The Honors College

The Three-Year Honors College Plan

During each semester of the first three years, Honors Scholars concurrently enroll in three Honors College courses — a lecture course, a writing seminar, which both meet once a week, and a twice-weekly discussion seminar. These three courses together comprise a single, seven-credit-hour Honors College class. In the fall semester of the first year, for example, Honors College students enroll in the following three Honors College courses: HNRS 1710, 1020 and 1030.

The Special Topics courses in the fourth, optional, year are electives on different topics. The Senior Thesis during the fourth year is also an elective, and it can either be a one- or two-semester project.

The Honors College also offers two-week study abroad courses to various locations in Europe. These are open to any Honors College student in good standing. *Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, all Honors College study-abroad opportunities are on hold. We will offer study-abroad opportunities in the future when the university deems that students and faculty can safely resume international travel. Unfortunately, there is currently no definite timeline for when that will be.*

Year Fall Spring
1st Year HNRS 1710 Walking to Piraeus
HNRS 1020 Honors Writing I
HNRS 1030 Honors Lecture I		 HNRS 1740 All Roads Lead to Rome
HNRS 1050 Honors Writing II
HNRS 1060 Honors Lecture II
2nd Year HNRS 2710 Faith, Reason & Romance
HNRS 2020 Honors Writing III
HNRS 2030 Honors Lecture III		 HNRS 2740 Enlightenment & Modernity
HNRS 2050 Honors Writing IV
HNRS 2060 Honors Lecture IV
3rd Year HNRS 3710 The Last Two Hundred Years
HNRS 3020 Honors Writing V
HNRS 3030 Honors Lecture V
HNRS 3135 Honors Laboratory		 HNRS 3740 The Story of Scripture
HNRS 3050 Honors Writing VI
HNRS 3060 Honors Lecture VI
4th Year
(optional)		 HNRS 4310 Special Topics
HNRS 4330 Special Topics
HNRS 4398 Senior Thesis		 HNRS 4320 Special Topics
HNRS 4340 Special Topics
HNRS 4399 Senior Thesis

Course Descriptions by Semester:

  • 1st Year, Fall Semester

    HNRS 1710  Walking to Piraeus: The Ancient Greek World
    Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors College
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 1020 and HNRS 1030
    This course will explore the human intellectual tradition during the Classical Age. Students will examine themes that underscore human experience during a particular historical period from various academic perspectives. The themes may be chosen from leadership, war, race, ethics, globalization and community. Students will gain a critical understanding of the literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and sociocultural traditions that shape our world.  (Also offered as ENGL 2710)

    HNRS 1020  Honors Writing I
    Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors College
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 1710 and 1030
    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 1710.

    HNRS 1030  Honors Lecture I
    Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors College
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 1710 and 1020
    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 1710 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 1710.

  • 1st Year, Spring Semester

    HNRS 1740  All Roads Lead to Rome: The Ancient Roman & Early Christian Worlds
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 1710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 1050 and HNRS 1060
    This course will explore the human intellectual tradition during the classical Roman period and the period of the early Christian church. Students will examine themes that underscore human experience during a particular historical period from various academic perspectives.  The themes may be chosen from leadership, war, race, ethics, globalization and community.  Students will gain a critical understanding of the literary, philosophical, historical, theological and sociocultural traditions that shape our world.

    HNRS 1050  Honors Writing II
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 1710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 1740 and 1060
    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 1740.

    HNRS 1060  Honors Lecture II
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 1710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 1740 and 1050
    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 1740 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 1740

  • 2nd Year, Fall Semester

    HNRS 2710  Faith, Reason & Romance: The Medieval & Renaissance Worlds
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 1740
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 2020 and HNRS 2030
    This course will explore the human intellectual tradition during the Medieval and Renaissance periods.  Students will examine themes that underscore human experience during a particular historical period from various academic perspectives. The themes may be chosen from leadership, war, race, ethics, globalization and community.  Students will gain a critical understanding of the literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and sociocultural traditions that shape our world. (Also offered as ENGL 2720)

    HNRS 2020  Honors Writing III
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 1740
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 2710 and 2030
    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 2710

    HNRS 2030  Honors Lecture III
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 1740
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 2710 and 2020
    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 2710 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 2710

  • 2nd Year, Spring Semester

    HNRS 2740  Enlightenment & Modernity: 1600–1800
    Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 2710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 2050 and HNRS 2060
    This course will explore the human intellectual tradition during the Enlightenment and Modern periods. Students will examine themes that underscore human experience during a particular historical period from various academic perspectives.  The themes may be chosen from leadership, war, race, ethics, globalization and community.  Students will gain a critical understanding of the literary, philosophical, historical, theological and sociocultural traditions that shape our world.

    HNRS 2050  Honors Writing IV
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 2710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 2740 and 2060
    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 2740

    HNRS 2060  Honors Lecture IV
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 2710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 2740 and 2050
    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 2740 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 2740

  • 3rd Year, Fall Semester

    HNRS 3710  The Last Two Hundred Years: 1800 to the Present
    Prerequisite:  Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 2740
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 3020, 3030, and 3135
    This course will explore the human intellectual tradition during the last two hundred years. Students will examine themes that underscore human experience during a particular historical period from various academic perspectives.  The themes may be chosen from leadership, war, race, ethics, globalization and community.  Students will gain a critical understanding of the literary, philosophical, historical, theological and sociocultural traditions that shape our world.

    HNRS 3020  Honors Writing V
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 3710, 3030, and 3135
    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 3710

    HNRS 3030  Honors Lecture V
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 3710, 3020, and 3135
    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 3710 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 3710.

    HNRS 3135  Honors Laboratory
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 2740
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 3710, 3020, and 3030
    This course is a laboratory course to supplement the texts studied throughout the Honors College curriculum that address themes in the history of science. Students recreate important experiments in the history of science in order to understand the development of the scientific method.

  • 3rd Year, Spring Semester

    HNRS 3740  The Story of Scripture: The Biblical Narrative from Genesis to Revelation
    Prerequisite:  Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 3710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 3050 and HNRS 3060
    This course will explore the biblical narrative from the beginning of the Old Testament to the end of the New Testament. Students will examine themes that underscore human experience recorded in the biblical text from various perspectives. The themes may be chosen from leadership, war, race, ethics, globalization and community. Students will gain a critical understanding of the literary, philosophical, historical, theological and sociocultural traditions that shape our world.

    HNRS 3050  Honors Writing VI
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 3710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 3740 and 3060
    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 3740

    HNRS 3060  Honors Lecture VI
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 3710
    Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 3740 and 3050
    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 3740 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 3740

  • Additional Courses

    HNRS 3199, 3299, 3399  Independent Study
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; permission of the instructor
    Independent study on a research topic directed by a faculty member. May be repeated for credit only if the research topic differs.

    HNRS 4310, 4320, 4330, 4340  Special Topics
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; HNRS 3740 or permission of the instructor
    Topics are selected on basis of students’ needs and academic qualifications of faculty. May be repeated for credit only if course content differs.

    HNRS 4398, 4399  Senior Thesis
    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; permission of the director
    The Senior Thesis is a capstone learning experience in the Honors College. The thesis must be on an original topic, involve significant research and writing, and be defended orally upon its completion. A faculty advisor shall direct the research and writing project.