honors thesis is an in-depth reading and writing project directed by a student’s major department. Students can choose to complete original research or a creative project. Detailed guidelines on the thesis and the proposal approval process are available in the Honors Thesis Handbook . Final grades for UH 450 are given by the Honors College when the thesis is complete satisfactorily and an oral presentation has been given. Oral presentations are given during the 7th and 11th weeks of the fall and spring semesters.
HONORS 499
Independent StudyBy arrangement