Course Offerings, Fall 2012

Information contained on this page is subject to change. Please be sure to double check this information before registration by referring to the online schedule of courses located here. For frequently asked questions regarding registration, please read Registration Q&A.

Summer Honors Offerings
Honors Learning Communities
Honors Integrated Courses
General Honors Courses
Honors Seminars

PRIORITY REGISTRATION begins April 3, 2012. Registrar will confirm date and starting time by e-mail.  Advising starts in Feb 22, 2012.  To make an advising appointment follow the instructions listed on the advising page.

In your advising appointment you will speak with an advisor about getting into Honors courses.  Honors staff will be responsible for granting Honors students permission to add these restricted courses. Once registration starts, students have 48 hours to use their permission. If the student does not add the honors course during this time, s/he will be removed from the list, and the next eligible student will be offered the space. STUDENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF AVAILABLE SPACES VIA THEIR U OF L E-MAIL ADDRESSES. CHECK YOUR U OF L ACCOUNT OFTEN.

Changes will be made to information contained in these pages as they are made available to us. As always, please be sure you double check this information against the online schedule of courses, which will be available to students in early-to-mid-March. The online schedule of courses should be deferred to for course information if discrepancies exist.

Students who are not already members of the University Honors Program, and wish to apply, may not apply from February 15, 2012-April 4, 2012.  New applicants need to hear more about the program and its benefits, as well as be advised for the upcoming semester.

Summer Honors Offerings

ENGR 201-xx -- see below table for section numbers and information
Lecture: TR, 8:00-9:15 (EH 110)
Profs. Tyler & Ralston

Honors Learning Communities

Participants in the learning communities will take ALL of the below classes in each cluster together, and so develop shared interests and additional learning opportunities. Students MUST sign up for ALL parts of the community in order to participate. Course descriptions are found in the section headed "General Honors Courses."

As of Feb. 22, 2008: Preference for Honors learning communities is given to first-time freshmen at the University of Louisville.

Honors Program communities will be offered as HON 150-xx (where xx represents a section, listed in a table below). The student wishing to participate in one of the available learning communities will be required to register for the appropriate section of HON 150-xx. By registering, the student will be adding all required components to his or her schedule with one course number. Be sure you have all course times available in your schedule; otherwise an error will be returned to you for time conflicts. Also important to note: If you drop ANY component of the learning community, you will be removed from ALL components of the community.

** Important note: CHEM 208 enrollment is an exception to the above rule. Students in HON EAC must sign up for PHYS 298-02. Students in HON EAC must also sign up for a section of CHEM.

HON 150-01

* Runs first half of semester
** Runs second half of semester

HON 150-02

* Runs first half of semester
** Runs second half of semester

HON 150-03

* Runs first half of semester
** Runs second half of semester

HON 150-04

 Honors Integrated Courses

Topics in Social Sciences and Oral Communications (OCSB)
HON 214-xx
for times, see below

This course provides a basic introduction to communication (social science), along with teaching specific public speaking skills (thus, filling the oral competency requirement).This course satisfies General Education learning outcomes for Social Sciences and Oral Communication.

Topics in Humanities and Written Communication (HWC)
HON 217-01
TR, 9:30-10:45
Prof. K. Hadley

This course satisfies General Education learning outcomes for Humanities and Written Communication.

Topics in Mathematics and Written Communication (MWC)
HON 219-01
MWF, 9:00-9:50
Prof. D. Davitt

This course satisfies General Education Learning Outcomes for Mathematics and Written Communication. Using structured problem solving strategies to solve authentic real world problems, with emphasis on writing clear, comprehensible solutions; researching and writing about topics related to diverse problem solving strategies.

General Honors Courses

Honors Principles of Accounting
ACCT 205-01
TR, 9:30-12:15
Prof. C. Burge

Prerequisites: MATH 111 or 205 (or concurrently). Open only to students accepted in the Honors Program. Replaces Accounting 201/202 sequence in the business core. Students explore financial statement analysis and managerial accounting techniques and use these tools to solve business problems.

Honors Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 201-02
MW, 2:00-3:15
Prof. L. Markowitz

An introduction to the nature of culture, comparative cultural institutions, and the major problem areas of cultural anthropology.

Renaissance Through Modern Art - A
ARTH 270-03
TR 9:30-10:45
Prof. S. Jarosi

Survey of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the present.

General Chemistry I (S)
CHEM 201-01 (3)
Lecture: TR 11:00-12:15

The course will explore the relationship of the observable world with chemical or physical processes and with scientific aspects at the atomic and molecular level. Topics in the lecture will include problem solving, elements and compounds, chemical reactions, gas laws, energy, atomic structure, chemical bonding and molecular shape. The recitation section will provide more in-depth discussion of selected topics. See recitation information below:

General Chemistry I Lab (SL) (1)
CHEM 207-01, M 2:00-2:50
CHEM 208-01, M 2:00-2:50

Introduction to laboratory techniques and the synthesis and study of the inorganic compound Cr(acac)3 and several of its derivatives. Topics will include both macroscale and microscale synthesis, measurement of physical properties, recrystallization, melting points, infrared spectroscopy, and analytical methods. See section information below:

* Runs first half of semester
** Runs second half of semester

Organic Chemistry Lab I
CHEM 343-xx 
Dr. Christine Rich

Introduction to both macroscale and microscale techniques in organic chemistry. Topics will include measurement of physical properties and identification of unknowns; separation and purification techniques; chromatographic methods and applications, including GC or HPLC instrumentation; projects in organic synthesis; spectroscopic methods, including IR and NMR applications; stereochemistry and polarimetry. Prerequisite: Completion of CHEM 202 and 209 with a grade point average of 3.0 or better; co-enrollment in or completion of CHEM 341. Students not meeting these requirements may obtain permission of the instructor for enrollment. For more information, contact Dr. Christine Rich, Chemistry, 852-7814. For section information, please see below:

Honors Legal Environment Business
CLAW 301-01
MW, 9:30 - 10:45
Prof. W. McDowell

An introduction to the American legal and judicial system, with particular emphasis on the relationship of the law to business activities. A study of the developments of the law and the operation of the judicial system. Emphasis will be placed on the impact that government regulations and certain areas of the Uniform Commercial Code have on business.

Honors Computer Information Systems
CIS 300-01
MW, 9:30-10:45
Prof. M. Thatcher

Prerequisite: CIS 100. The study of computer information systems as they support business processes. Topics include the role of data, data manipulation, database management, information management and decision making, systems analysis and design, historical vs. current methodology in data communications, hardware and software in telecommunications, an overview of automated information systems, and policies and procedures needed to protect an information system. Advanced use of spreadsheet and database software.

Speech Communication (OC)
COMM 111-xx

The honors section of Communications 111 will focus on developing skills in both thinking about communication and in actual performance. Students will plan and deliver speeches, analyze example speeches (text and video), and critique the presentations of others in the course. Available sections include:

Interpersonal Skills (OC)
COMM 115-03
TR 11:00-12:15
TBA

Training in basic processes and skills of face-to-face interaction. Emphasis on developing language, nonverbal, and conflict management skills.

Honors Principles of Microeconomics (SB)
ECON 201-xx

This is a survey course in microeconomic theory and policy. The basic goal of the course is to establish an understanding of the organization and operation of the modern mixed market economy from the viewpoint of both business firms and consumers. Stress will be placed on supply and demand analysis, cost and production theory, and price determination under different conditions of market organization. In addition to a theoretical analysis of microeconomic problems, applications of theory to practical, private and policy problems will be emphasized. Throughout the course an appreciation of the ethical and moral judgments that are relevant to microeconomic decision-making will be developed and alternative positions will be illustrated. The role of international markets and competition will be discussed both through examples and theory. Available sections include:

Honors Principles of Macroeconomics (SB)
ECON 202-02
TR, 1:00-2:15
Prof. J. Vahaly

An introduction to the U.S. economy, including long-term structural developments and short-term fluctuations. Theoretical models are presented to explain changes in national output, the price level, employment, and unemployment. Competing macroeconomic models are examined and contrasted. The models provide a framework for studying fiscal and monetary policy, and the effectiveness of macroeconomic policy during recent economic history is evaluated. May be taken before ECON 201.

Engineering Analysis Core I (M)
*** FOR SPEED SCHOOL STUDENTS ONLY.
See your Speed Advisor for more information on registering for this course.
ENGR 101-xx
TR, 8:00-9:15
Profs. Tyler & Ralston

Introduction to vector methods and development and use of differentiation and integration to solve engineering problems, including those involving motion, related rates, optimization, moments and centers of mass. Available sections include:

Advanced Composition for Freshmen (WC)
ENGL 105-XX

Students share reading and writing with one another; develop critical-thinking processes with special emphasis on the conventions of primary and secondary research; develop writing processes; and practice producing finished papers that reflect academic conventions, including longer texts of 1500-2000 words that require documentation. Course content includes formal and informal writing, readings, and collaborative work in writers’ groups. ENGL 105 will be offered at the following times:

Honors Corporate Finance
FIN 301-04
TR, 11:00-12:15
Prof. R. Ray

A study of techniques that enable firms to efficiently manage their financial resources and maximize the value of their owners' investment. Investment techniques and analysis applied to the individual as well as to the firm. Computer and calculator problem solving. Topics include: financial analysis and planning, working capital management, interest rate calculations, valuation of stocks and bonds, capital budgeting and long-term financing, and international finance.

Honors History of Civilizations I (SB)
HIST 105-01
MWF, 11:00-11:50
Prof. J. Westerfeld

Examines in a topical or thematic manner no less than 1000 years of ancient and/or medieval human history.

Honors Thesis (WR)
HON 420-01
Prof. J. Richardson

Note regarding this course: Students taking a departmental course for Senior Honors Project work may not sign up for HON 420. Please contact 852-6293 for more information.

Honors Social and Psychological Dimensions of Physical Activity - SBCD2
HSS 293-03
MW, 11:00-12:15
Prof. Hart

Emphasis on socialization and cultural diversity as these affect physical education. Examination of psychological factors that influence learning and enhance the effects of participation.

World Literature to 1700 - H
HUM 101-03
TR, 9:30-10:45
Prof. E. Pritchett

An introduction to critical thinking about world culture through selected readings in major literary forms from ancient times to 1700.

Creativity and the Arts (A)
HUM 151-06
TR, 1:00-2:15
Prof. E. Pritchett

Introduction to the fundamental vocabulary, principles, analytical processes, and styles of the creative arts (painting, sculpture, architecture, and the printed image) with an emphasis on the performing arts (theatre, dance, music, film, and television). The course will include a variety of individual and group activities focused on creativity and performance in the classroom and in the community.

Cultures of America (HCD1)
HUM 152-02*
MWF 10:00-10:50
Prof. M. Johmann

Interdisciplinary study of the arts and humanities in contemporary American culture emphasizing the convergence of European, African, Hispanic, Asian, and indigenous cultures as well as the distinguishing characteristics of each culture as revealed in three of the following areas: fine arts, drama, literature, philosophy, religion, and popular entertainment.

*Part of learning community HON 150-01

Introduction to World Religions (HCD1)
HUM 216-05
TR 2:30-3:45
Prof. R. Fuller

The study of principal world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and indigenous traditions) in their cultural contexts.

Introduction to Eastern Religions (HCD2)
HUM 218-01
TR 9:30-10:45
Prof. P. Pranke

This course will be a comparative introduction to western monotheistic world religions, addressing themes including Scripture and Tradition, Monotheism and the Nature of God, Authority (Legal and Spiritual), Worship and Ritual, Ethics, Religion and the Arts and Religion and the Political Order. The course will be conducted through comparative analytical assignments of primary and secondary texts, class lectures and possible group presentations.

Crime and Justice in the United States - SB
JA 200-03
TR, 1:00-2:15
Prof. D. Keeling

An introduction to the history, practices and issues related to the law enforcement function in our society. Topics included are: history of law enforcement; comparative policing in other nations; sociology of law enforcement; current administrative and political issues involving police agencies.

Calculus I (M)
MATH 205-XX

Consider the expression S given by: S = 1/2+1/4+1/8+1/16+1/32... where the "..." indicates that the pattern persists indefinitely. Most of us would agree that the value 1 may be sensibly associated with S: our intuition tells us that half of a pie, plus a quarter of a pie, plus and eighth more, and so on, eventually recovers a whole pie. Somehow, we have managed to perform an infinite number of additive operations within a single stroke, by exploiting an underlying pattern. A mathematician would say that we have thereby computed S as a limit of finite sums. Calculus is concerned with exploring the notion of a limit on a more rigorous basis, establishing elated methods of analysis, and developing applications. It is a subject full of intellectual challenges and delights, of ideas that are at once elegant, powerful and useful. The basic aspects of calculus are covered: limits, continuity, the derivative, techniques of differentiation, applications, the Riemann integral, transcendental functions. The principal objectives are to master the theory and applications of elementary calculus, to sharpen general analytical skills, and to develop deeper mathematical insight. Attention is also given to the computational aesthetic, historical, and philosophical ramifications of the subject. MATH 205 will be offered at the following times:

Music in Western Civilization (A)

MUH 204-06
TR, 1:00-2:15
Prof. J. Ashworth

This course is an overview of solo and chamber music, symphony, opera, and choral music of Europe and the United States, including works by nearly 50 composers. The goal is to familiarize students with different forms and styles of music from the Middle Ages to the present. Requirements include listening to approximately one to two hours of assigned musical selections per week outside class, in addition to reading assignments; grading is determined by three tests and one paper. Neither previous musical experience nor the ability to read music is required.

Introduction to Philosophy (H)

PHIL 205-01
TR, 11:00-12:15
Prof. D. Masolo

Prerequisite: ENGL 101. Selected writings by important philosophers (e.g., Plato, Aristotle), illustrating their problems, methods, and conclusions.

Introduction to Logic
PHIL 311-02
MWF, 9:00-9:50
Prof. D. Chapman

Introduction to formal and informal techniques of argument analysis, with emphasis on applications to ordinary language.

Introductory Mechanics, Heat and Sound (S)
PHYS 298-02
MWF 10:00-10:50 & R, 11:00-11:50
Profs. C. Davis & S. Wu

Basic methods of physics with calculus applied to topics in mechanics, heat, and wave motion. Completion of, or concurrent registration in, MATH 205 or EAC 101.

Comparative Political Systems - SB
POLS 111-02
MWF, 11:00-11:50
Prof. D. Clayton

Approved for the General Education requirement in Oral Communication (SP). Course designed to familiarize students with dimensions of political discourse while simultaneously providing students with opportunity to practice arts of political speech.

Comparative Political Systems - SB
POLS 202-01
MWF, 11:00-11:50
Prof. S. Materese

An introduction to foreign governments; emphasis upon cultural settings, present governments, and politics.

Introduction to Political Science
POLS 299-01
TR, 11:00-12:15
Prof. J. Bunck

An examination of the theories, concepts, and units of analysis used in contemporary political science. Seminar format.

Introduction to Psychology (SB)
PSYC 201-03
TR, 9:30-10:45
Prof. M. Leonard

This course is designed to introduce and explore the scientific study of human behavior. Emphasis is placed on theoretical principles, methods of analysis and scientific application of the various fields comprising psychology. Course work will focus more on the analysis, synthesis, and critical evaluation of these principles, rather than on simple terminology and "facts."

Life-Span Developmental Psychology
PSYC 363-02
TR, 2:30-3:45
Prof. M. Leonard

This course will allow you to develop your knowledge base about the processes underlying psychological development from birth to death.

Introduction to Sociology (SB)
SOC 201-03
MW, 4:00-5:15
Prof. M. Austin

Formerly SOC 209. Introduction to the study of human societies. How societies are organized and changed and the implications of social organization on everyday life.

Introduction to Social Work (SB)
SW 201-02
TR, 1:00-2:15
Prof. Mathis

Introduces students to the profession of social work, its code of ethics, values base and commitment to social justice and working with vulnerable and oppressed groups.

Honors Basic Spanish III
SPAN 123-08
MWF, 3:00-3:50
Prof. Groenwold

Prerequisite: SPAN 122 or equivalent or placement score between 295-369. Note: Formerly Spanish 221. Note: Not counted toward major. Continuation of Basic Spanish II.  Note: Three hours of this 4-credit course are completed in class and the remaining credit hour is fulfilled by on-line, web-based work.

Honors Intermediate Spanish I
SPAN 201-01
TR, 11:00-12:15
Prof. M. Makris

Prerequisites: SPAN 123, 142 or equivalent, or placement score of 338-418. Note: Formerly SPAN 301. Consolidation and review of language skills for the purpose of improving: speaking, listening, reading and writing ability. Introduction to Hispanic culture and ethnicity within a global context as revealed in film and text.

Honors Seminars

International Travel Seminar                                                               By Application Only

International travel seminars are by application only. A panel comprised of the faculty teaching the travel seminar, the Honors director and counselors will review each application, rate it and make a final determination in time for chosen students to select how they would like the course to count before priority registration begins. A waiting list is typically maintained for the courses, comprised of alternates chosen from the applicant pool. Students are expected to comply with payment deadlines and participate actively in the course.

Crime in Victorian Culture | WR (Overseers International Seminar)
HON 336-01 / HON 346 -01 
TR, 4:00-5:15
Prof. Michael Johmann

Demon Barbers! Cannibalistic Pie-Makers! Reanimated Corpses! Whitechapel Rippers!  Pint-Sized Pickpockets! Pederastic Poets!  Cocaine-Addicted Super-Sleuths!  To anyone familiar with the popular literature of the Victorian era, the greatest age of Britain’s Empire was also a time awash in the sensationalism of crime, both real and imagined.  Newspapers raced to outdo one another in the reporting of crime, murderers attained celebrity status in the course of their trials, audiences swelled to the tens of thousands to witness public hangings, and penny-pamphleteers hawked gallows-confessions even before the guilty had swung.  Divided by class, by education and by wealth, Victorians nevertheless found a common macabre delight in the underworld of crime and so laid the groundwork for the emergence of the world’s first great detective, Sherlock Holmes.  But in the midnight shadows of London’s teeming slums, rippers, thieves and poisoners preyed on the city’s illiterate poor, creating a legacy of horror that defied even the best efforts of Scotland Yard.  This course examines the legacy of Victorian Britain’s fascination with crime and the lasting influence that era has had on both the image of the criminal and the popular culture of crime that continues into the 21st century.  During the semester we will explore the reality of crime in 19th century London, western culture’s first truly modern city, as well as the portrayal of crime in the popular media of the day, including classic literature, penny-dreadfuls, popular melodrama, newspapers, street ballads and song.  We will also take advantage of more modern technologies such as film to explore how the delicious nightmares of the Victorian era remain part of our own world in the contemporary era, continually reworking the old stories to suit our own particular tastes.  At the end of the semester we will travel to London and explore the Victorian legacy of the city that remains as part of Britain’s capital.  Tours will include such attractions as the Houses of Parliament, the Inns of Court, the haunts of Jack the Ripper in Whitechapel, the “rooms” of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson at 221B Baker Street and the Metropolitan Police Historical Collection at the Metropolitan Police Heritage Centre.  The course will conclude with a 12 day study tour in Britain.  Travel is tentatively scheduled for late-December 2012. 

Applications for this course will be available beginning Thursday, February 22, 2012 in the Etscorn Honors Center lobby or online on the Honors website course offerings webpage. 

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Humanities or the Social Sciences.

Art Wars: Variety in Play Interpretation

HON 331-01 / 341-01

TR, 11:00-12:15

Prof. Bert Harris

When Dorothy and her friends go to see the Wizard of Oz, Toto pulls aside a drape and the Wizard roars "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"  Those who work in theatre can identify with the Wizard: we hide our "tricks" behind a curtain, hoping to keep our audiences blissfully in the dark.

One of the things theatre artists do in secret is study previous productions of the scripts we're working on, hoping to "borrow" good ideas; while we’re sitting in an audience, we’re storing up ideas and forming opinions about that’s good and what isn’t.  Few audience members ever see more than one production of any script (except, perhaps, for the occasional Shakespeare), and so never have the chance to compare different interpretations and stagings, but theatre people do that all the time.  In this seminar we will research—and, frequently, observe—previous productions of three plays, which we will then see in performance in local theatres, from the large and formal (Actors Theatre) to the small and funky (Le Petomane, at The Rudyard Kipling).  The principal graded work in the seminar will be assessments of several local productions in the context of other interpretations we studied.

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Humanities or the Social Sciences.           
                

Punk & Politics

HON 331-02 / 341-02

MW, 4:00-5:15

Prof. Mike Grillo

Historically, political expression through music has been evident in a variety of countries and cultures, where politics influences music and music influences politics.  This course will examine the intersection of music and politics in a specific genre, punk rock.  This course defines punk broadly to include proto punk, punk, post-punk, and hardcore.  This course will cover the mid-1960s to the late 1990s.  The class focuses on this period because it not only produced highly politicized music, but also significant innovations in music itself.  We will begin our discussion with punk precursors such as garage rock, mod, and Krautrock.  From there we will examine the first wave of British and American punk in the mid to late 1970s.  Next, we will discuss the various post-punk movements of the late 1970s and early 1980s such as electro, avant-garde, art punk, no wave, industrial, and gothic.  The course will conclude with the American hardcore scene of the 1980s, the 1990s punk revival, post-hardcore, and digital hardcore/noise.  Through the course of the semester, we will explore how artists in each of these sub-genres have used music to rebel against the political and social establishment, promote political ideologies, offer social commentary, and provide people with an escape from harsh social, political, and economic realities. 

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Humanities or the Social Sciences.

Exploring the Waterways of Jefferson County

HON 341-03/ 351-03

TR, 1:00-2:15

Prof.  David Wicks

Jefferson County has 790 miles of streams and tributaries in six watersheds.  Unfortunately most of Jefferson County’s streams are so polluted that there are advisories against playing or fishing in them.  This course will explore the reasons why this is so and will investigate solutions to clean up the mess that we have created.   Through field trips, community speakers, individual and group research, we will document the aesthetic, cultural and ecological aspects of the watersheds to place the problems and solutions in a community context.  We will meet the people in the community who are working to restore our creeks;  people who are undertaking the largest park expansion in the county, revitalizing our sewer and flood infrastructure,  reconnecting our communities to the Ohio River, and expanding recreational opportunities along the waterfront.  The project reports and recommendations will be presented to the Mayor Fischer’s waterways recreational planning team. 

This course includes four weekend day trips from 9am-4pm.  The Saturday/Sunday field trips will be via canoe and will paddle on all of Jefferson County significant streams:  Beargrass Creek, Harrods Creek, Pond Creek, Salt River, Floyds Fork and the Ohio River.  Participants will become certified in Basic River canoeing by the American Canoe Association.  Three of the paddle trips will be on flat water while the fourth is on Floyds Fork, a class two white water stream.  There will be a $50.00 equipment rental fee per student.   

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Social Sciences or the Natural Sciences.

The Dark Side of Personal Relationships
Alternative name: Context, Challenges, and Communication in Personal Relationships

HON 331-04/ 341-04

MW, 2:00-3:15

Prof.  Kandi Walker

The line between what is considered normal and pathological is often frightfully thin, especially in close relationships. For example, when does a person who texts after a date cross the line from being protective to possessive? When does a person who is appealing become appalling? Or when does a person who is nurturing become smothering? Personal relationships are fraught with paradoxical and often confusing situations, challenges, and interactions. This class addresses relational issues ranging from lying to transgressions, privacy violations to deception, hurtful messages to abuse, and jealousy to relational obsession.

Using the dark side metaphor this class will investigate important, yet often neglected, issues of personal relationships. The dark side metaphor will allow consideration for the hidden and forbidden as well as the contradictory and ironic elements of human relating. More specifically, the class has two main goals—developing understanding of (1) the influence communication has on personal relationships, and (2) how contexts and relational challenges influence perceptions of personal relationships.

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Humanities or the Social Sciences.

Architecture & the American Home

HON 341-75/ 351-75

TR, 5:30-6:45

Prof.  Eric Hansen

Architecture and the American home looks at the development of American cities from the colonial era to the present.  We will discuss how home design and urban development affect the quality of life and the well being of the community.  We will discuss the sustainability of development patterns since World War 2.  We will compare the modern Architectural movements of the 20th Century with traditional styles from the past and work on a house design of our own.

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Social Sciences or the Natural Sciences.

Glass Ceilings Across the Spectrum of Professions

HON 346-02/ 356-02
MWF, 11:00-11:50

Prof.  R. Davitt

In economics, the term glass ceiling refers to “the unseen, yet unbreakable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications and achievements.”  This term was first popularized in a Wall Street Journal article that Carol Hymowitz and Timothy Schellhardt wrote on March 24, 1986.  Subsequently, sociologists and government committees studied the causes and ramifications of this ceiling and discovered among other things that indeed glass ceilings still exist today in the economic world (especially in developing countries) and that they are distinctively a gender specific phenomenon.  This seminar will first examine the results of scholarly and governmental studies concerning the phenomenon of glass ceilings in the economic world before examining both the historical record and the modern status of “glass ceilings” for women across the various professions.  These include mathematics, engineering, science, the visual fine arts, music, and politics, and, as time allows, academia, medicine, law, law enforcement, and military and church leadership.

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Social Sciences or the Natural Sciences.

Myths About Early Child Development

HON 441/451-01**

W, 2:00-4:30

Prof. Cara Cashon

Does music make babies smarter?  Do toddlers drop food from their highchairs to anger their parents?  Does talking in “baby talk” to babies slow down their language development? 

Many people believe they know the answers to questions such as these, and why not?   We were all infants and children once and many of us have extensive experience with babies and young children.  We also hear about these issues in the media.  However, conclusions based on our own experiences or what we have heard in the media may not be correct.  In this seminar, we will confront commonly held beliefs about infancy and early child development and examine whether these beliefs are supported by scientific evidence.  After taking this course, students will have increased their knowledge about infant and early child development, think more critically, and be better consumers of information in the media and from anecdotal stories.

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Social Sciences or the Natural Sciences.  ** This course is cross-listed with Psychology as PYSC 404-02.                                            

Executive Effectiveness

HON 441-02**

TR, 9:30-10:45

Prof. Elaine Robinson

This class explores leadership from a practical point of view.  Because of intensive one-on-one instruction and videotaping, it is limited to 16 Honors students who interact directly with the teacher (mentoring, coaching, personalized feedback), each other (peer evaluation and feedback), and successful leaders (role models and opportunity to learn from “the trenches”).

Students have the opportunity to develop and practice the skills needed for effective leadership, especially communicating (oral and written; impression management) and interacting with others. The class stresses thinking, learning, and creativity and focuses on the manager and leader as human beings. 

This seminar fulfills a degree requirement in Social Sciences. **This course is cross-listed with the College of Business as BUS 490-01.

Personal Creativity and Innovation in Business

HON 441-03**

S, 9:30-12:15

Prof. Buddy LaForge

The purpose of this course is to help students develop their personal creativity and design an environment that promotes creativity and innovation within organizations.  Readings, discussions, visits to different venues, and a variety of exercises and activities are used to achieve the course objectives.  Student progress is captured in a personal journal maintained throughout the semester and in papers and presentations on selected topics, as well as a team creative problem-solving project.  Each student shares a final “creative expression” during the final exam period.  Although the class is officially scheduled for Saturday mornings, there will only be 5-6 Saturday or Sunday classes, usually at interesting places.  Some class sessions will be from 12:15-1pm on Wednesdays or Thursdays.  Other class sessions may be held on different days and times during selected weeks, or be replaced by attending the Idea Festival, St James Court Art Show, etc. The exact class schedule for the semester will be determined by the class early in the semester.

This seminar fulfills a degree requirement in Social Sciences. **This course is cross-listed with the College of Business as MKT 490-02.

The Pacific Century

HON 431-04/ 441-04

TR, 2:30-3:45

Prof.  Shiping Hua

This course is to introduce the students to the developments of Asia in recent decades and its impact on the world.   Methodologically, this course is inter-discipline in the sense that it looks at Asia from the perspectives of history, politics, economics and culture.  In terms of scope, this course is broad.   The whole Asia-Pacific Rim is studied vis-à-vis the world.  Actually, an alternative title of the course could be “Asia and the World.”  Major topics include: the socio-economic and political factors in the rise of Asia, the impact of the rise of East Asia on the world, Asian capitalism, America in Asia, Russia in Pacific Asia, Vietnam, migration, and the Asian style Pork Barrel Democracy.  This course does not pre-assume the students’ knowledge about Asia.   The main text book is: Mark Borthwick, The Pacific Century: The Emergence of Modern Pacific Asia.  It comes with video materials also.

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Humanities or the Social Sciences.

Behavioral Modification-Better Living through Psychology

HON 441-75 / HON 451-75

MW, 5:00-6:15

Prof. Edna Ross

Are you tired of always being late?  Not being able to find what you want to wear without digging through piles and piles of clothing and other stuff?  Re-buying something you know you already have but just can’t find? Consistently procrastinating on studying for exams or writing papers?  Would you like to lose weight?  Work out more consistently, adopt a healthier life-style?   Do you have a well-trained, well-behaved pet or would like to have one?

All this and more can be achieved through the application of  the principles of behavior modification.   In this seminar, you will be required to select a behavior pattern (yours or a pet) that you would like to change.  You will develop a personalized behavioral change program that address this problem, implement the program, and present a final report of the results.

This seminar fulfills a degree requirement in Social Sciences or Natural Sciences. ** This course is cross-listed with Psychology as PYSC 404-75.

Medieval Holy Men & Women- WR

HON 436/446-01**

TR, 2:30-3:45

Prof. Andrew Rabin

Works on saints, sainthood, and the holy life form one of the most diverse and influential bodies of literature surviving from the Middle Ages. In these texts-which range from the humorous and fantastical to the tragic and sublime-writers expressed their ideals and anxieties concerning medieval culture and their place within it. More than just biographies of exceptional individuals or prescriptions for ethical perfection, texts on holiness provided a means to explore issues of politics, social status, and gender identity. In this course, we will study a variety of such texts, including the Rule of St. Benedict, Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, the Lives of the dog-headed St. Christopher and St. Euphrosyne the transvestite, the Little Flowers of St. Francis, and the trial of Joan of Arc. We will also consider how texts on saintliness influenced other forms of literature, particularly the Arthurian legends.  We will conclude by examining how narratives about Joan of Arc have become a means of expressing models of saintliness and sanctity in the modern world.  In particular, we will focus on Shaw’s Saint Joan, Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc, and  Gage’s The Second Coming of Joan of Arc. As this is a discussion-based class, we will no doubt cover a wide variety of topics, and I strongly encourage students to bring their own intellectual interests into the classroom. 

This course will fulfill a General Education Written Communications Requirement.  It will focus on writing as a process of thinking as well as a mode of expression and communication.  Writing will be presented as an integral aspect of thinking and learning and will therefore be a pervasive activity in this class.

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Humanities or Social Sciences. ** This course is cross-listed with English as ENGL 401-01. For information on registering for this course through English, please contact the department directly.

Pursuing Models of Sustainable Development: Comparative Approaches in Africa, Asia and Latin America - WR

HON 436-03/ 446-03

TR, 1:00-2:15

Prof.  Julie Bunck

This course will critically assess the political and economic developmental paths of some of the developing world's most dynamic and transformational societies, including South Africa, Ghana, Brazil, and Malaysia.  The course will address the following questions: Which developmental models appear to be working?  What factors and central components seem to be most critical in the process of development?  What sorts of obstacles tend to retard or undermine development?   How central are culture, institutions, and policies in molding a successful developmental path? 

This course fulfills degree requirements in the Humanities or Social Sciences.