Weekly conversations among students and a faculty member; organized around a particular subject and a small selection of readings.

This course is designed to introduce new first semester students to the life of the mind, the life of the University, and the principles that guide the University Honors Program. Combining critical thinking and experiential exploration, students will develop a personalized plan for success, both in and out of the classroom, consistent with the values of the Honors College and the mission of the University.

This course provides a basic introduction to the broad field of biological anthropology. The research interests of biological anthropologists include the history and development of modern evolutionary biology, molecular and population genetics, modern primates, the primate and human fossil record, and modern human biological diversity.

This laboratory course expands on the topics covered in lecture course and uses scientific methods and principles to examine evidence for the process of evolution, the nature of heredity, human evolutionary history and family tree relationships, primate ecology and behavior, and modern human diversity. Hands-on experience with fossil and skeletal material will be an important part of the learning process.

This course will take today's concerns, trends, and customs and contextualize them in the past, explaining their historical origins and development. As an example, we will examine the history of celebrity and how celebrities -- from Lord Byron to the Kardashians – made an impact on their contemporaries and the broader society of their time. This reading- and writing-intensive course will help students develop skills related to critical thinking, logical argumentation, and written and oral communication.

Introduction to all forms of Music. Through our auditory senses and intellectual faculties music is an ideal means for intelligent and humanistic examination of peoples and cultures, and for the enhancement of life. Types of music covered include classical, jazz, rock and roll, and world music. Music videos, live in-class performances, evening concerts, and lectures will be used as a basis for discussions and research.

A multicultural examination of the principles and philosophies of the visual arts and the ideas expressed through them.75

Historical and critical examination of women's contributions worldwide with emphasis on the issues of representation that have contributed to exclusion and marginalization of women and their achievements.

An introduction to the literature and thought of Renaissance Europe. Humanism and the Reformation will be approached through the intensive study of major writers such as Petrarch, Machiavelli, Luther, Erasmus, Montaigne, and Shakespeare.

Critical reading of seminal texts relating to the foundations of culture and values in Western civilization, from ancient Greece to about 1700. Focus on the development of concepts of nature, human nature, and the state.

How do Shakespeare's plays continue to speak to us through the medium of film? Written in a time of rapid social change, Shakespeare's plays invited audiences to think critically about the relationship between the self and others and to question conventions. Performances of Shakespeare have long been used to call out social injustice, from western anti-Semitism prior to World War II (The Merchant of Venice), to civil rights-era white supremacy in the US and apartheid in South African (Othello), and authoritarianism in the Arab Spring (Richard III). This course focuses on post-1980 Hollywood film versions of Shakespeare's plays and a few prior landmark adaptations around the world, examining how they use Shakespeare as a medium for debate and even a catalyst for social change.

Examines arguments and theories found in the Platonic dialogues with a view to determining the nature and value of philosophy both from Plato's point of view and absolutely.

Introductory survey of traditional and modern Chinese prose and poetry in translation with emphasis on genre, theme, and social/historical context.

This course provides an overview of the most important early literary works of the so-called Celtic nations, principally Ireland and Wales, from a literary and historical approach. This literature stems from the period 600-1200 and ends with the development of the Romances under influence from the French.

Literature of the New Testament examined from a literary perspective. Emphasis on translation history of the New Testament, generic features of gospel, epistle and apocalypse, precedent literary models, problems of authorship, classification of New Testament texts.

Anthropology is the most humanistic of the sciences, and the most scientific of the humanities. This course will use anthropological perspectives to examine the human experience from our earliest origins, through the experiences of contemporary societies. We will gain insights into the influence of both culture and biology on shaping our shared human universals, and on the many ways in which human groups are diverse.

An exploration of the humanities, of their intrinsic and extrinsic values, and of the skills and habits of mind they cultivate.

The primary course objective is to develop an appreciation of the variety and complexity of problems that are solved by the human mind. The course explores how problems are solved by a combined computational analysis (computational theory of mind), and evolutionary (evolution by natural selection) perspective. The mind is what the brain does (i.e., information processing) and the brain is a computational device that is a product of evolution by natural selection. Note that this is not a neuroscience course, we will be focusing on the mind (what the brain does) rather than on the brain.

Arthurian texts and traditions from medieval chronicle histories to modern novels. Emphasis on both the continuities of the Arthurian tradition and the diversity of genres, media, and cultures that have given expression to the legend.

A critical evaluation of various approaches to understanding prehistory and history. The methods and theories of legitimate archaeology are contrasted with fantastic claims that invoke extraterrestrials, global catastrophes, transoceanic voyages, and extra-sensory perception. Repeatable: up to 3 credits.

Intensive, interdisciplinary introduction to the thought and culture of medieval Europe. Core texts will include works by St. Augustine, Marie de France, and Dante, as well as anonymous works such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, all supplemented by study of medieval art, architecture, philosophy, and social history.

Study and practice of interpersonal, small group, and presentational skills essential to effective social, business, and professional interaction.

To provide fundamental training in acting techniques, including stage voice and movement, improvisation, ensemble building, characterization, emotion exploration and basic performance analysis. The course will provide a correlation between theatre skills and everyday "life" skills and seek to encourage an appreciation for the art of theatre.

Intercultural and historical overview of live theatre production and performance, including history, literature and professionals. Students attend and report on stage productions.

The fundamental questions of politics: why and how political societies are organized, what values they express, and how well they satisfy those normative goals and the differing conceptions of citizenship, representation, and freedom.

This course will offer students the chance to read firsthand accounts of ordinary citizens' lives under different political systems, from the earliest age to the present day. This reading- and writing-intensive course will help students develop skills related to critical thinking, logical argumentation, and written and oral communication.

Survey of history of the United States in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with an emphasis on multicultural social and cultural history. Focus on understanding American history from the point of view of dispossessed, impoverished, and disenfranchised Americans who have fought to claim both their rights as Americans and American past.

Special topics are offered occasionally, and the selection is different every semester. Special Topic courses do not repeat material presented by regular semester courses. The purpose of special topics is to provide students with new, one-time, and developing information in accounting.