Honors Program in General Education (HNRS)

College of Arts and Sciences

Only students enrolled in the Honors Program are eligible to take HNRS courses. Because HNRS courses are a part of an integrative program, the courses in one semester are generally prerequisite to the courses in the following semester. (Exceptions for majors in certain departments have been arranged and are available in the Honors Program Office.)

110 Introduction to Research (4:3:1). Introduces students to basic research and writing skills that will be required in every course in the curriculum. Such questions as how to select a suitable problem or question, how to formulate an argument or thesis, how to find and select evidence to support the argument, how to organize ideas into a coherent essay, and how to write clearly and elegantly are answered.

121 Reading Cultural Signs (3:3:0). Uses methods introduced from cultural studies and communication as well as sociology, economics, and psychology. Explores ways in which contemporary arts, mass media (including advertising), and cultural events, as well as social institutions, reflect and shape personal and social values.

122 Reading the Arts (3:3:0). Prerequisite: HNRS 110, 121 Uses methods developed in HNRS 121 and introduced from literary study and fine arts. Explores the relationship of the parts to the whole in a work of art, connections among different art forms, and links between art and its historical context.

125 A Liberal Arts Approach to Calculus (3:3:0). Assumes an understanding of basic algebra and functions. Takes liberal arts approach to the subject, emphasizing the history and cultural implications of calculus. At the same time, the important mathematics of infinity is developed, and the principal transcendental functions are introduced.

130 Conceptions of Self (3:3:0). Drawing from appropriate works in the social sciences, arts, and humanities, course examines different conceptions of the self characteristic of different cultures.

131 Contemporary Society in Multiple Perspectives (3:3:0). Prerequisite: HNRS 110, 130. Explores methods and perspectives in the social sciences and humanities to evaluate the contribution of different disciplines to an understanding of significant social issues and their global ramifications.

225 An Introduction to Chaos Theory and Nonlinear Dynamics (3:3:0). Prerequisite: HNRS 125. Builds on an understanding of calculus to analyze topics in the dynamics of systems and how they change over time mathematically and functionally. Topics include many that have an impact on current scientific thinking and our culture: chaos theory, fractals, climate change, and neural networks. Uses computer simulations and illustrates ideas with biological examples.

227, 228 Scientific Thought and Processes I, II (4:3:3). Prerequisite: HNRS 227 is a prerequisite for HNRS 228. Explores and integrates the principles of classical and modern science through the study of such topics as cosmology, evolution, ecology, mechanics, relativity, and quantum physics.

230 Cross-Cultural Perspectives (3:3:0). Prerequisite: HNRS 110. Enables students to broaden cultural horizons and understand human behavior by studying in depth a society different from their own.

240 Reading the Past (3:3:0). Prerequisite: HNRS 110. Considers the construction(s) of historical narratives by examining significant current topics from their origins to the 20th century. Includes visits to area sites to consider public narratives. Provides context for HNRS 253.

253 Technology in the Contemporary United States (3:3:0). Prerequisite: HNRS 110, 240. Analyzes the emergence and the impact of specific technologies on contemporary culture in the United States. Explores such technologies as television, the automobile, newspapers, and the Internet from historical, scientific, political, economic, and global perspectives.