n in the Near East and concludes with the Protestant Reformation. Owing to the overwhelming importance of Greek civilization, one of the three major roots (the Classical) of our western cultural tradition, for the subsequent history of western art, architecture, literature, and thought, we will give an extended study to this ancient people and the many superlative works conceived and constructed by them. We will next, after venturing but a passing glance at the Hellenistic era and the grandeur that was Rome, focus our attention on the origin, nature, and early history of the Christian religion, the second of our cultural roots (the Judeo-Christian), and on that great medieval civilization, rooted in the culture of the Germanic barbarians (the third of our cultural roots) yet permeated with the spirit of Christianity, that grew up, flourished, and then declined in the thousand years between AD 500 and 1500. Our semester will conclude with a study of new movements in the arts and in thought that appeared during the Late Middle Ages and that gave birth to the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation, the beginning of modern times. The course concentrates on representative cultural centers (such as Classical Athens, Hellenistic Pergamon, Imperial Rome, Christian Ravenna, the medieval monastery, the Romanesque pilgrimage church, the Gothic cathedral, or Renaissance Florence) at a time when a singularly high point of cultural development had been reached and when such a distinct style had emerged and so penetrated the arts, architecture, and thought as to give each civilization an unusually high degree of unity and integration.
HON 2510 Horizons in Math and Computer Science
Dr. Steve Bourquin
R 3:30-6:30
This course will be a collection of topics meant to better acquaint students with mathematics. Though the final syllabus has not been determined, we will begin the semester with sets and base numbers with an emphasis on base two, the binary system. At some point in the semester, we will do an in-depth focus on elementary statistics, descriptive and inferential. Other key mathematical topics to be covered in this course are probability, logic, graphs, functions, systems of linear equations, and geometry.
HON 4500 Honors Thesis/Project
TBA
TR 9:30-10:45
Preparation of a thesis or project in consultation with a faculty committee chosen by the student; presentation of the work in seminar. Independent study in the student’s major is encouraged.
ENG 2200 Native American Literature Honors
Dr. Jesse Peters
T/R 11:00-12:15
The course is designed to expose students to significant voices in Native American literature. Our goal is to study a sampling of texts within Native American literature as we work towards an understanding of how this literature has developed and evolved. We will be paying particular attention to the ways in which Indian authors write within, outside of, and against the dominant canon of literature. Some of the questions we will be asking are: Who is an Indian? What is Native American literature? How does Indian literature relate to American literature in general? One of the main objectives of this class is to help students see how the study of literature both informs and is informed by all other aspects of a general college education.
ENG 1050 Honors
900 Dr. Anita Guynn
T/R 9:30-10:45
901 Dr. MJ Braun
T/R 9:30-10:45
HST 1100 Honors
Dr. Rose Stremlau
W 2:00-5:00
This course is an interdisciplinary survey of Native American history from contact through the removal era, but unlike some courses on the American Indian past, which emphasize the destruction of Native people and cultures, we will learn how indigenous people have survived. Although I in no way seek to dismiss the catastrophic losses and gross injustices experienced by Native people since European contact, I don’t think this story tells us very much about Indian people. Instead, we will focus on the theme of sovereignty, which is the inherent and retained right to self-government as a distinct people, having existed over time with a unique culture and particular interests based on that history and culture, that Indian nations have. Prior to the European invasion and American occupation, Native societies were self-regulating, but over time, their independence was violated and their rights were disregarded. They also made compromises and alliances with European nations and the United States. We will trace out this process and lay the framework for understanding the recent trend towards the restoration of Native sovereignty that currently is taking place (a topic covered extensively in HST/AIS 1110, the second half of this survey). We seek to understand the “big picture” of indigenous North America, but we will not attempt to create a “master narrative” that summarizes the stories of all Native people. Rather, because we take cultural and experiential diversity as our starting point and recognize that what brings Native American people together today is not a monolithic past or a uniform present, we will draw comparisons among the Indian nations of the United States. Our goal is a nuanced appreciation for the range of Native experiences and not a simplistic chronology.
ART 2020 Honors
Dr. John Labadie
MWF 9:00-9:50
The Honors Digital Arts Appreciation looks at how digital computing evolved from the work of Pythagoras in ancient Greece up to and including the practices of contemporary new media digital artists. Students can expect to experience a challenging journey through ideas and centuries of creative works guided by presentations, lectures and digitally-focused activities of various types.
BIO 1000 Honors
Dr. Andy Ash
T/R 2:00-3:15
Credit in BIO 1000 applies to the Natural Science Component of the General Education Program. Upon completing this course you should be able to: 1) demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental concepts of cellular biology, genetics, ecology, and evolution; 2) demonstrate knowledge of the purpose, methods, and principles of scientific inquiry; and 3) better understand yourself and the environment through knowledge of scientific principles and concepts. Most of the semester will be dedicated to the study of cellular and sub-cellular aspects of life, with the remaining time dedicated to the study of whole organisms and environments. As honor students, your active participation in this course is expected and welcomed. In addition to my lecture materials, class topics will be supplemented with case studies --- required readings for class discussion. Weekly Blackboard assignments will encourage you to keep abreast of the chapter topics.
FRS 1000 Honors
900 TBA 11:30-12:20 M/W
901 Dr. Jesse Peters 11:30-12:20 M/W