Honors Courses

Passed by the Arts & Sciences Executive Committee - November 12, 1996
Passed by Academic Committee - February 17, 1997

HONS 1990 Honors Introductory Seminar 2-0-2
Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors Program.

A seminar, usually with an interdisciplinary focus, designed for students entering the Honors Program. Covers acculturation into the Honors Program, along with exposure to methods of inquiry, modeling behavior, and resources of the university community.

HONS 3990 Honors Capstone Seminar 3-0-3
Prerequisite: HONS 1990 and twelve hours in the Honors Program.

An interdisciplinary seminar on a selected topic. May be repeated for credit if topics are different.

HONS 4000 Honors Independent Study 1-0-1, 2-0-2, 3-0-3
Prerequisite: HONS 1990 and approval of the Honors Director.

Independent study in a selected area.

ANTH 1102H Honors Fundamentals of Anthropology 3-0-3

Fundamentals of anthropology at the Honors level, with particular focus on such disciplinary subfields as physical anthropology, archaeology, and cultural anthropology. Emphasis is on the employment of the anthropological perspective, and the application of anthropological concepts and models to contemporary issues and problems.

ART 2120H Honors Enjoyment of Art 3-0-3

An introductory survey of world art, at the Honors level, from prehistoric to contemporary, set in the context of historical, political, economic, and social events.

BIOL 1951H Honors Biology: Cellular Processes 3-2-4

An enriched introduction to the fundamental principles of cell and molecular biology. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic development will focus on the relationship of structure and function. Cellular solutions to fundamental problems such as cell recognition, energy acquisition and conversion, genetic transmission, and cellular reproduction will be discussed.

BIOL 1952H Honors Biology: The Evolution and Diversity of Life 3-2-4

Introduction to modern biology with an emphasis on the diversity of life on Earth and a close examination of ecological and evolutionary processes and relationships, taught in an enriched environment.

ENGL 1101H Honors Composition I 3-0-3

An Honors-level composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts, with emphasis on more advanced forms of critical analysis, exposition, and argumentation/persuasion, and also stressing introductory use of a variety of research skills.

ENGL 1102H Honors Composition II 3-0-3
Prerequisite: ENGL 1101 or Honors equivalent.

An Honors-level composition course, focusing on writing skills beyond the levels of proficiency required by ENGL 1102, that emphasizes advanced rhetorical strategies and argument/persuasion. The course also stresses, via an array of theme-based studies, more varied forms of interpretation and evaluation and incorporates more advanced research skills than those taught in ENGL 1102.

ENGL 2110H Honors World Literature I 3-0-3
Prerequisites: ENG 1101 and ENG 1102, or Honors equivalents.

An in-depth study of selected works of literature and their cultural backgrounds from the beginning of writing to the end of the classical period. This course, multicultural and comparative in focus, presents myths, epics, dramas, and prose works from western and non-western traditions that laid the foundation for modern intellectual thought.

ENGL 2120H Honors World Literature II 3-0-3
Prerequisites: ENG 1101 and ENG 1102, or Honors equivalents.

An in-depth study of selected works of literature and their cultural backgrounds from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century. This course includes introductions to the Medieval and Renaissance frames of mind of western Europe, as well as adding multicultural aspects. Trends in the development of modern thought are emphasized, with a focus on intellectual history.

ENGL 2130H Honors World Literature III 3-0-3
Prerequisites: ENG 1101 and ENG 1102, or Honors equivalents.

An in-depth study of selected works of literature and their cultural backgrounds from the seventeenth century to the present. This course includes introductions to the major concepts and themes represented in trans-national and trans-generic literary texts from periods such as the Enlightenment, Romantic, Victorian, Modern, and Contemporary. Special emphasis on multicultural and comparative aspects of the literature, and on large, overarching themes and concepts.

HIST 1011H Honors History of Civilization I 3-0-3

Survey of world civilizations from antiquity through the fourteenth century. Emphasis will be placed on the cultural achievements of each civilization, taught in an enriched environment.

HIST 1012H Honors History of Civilization II 3-0-3

Survey of early modern world civilizations from the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries. Emphasis will be placed on the growing interactions of world cultures, taught in an enriched environment.

HIST 1013H Honors History of Civilization III 3-0-3

Survey of world civilizations during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Emphasis will be placed on the impact of industrialization, global conflict, and the emergence of the Third World, taught in an enriched environment.

HIST 2111H Honors United States History to 1865 3-0-3

A survey of the major political, economic, social, and cultural developments in the United States and Georgia to 1865, taught in an enriched environment. (Either HIST 2111 H or HIST 2112 H satisfies legislative requirements for U.S./Georgia History.)

HIST 2112H Honors United States History Since 1865 3-0-3

A survey of the major political, economic, social, and cultural developments in the United States and Georgia since 1865, taught in an enriched environment. (Either HIST 2111H or HIST 2112 H satisfies legislative requirements for U.S./Georgia History.)

MATH 1113H Honors Precalculus 3-0-3
Prerequisite: Either MATH 1302 or a strong background in high school mathematics including the equivalent of MATH 1302 and a mathematics SAT score greater than 549.

Study of polynomial, rational, and transcendental functions and applications, conic sections, polar coordinates, parametric equations, and mathematical induction. Focus on concepts and real-world applications.

Math 2261H Honors Analytic Geometry and Calculus I 4-0-4

This enriched version of MATH 2261 will introduce limits, differentiation, integration, the fundamental theorem of calculus, and applications.

PERS 2170 Honors Perspectives on Ethics and Values: Human Nature/Human Futures 2-0-2

This course is designed get you to stretch the limits of your imagination, explore the furthest reaches of your intellect and conscience about technology and the future of human nature. We will discuss such questions as the following: Is the world around us truly as it seems? Is it desirable that we can be electronically stimulated to believe and experience things? Can we travel back in time? What is the basis for personal identity? Will we, can we, live for ever, live after our deaths, communicate with the dead? Are we complex computers? Is the mind reducible to matter, or, is the mind merely an epiphenomenon of the central nervous system? Are human values grounded in biological evolution? With the advent of contemporary genetics, is it a great time to be human, with the potential for health, well-being, longevity? Will humanity itself be genetically and technologically altered beyond recognition, perhaps creating a new conception of being human? What are the political and ethical implications of contemporary genetics
and artificial intelligence? I want you to wonder about the nature and impact of how technology may fundamentally change the way we live, work, play, and perceive our world. Should we be optimistic or pessimistic about our future? Will the future of humanity be heaven or hell?

PHIL 2010H Honors Fundamentals of Philosophy 3-0-3

An introduction to the principal problems with which philosophy is concerned: methods of inquiry; principles of critical reasoning; analysis of values and value systems; appraisals and analyses of basic beliefs and attitudes, taught in an enriched environment. Emphasis is on the contribution of important movements and major philosophers and on the relevance of philosophy to religious, political, social, ethical, and/or scientific issues.

PHIL 2020H Honors Principles of Logic and Argumentation 3-0-3

An introduction to the principles of logic and the nature of argumentation, taught in an enriched environment emphasizing reasoned discourse. Attention is given to language analysis, fallacies of reasoning, deductive and inductive procedures, subjective factors of reasoning and scientific method. Emphasis is on the practical application of basic principles to the analyses of ethical, political, and legal arguments and theories.

POLS 1101H Honors American Government 3-0-3

A survey course to provide honors students with an understanding of the institutions and political processes of the American system of government, taught in an enriched environment. Students are also given an overview of Georgia's Constitution, state politics, and state government institutions. POLS 1101 H satisfies legislative requirements for U.S./Georgia Constitutions.

POLS 2401H Honors Introduction to Global Issues 3-0-3

A survey of contemporary political issues arising both internationally and in the United States for honors students, taught in an enriched environment. Discussion will focus upon a number of controversial political topics currently being debated in the United States such as electoral reform, social and welfare issues, and the role of the U.S. in the world. The course will also examine global issues such as international trade and economics, human rights, and the moral responsibilities of nation-states.

PSYC 2500H Honors Fundamentals of Psychology 3-0-3

A general survey course designed to introduce the student to the fundamental methods and content of contemporary psychology. PSYC 2500 H can serve as an alternative to PSYC 2500 as a prerequisite to other psychology courses. Experimentation and Internet research are part of the Honors enrichment.

SPAN 2002H Honors Intermediate Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures 3-0-3
Prerequisite: SPAN 2001 or the equivalent.

A continuation of SPAN 2001, with emphasis on proficiency and communicative competence at the intermediate level in the four basic skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing, as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines. Students will view and discuss films from various Spanish-speaking countries; they will read and discuss current issues from Internet news sources (newspapers and magazines from different countries) as well as literary selections representative of the Hispanic cultures, including the Hispanic population of the United States; they will also participate in discussions on a variety of topics with guest speakers from various Hispanic cultures.

This listing can also be found in the current issue of the VSU Undergraduate Catalog. These courses are generally offered on a two-year cycle; however, HONS 1990 and HONS 3990 are offered every semester. Speak with your Honors Program advisor to plan ahead.