Houston Christian University Catalog

Honors College (HNRS) Course Descriptions

  • HNRS 1020 Honors Writing I

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 1710.

  • HNRS 1030 Honors Lecture I

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 1710, 1610, or 1310 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 1710, 1610, or 1310.

  • HNRS 1050 Honors Writing II

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College and HNRS 1710

    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 1740.

  • HNRS 1060 Honors Lecture II

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 1740 or 1640 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 1740 or 1640.

  • HNRS 1300 Honors Topics: Story and History

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course explores the topics of story and history by examining works written about them. Students will consider the topics from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to humanity’s shared past and present.

  • HNRS 1310 Walking to Piraeus: The Ancient Greek World

    Prerequisite(s): (HNRS 1323 or ENGL 1323) and majoring in CSEN or CYEN or CYSC or ELEN or INFO
    Corequisite(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 1313 Honors Composition I

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College and majoring in CSEN or CYEN or CYSC or ELEN or INFO

    An introduction to the principles of composition and rhetoric accomplished through the writing of expository essays and through the study both of the principles of composition and of essays which employ specific rhetorical strategies. Students complete a research paper.

  • HNRS 1323 Honors Composition II

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 1313

    An introduction to the principles of composition and rhetoric accomplished through the writing of expository essays and through the study both of the principles of composition and of essays which employ specific rhetorical strategies. HNRS 1323 is a continuation of the study of composition and rhetoric introduced in HNRS 1313. HNRS 1323 concentrates on the writing of expository, argumentative, and researched essays through the study of the principles of composition, of research, and of literary analysis. Students complete a research paper.

  • HNRS 1380 Honors Topics: Faith, Reason, and Romance

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course explores the topics of faith, reason, and romance by examining works written about them. Students will consider the topics from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to Christianity’s orthodox convictions as handed down through the Church’s history, confessions, and creeds.

  • HNRS 1410 Honors Chronology: Ancient

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course explores the human intellectual tradition during the classical ages by examining written works that shaped those worlds and subsequent ones. Students will consider human experience during the historical period from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to the dignity of God’s image-bearers as exemplified through the gifts of wonder, reason, and moral agency.

  • HNRS 1440 Honors Chronology: Medieval

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 1410

    This course explores the human intellectual tradition during the age of the early Christian church and the Medieval age by examining written works that shaped those worlds and subsequent ones. Students will consider human experience during these historical periods from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to the moral vision and practices of Christianity as expressed through its scriptural and theological writings.

  • HNRS 1610 Walking to Piraeus: The Ancient Greek World

    Prerequisite(s): (HNRS 1323 or ENGL 1323) and majoring in CSEN or CYEN or CYSC or ELEN or INFO
    Corequisite(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 1640 All Roads Lead to Rome: The Ancient Roman and Early Christian Worlds

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 1310 or HNRS 1610
    Corequisite(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 1710 Walking to Piraeus: The Ancient Greek World

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College
    Corequisite(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 1740 All Roads Lead to Rome: The Ancient Roman & Early Christian Worlds

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 1710
    Corequisites(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 2020 Honors Writing III

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 2710.

  • HNRS 2030 Honors Lecture III

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 2710, 2610, or 2311 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 2710, 2610, or 2311.

  • HNRS 2050 Honors Writing IV

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 2740.

  • HNRS 2060 Honors Lecture IV

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 2740 or 2640 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 2740 or 2640.

  • HNRS 2100 Honors Readings

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A reading course to supplement the texts studied throughout the Honors College curriculum. The selected readings are primary sources that address themes or works as designated by faculty. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 2150 Honors Art

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A reading course to supplement the texts studied throughout the Honors College curriculum. Students are introduced to the disciplines of contemplation, appreciation, and illumination of God’s creation through a particular art medium (drawing, painting, printing, sculpture, ceramics, etc.) and to the basic techniques and materials of that medium in order to develop their artistic ability and understanding of art. The course may be repeated if content differs.

  • HNRS 2300 Honors Topics: Theology and Psychology

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course explores the topics of theology and psychology – which may include heredity, environment, emotions, motivation, perception, learning, personality, and intelligence – by examining works written about them. Students will consider human experience during the historical period from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to human interdependence and the moral vision and practices of Christianity as expressed through its scriptural and theological writings.

  • HNRS 2311 Faith, Reason and Romance: The Medieval and Renaissance Worlds

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 1640
    Corequisite(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 2380 Honors Topics: Person and Society

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course explores the topics of people and society by examining works written about them. Students will consider human experience during the historical period from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to the fabric of human interdependence woven by our shared past and present as well as our social and cultural contexts.

  • HNRS 2410 Honors Chronology: Early Modern

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 1440

    This course explores the human intellectual tradition during the early modern age by examining written works that shaped that world and subsequent ones. Students will consider human experience during the historical period from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to the dignity of God’s image-bearers as exemplified through the gifts of wonder, reason, and moral agency.

  • HNRS 2440 Honors Chronology: The Last 300 Years

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 2410

    This course explores the human intellectual tradition during the last three hundred years by examining written works that shaped the world in that time. Students will consider human experience during the historical period from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to the dignity of God’s image-bearers as exemplified through the gifts of wonder, reason, and moral agency.

  • HNRS 2610 Faith, Reason and Romance: The Medieval and Renaissance Worlds

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 1640
    Corequisite(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 2640 Enlightenment and Modernity: 1600 – 1900

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 2610 or HNRS 2311
    Corequisite(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 2710 Faith, Reason and Romance: The Medieval and Renaissance Worlds

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 1740
    Corequisite(s): 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 2740 Enlightment and Modernity: 1600-1800

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 2710
    Corequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 2050 and HNRS 2060

    This course will explore the human intellectual tradition during the Enlightment and Modern periods. Students will examine themes that underscore human experience during a particular 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 3020 Honors Writing V

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 3710.

  • HNRS 3030 Honors Lecture V

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 3710 or 3610 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 3710 or 3610.

  • HNRS 3050 Honors Writing VI

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A course designed to teach the writing and rhetorical skills needed to complement HNRS 3740.

  • HNRS 3060 Honors Lecture VI

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    A lecture course designed to complement HNRS 3740 or 3640 by providing information on the texts and authors that students examine in HNRS 3740 or 3640.

  • HNRS 3099 Special Topics

    Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors College; permission of the instructor
    Restriction(s): May be repeated for credit only if the research topic differs.

    Independent study on a research topic directed by a faculty member.

  • HNRS 3130 Honors Science Readings

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course is a reading course to complement the texts studied throughout the Honors College curriculum that address themes in the history of science. Students read texts in the history of science in order to understand the development of the scientific method.

  • HNRS 3135 Honors Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    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.

  • HNRS 3199 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College and permission of the instructor

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 3299 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College and permission of the instructor

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 3300 Honors College Study Abroad

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College, HNRS 1710, or permission of the Honors College Director

    This course will explore the human intellectual and artistic traditions of specific regions of the world. Students will examine themes that underscore human experience in a specific region from various academic perspectives. Students will gain a critical understanding of the artistic, literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and socio-cultural traditions that shape our world. Travel to the region of study will be a significant part of the course. The course may be repeated as course content differs.

  • HNRS 3310 Honors Topics: Life and Death

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course explores the topics of life and death by examining works written about them. Students will consider the topics from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to human flourishing and dignity. This course is for students who take it without simultaneously enrolling in an Honors Writing course; the content is the same as HNRS 3410.

  • HNRS 3380 Honors Topics: Natural Philosophy

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course explores topics in the history of natural philosophy by examining works written about them. Students will consider the topics from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to God’s creation and the development of scientific study, analysis, interpretation, and practice.

  • HNRS 3399 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College and permission of the instructor

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 3410 Honors Topics: Life and Death

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    This course explores the topics of life and death by examining works written about them. Students will consider the topics from various academic perspectives, including literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and scientific ones, giving particular attention to human flourishing and dignity.

  • HNRS 3610 The Last Two Hundred Years: 1800 to the Present

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 2640
    Corequisite(s): HNRS 3030

    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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 3640 The Story of Scripture: The Biblical Narrative from Genesis to Revelation

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    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 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 3710 The Last Two Hundred Years: 1800 to the Present

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 2740
    Corequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in HNRS 3020 and HNRS 3030

    This course will explore the human intellectual tradition during the last one 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, community, and science. Students will gain a critical understanding of the literary, philosophical, historical, theological, and socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 3740 The Story of Scripture: The Biblical Narrative from Genesis to Revelation

    Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors College

    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. 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 socio-cultural traditions that shape our world.

  • HNRS 3799 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 4310 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 3740 or permission of the instructor

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 4320 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 3740 or permission of the instructor

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 4330 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 3740 or permission of the instructor

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 4340 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): HNRS 3740 or permission of the instructor

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • HNRS 4398 Senior Thesis

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the Honors College 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.

  • HNRS 4399 Senior Thesis

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the Honors College 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.